The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Tour wants to ride back into Langtoun
THE ORGANISERS of the Halfords Tour Series which brought the thrills and spills of team cycle racing to Kirkcaldy last week would be “delighted” to return to the Lang Toun next year.
That was the message yesterday from Halfords Tour Series PR manager Peter Hodges who told The Courier that, in addition to a return to Kirkcaldy, the series has ambitions to run race stages in several Scottish towns and cities next year.
Several thousand spectators lined the streets of Kirkcaldy for the televised race, which saw the series make its first visit to Scotland. It was seen as something of a coup for Kirkcaldy when it was announced in February that it would host the Scottish leg of the series.
Established in 2009, the Halfords Tour has grown in popularity and attracts the top 10 professional teams racing in the UK. The event sees riders from 13 nations battle it out over five weeks on street circuits across the UK to be crowned Halfords Tour Series champions.
Yesterday, Mr Hodges said organisers had been “very happy” with the Kirkcaldy leg of the event, which he described as the “best ever” opening round in the competition’s fouryear history. He also said that Halfords’ event partners – Event Scotland, Fife Council and Kirkcaldy 4 All – seemed to have been pleased with proceedings.
Mr Hodges said: “At tour level, it’s not just about the cycling, it’s about kids being inspired by what they see and getting on their bikes to give it a go.
“Perhaps the next Mark Cavendish was standing in the crowds in Kirkcaldy last week. Who knows?
“But the event also showed off Kirkcaldy in all its glory. The weather was beautiful and we hope it might have inspired people across the UK to try Kirkcaldy or Fife as a cycling destination for a holiday or a long weekend.”
Mr Hodges said Event Scotland put the tour in touch with local authorities last year. Fife Council was the “most pro-active and most passionate” in its desire for the event and, he said, deserved “particular credit” for its ambition to make it a success.
“It would be nice to be talking next year about a return to Kirkcaldy and another Scottish venue. We’d like to have one week of the series in Scotland, comprising two races. There’s a lot of debriefing of the race to follow but we’d be delighted to return to Kirkcaldy next year if Fife Council and Kirkcaldy 4 All want us back.”
Last night, Kirkcaldy MSP David Torrance, who helped start the race and presented the prizes, said the event had been a “great asset” to the town and he would love to see it back.