Written by Shane Stokes
It was recently confirmed that cross-border bids to start the Tour de France in Ireland have been frozen, but Sam Bennett has taken a “glass half full” approach to the news.
Bennett (Decatron AG2R La Mondial Team) said in an interview with Sticky Bottle that the much-anticipated Grand Des Parts here will not happen within the next three years, but that the governments of the North and South are considering hosting the race. He said his ambition is positive.
“It’s great that Ireland has shown so much interest in cycling,” he said. “And I think that’s great for the Irish economy and great for Irish tourism.
“I really think we can create some great stages in Ireland and increase interest in cycling among the Irish public.”
The bid was first announced in October 2022, with the governments of the Republic and Northern Ireland expressing interest in jointly hosting the event in either 2026 or 2027.
But after the Irish Department for the Economy withdrew last July, citing financial difficulties, the Irish government decided it was not in a position to go it alone to launch the tour, which could cost between $20 million and $30 million.
The project is on hold, but both sides have indicated it could be revived in the future.
Bennett, now 33, has previously said he hopes to compete for a few more years. But he remains optimistic, even if the tour ends after he retires and he loses the opportunity to compete in his home country at the sport’s biggest event.
“I’m not complaining about not participating. I’m just glad there’s interest,” he said.
“But it’s great for the young players. I mean, we’ve got three very young Irishmen in the EF (Ben Healy, Archie Ryan, Darren Lafferty ed.). We’ve got Eddie Dunbar too, Ryan (Maren) will be there too.
“So we’re going to have a lot of top Irish pros who are going to have their best years ahead of them and that’s going to be great for them.”
Even if things are on hold for now, he believes the initial interest bodes well for another bid in the future. “That’s a really positive thing. That’s great.”