Eastern Germany aims for start of 2030 Tour de France

Germany has launched a project to be awarded the start of the 2030 Tour de France in the eastern part of the country.

"It is to be a Big Bang for the region," said Rudolf Scharping, the long-time president of governing body German Cycling, at Tuesday's presentation in Leipzig.

German Cycling has unanimously approved the project of the newly founded organization Grand Depart Allemagne and pledged its support.

In early planning the first stage in the 40th year since German reunification could be from Dresden to Gera, and include a passage from East Germany's Peace Race cycling event. Stage two could be a time trial from Halle to Leipzig, and the third and final stage in Germany from Erfurt to Magdeburg.

Costs have been estimated at €20 million ($22 million) while income from tourism could be €150-200 million.

Officials have said the event would be financed by businesses and sponsors, and not the tax payer. Hopes also lie in Bundesliga football club RB Leipzig, whose majority shareholder Red Bull also run a professional cycling team.

Grand Depart Allemagne have said the plans are backed by the prime ministers of the three states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia, where the stages would take place.

The next step is to present the project to Tour organizers Amaury Sport Organization (ASO), with first talks to be held before summer.

Scharping is confident because ASO also organizes the Tour of Germany and the two biggest one-day races in Frankfurt and Hamburg.

The Tour has started in Germany on four previous occasions: 1965 in Cologne, 1980 in Frankfurt, 1987 in West Berlin and 2017 in Dusseldorf. Several other stages have also started in, finished or passed through Germany.