Cambridgeshire could host a stage of the Tour of Britain if a £100,000 grant bid is approved by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CAPCA).
The CAPCA business board says they have received a request from Cambridgeshire County Council to support the event.
The board is now recommending CAPCA donates £100,000 (£84,000 plus VAT) to make it happen.
If approved, Cambridgeshire will host the event as it comes to the county in September.
The business board has an enterprise zone funds budget from which expenditure would be met.
CAPCA says The Tour of Britain is an annual cycling event with stages being hosted across the UK.
The tour is the country’s biggest cycle race event and is free-to-attend for spectators and on national television broadcasts.
CAPCA has been approached by Cambridgeshire County Council and events team to contribute towards hosting a Cambridgeshire stage start for this year’s Tour of Britain.
The start stage is likely to take place on Wednesday 6th or Thursday 7th September. The event has an agreed finish in Felixstowe, Suffolk.
The cyclists would ride from 80 – 100km within Cambridgeshire before entering Suffolk.
A report to next week’s business board says: “Unless Cambridgeshire County Council can raise the required funds to cover the hosting cost, then the event would need to locate an alternative start location for the stage out of county.
“Yes, the overall Tour of Britain event would still take place however no part of it would be in Cambridgeshire.
Start locations for Tour of Britain
“The start locations are open to discussions and there is no fixed point as to where along the county borders the event should cross.
“No route has been agreed however Cambridgeshire County Council would like to keep to roads that require little or no additional maintenance given the time and budget constraints.”
The report says as that as a co-funder of the event, CAPCA will have opportunity to input on route discussions and logo displayed on event material.
“It is suggested the CAPCA lead a working group that would also include Cambridgeshire County Council and district of the start location,” says the report.
“The event provides an opportunity for the organisations to engage with the local community.”
The business board says the £100,000 funding towards the hosting costs associated for a Cambridgeshire stage will be charged to Enterprise Zone Funds.
“The event would be expected to attract over 200,000 spectators which would boost the local economy by more than £4m of visitor expenditure,” says the report.
“Furthermore, the hosting of a start stage would not only showcase the county of Cambridgeshire but would also promote cycling and healthier lifestyle as 64% of event spectators are likely to cycle more.”
