DEVON could ride to the rescue of the Tour of Britain cycle race as organisers grapple with funding challenges and criticism of this year’s race.

County council cabinet member and cycling fan Stuart Hughes (Con, Sidmouth) said he would “love” to have the big race back on the county’s roads, and confirmed that exploratory talks have begun.

Belgian superstar Wout van Aert won the 2023 event in a race dominated by his Jumbo Visma team, but some cycle fans criticised the race route, saying the succession of flat stages around this year made the racing dull.

Race director Mick Bennett told the “Guardian” newspaper that long delays at Channel ports caused by post-Brexit regulations had made some continental teams reluctant to travel to the UK, leading to a field of just 96 riders taking part.

And he pointed out that local councils all around the country faced a financial squeeze which meant they are prioritising spending on things other than bike races.

Now, however, Devon could be poised to rejoin the tour route with its eye-catching stage starts and finishes, as well as iconic moorland climbs and seafront sprints.

“If it’s going to come back to Devon, 2024 would be a great year to do it,” said Cllr Hughes. “I’d love to have it back.”

Devon has been on the Tour’s calendar a number of times. 

Memorable moments include a sprint finish on Teignmouth seafront, a route which took riders through the indoor market hall at South Molton and a “mountain” finish at Haytor where British rider Simon Yates outpaced the world’s best climbers to win 10 years ago.

In 2021 the most recent Devon stage of the race started in Sherford and finished in Exeter after taking in Totnes, Dartmouth, Slapton, Kingsbridge, Tavistock and Dartmoor. 

The stage cost the county council just under £220,000, but council leader John Hart (Con, Bickleigh and Wembury) said it provided advertising money can’t buy.

Council figures suggest the race has generated more than £41 million in Devon since it first came to the county in 2007 and each stage it hosts usually creates up to £5 million for the local economy.

Nearly two million spectators are estimated to have lined the route to see the Devon stages in that time.

“Exploratory talks are as far as it has gone at the moment,” said Cllr Hughes. “We are just talking, but it would certainly be nice to have the race back in Devon.

“It has always been classed as one of the better stages, and whatever it costs to put on, there is a great benefit to Devon from the Tour of Britain. 

“The stages are seen right around the world and show Devon at its best.

“It also encourages people to get out on their bikes.

“We’ll just have to wait and see.”

Guy Henderson

LDRS