Qatar Reveals Tour De France Interest

26 Jul 2011 | tshego

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Following its successful bid for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Qatar has now
revealed it is interested in hosting the start of the 2016 Tour de
France – according to media reports.??

State-owned Qatar Airways was the official airline for this year’s Tour, won on Sunday by Australian Cadel Evans. ??

Next year’s race will depart from Liege, Belgium, while Corsica is due to begin the 100th Tour de France in 2013. ??

London hosted the start in 2007, and in 2010 the cyclists began in Rotterdam. ??Florence is bidding to become the first Italian city to host the Grand Depart in 2014. ??

Barcelona, Edinburgh and cities in England, Netherlands, Germany and Austria have all expressed an interest in hosting future starts.

??Qatar however, would come with logistical and meteorological challenges – with a mid-summer July heat posing problems for the riders, almost guaranteeing a short stage or time trial should Qatar win the stage.