Retired sprinter becomes the latest name to add his support to his home county’s campaign
Malcolm Elliot has become the latest name to lend his support to the county of Yorkshire’s bid to host the Grand Depart of the 2014 Tour de France. The retired sprinter, who rode and finished the race in 1986 and 1987, was born in the South Yorkshire city of Sheffield, and so would naturally love to see the biggest event of all visit his home county.
“Bringing the world’s greatest cycle race to Yorkshire is a fantastic prospect,” he said. “Yorkshire is a special cycling county, having the stars of the peloton race past your doorstep will be an inspiration to all young riders growing up training and racing on these roads.
“Summer 2012 proves that England is ready and waiting to cheer on the greatest and I am delighted to be an Ambassador for the Yorkshire bid”
Elliott rode as a professional in the UK, Europe and the United states in the 1980s and 1990s; his biggest wins were his total of three stages of the Vuelta a España, as well as the points jersey in 1989, before his retirement in 1997. He returned to the British peloton in 2003, as a 41-year-old, winning a number of Premier Calendar races; since retiring again in 2011 – aged 50 – Elliott has served as directeur sportif for the Node4-Giordana team.
“It is great to have Malcolm join our team,” said Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire. “He blazed a trail in the 1980s putting Yorkshire and British cycling on the world map. He is a true champion and we hope one day soon he will help welcome the modern day champions of cycling to our county as part of a Yorkshire Grand Depart.”
Elliott joins a host of British stars to have put their support behind the Yorkshire bid, which includes 2011 World champion Mark Cavendish. As well as the Manxman, the long list of riders contains a number of Yorkshire natives, including past legends Brian Robinson – the first British rider to win a stage of the Tour – and Barry Hoban – the holder of the British record for Tour stage wins before Cavendish.
Current Yorkshire riders behind the bid include Ed Clancy, Ben Swift, and Russell and Dean Downing.