Welcoming Tour a 'once-in-a-lifetime' thrill

The arrival of next year's Tour de France in Cumbria will be a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" to get involved with a sporting event viewed as among the best in the world, bike enthusiasts say.

The opening stage of the men's race finishes in Carlisle on 2 July, with the second starting in Keswick the next day and passing Thirlmere, Grasmere, Rydal Water and Windermere.

Secretary of Carlisle Cycling Association Fiona Graham told the BBC the county had "never seen anything like this before".

Cumberland Council leader Mark Fryer said "thousands and thousands of people" were expected to line the routes, but he added "it's as much about our own communities [enjoying it] as the visitors".

It will be the fifth time the UK has partly staged the men's event after 1974, 1994, 2007 and 2014.

Fryer said an economic boost would be one of the "key" benefits of the Tour coming to Cumbria with the riders having set off from Edinburgh on the opening morning on what is known as the Grand Depart.

Mark Donovan, from Penruddock near Penrith, is hoping to ride his second Tour de France having first done so in 2021.

Once a school pupil in Keswick, he said it would be "pretty special" to ride in such a familiar location as part of the world's most famous race.

"It's definitely a bit too early to say [if I'll be taking part].

"I think we'll wait until the end of this season and then we can start to think about next year, but I've been daydreaming about it a little bit - it would be amazing."

Donovan said it was the "biggest thing" he could do as a pro cyclist: "It's the pinnacle of the sport.

"I've grown up riding these roads and I've always had a soft spot for them.

"Maybe I'm a bit biased, but I do still think, on a good summer's day, there's arguably no better roads in the world than the Lakes to ride your bike."

Organisers are looking to recruit about 9,000 volunteers - known as Joy Makers - in Scotland, England and Wales to help with the running of the event and Graham is hoping to be among them.

She said Cumbria had welcomed "some biggish races, but never anything like this".

"It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get involved with one of the world's biggest sporting events.

"It's a chance to get involved, see things up close and welcome people to Cumbria because lots of them will be coming to watch."

Neil Witherington, of the Penrith-based Beacon Wheelers cycling club, likened the Tour to the "[football] World Cup coming to Carlisle, but it's free".

He added: "It'll be one of the best days Carlisle's ever had, I would think."

People living in Keswick previously told BBC Radio Cumbria they were excited for such a large event to come to the area.

However, some raised concerns about parking around the town, as well as the potholes on the roads.

This year's 21-stage Tour gets under way in Barcelona on Saturday and will once again finish on the Champs-Elysees, in Paris, on Sunday 26 July.

Defending champion Tadej Pogacar is aiming for his fifth victory.

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