Major sporting event – Le Grand Départ

The successful staging of the Grand Départ highlighted four key reasons why London makes such a compelling location for major events:

• London’s proven capacity to host major events – the Wimbledon tennis finals and the Live Earth concert were held the same weekend as the Grand Départ
• The high level of exposure London can offer major events
• The way London agencies work with event organisers to ensure maximum attendance
• How London agencies ensure maximum benefit to the city as a legacy of the event.

Why London won the Bid

London won the right to host the Grand Départ because it could add value to the core event through a range of festivals, carnivals, concerts, street parties, cycling events, markets, displays and exhibitions across the city. All of these invited wider participation, appealing to Londoners and visitors alike and were successful in engaging new audiences.

Transport for London, in partnership with the Mayor of London, the London Development Agency, Visit London, South East England Development Agency, UK Sport, Sport England, British Cycling, Kent County Council, Medway Unitary Authority, Canterbury County Council and the Royal Parks, delivered an extraordinary events programme that ran alongside the race including the People’s Village and the Cycling Festival.

A long term legacy for London

One of the main criteria in deciding whether to back a bid for a major event is the legacy the event might create for London.

Throughout the bidding process it was recognised that there was potential for the Grand Départ to leave a legacy of support for the city’s transport and environmental policies; to help develop healthy and active communities and to combat barriers to participation across some minority groups.

Every aspect of the planning and the delivery of the event was designed to inspire and engage Londoners from all communities and backgrounds, with the emphasis on making the link between elite level sport and access to sport within the community.

Winning public support for the event helped to deliver positive media stories, encourage the recruitment of enthusiastic volunteers and extend the social and economic benefits as widely as possible. In a post-event survey, just over half of those attending said they were more likely to cycle as a result of the Tour de France coming to London.

An Iconic Backdrop to an Historic Occasion

The itinerary for the Grand Depart was designed to use the city’s historic and iconic landmarks to maximum effect. Starting with the opening ceremony in Trafalgar Square on the 6th of July, a free public celebration of the Tour's arrival in London.

This was followed by the spectacular Prologue on the 7th of July consisting of a 5 mile route passing London landmarks, that included Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament, St Paul’s Cathedral, Tower Bridge and the London Eye. Stage One of the Tour commenced on the 8th of July.

Drawing a Large Audience and Media Profile

In all, an estimated 2 million people attended the event, with more than half coming from outside London and a further 10% travelling to London from other countries. The event attracted in excess of £35 million worth of media coverage over the weekend.

Excellent coordination, outstanding logistics and state of the art infrastructure are expected from any bidding city. London’s added success as host city was due to creativity and flexibility, both of which were crucial in combining the traditional values associated with the event with an innovative and novel interpretation in delivery.