Düsseldorf says nein to hosting 2010 Tour start

By Agence France Presse

After numerous doping scandals surrounding the Tour de France in recent years, the German city of Düsseldorf has withdrawn its bid to host the start of the 2010 race, it was announced Thursday.

Düsseldorf mayor Dirk Elbers formally withdrew the city’s candidacy after a meeting in the west German city on Wednesday night, saying it would have cost 6 million euros (8.5 million US dollars) to host the start.

“We had promised ourselves a raised positive profile all over the world through the Tour’s coverage, but that is not assured now,” Elbers told German sports agency SID.

Whether the 2010 Tour is screened here also remains to be seen. ARD stopped broadcasting last year’s Tour at mid-race after German rider Patrick Sinkewitz failed a drugs test. ARD has yet to decide whether to screen the 2009 race.

Düsseldorf would have been only the fourth German city to host the start of the Tour in the event’s 105-year history. The others were Cologne (1965), Frankfurt (1980) and Berlin (1987).

FILED UNDER: Road