Betting on an event as big as Tour de France, which requires a large investment, has always generated a lot of debate. In the first course of ‘Big Boucle’ for the Basque Country the street debate is among those that saw 12 million euros invested by Basque institutions in ‘Great Department’ and people who consider it very understandable because of the promotion generated by an event like the Tour -the third most important in the world after Olympic Games and the World Cup– , not in vain is expected to return to a positive economic impact of up to more than 100 million in the three territories of Basque CountryYo.
The exact numbers of the ‘legacy’ of the Tour de France in the Basque Country are not yet known, but the first estimates are based on other great exits of the race outside of France in the last decade, such as those that took place in Yorkshire, Brussels, Dusseldorf or Copenhagen, indicate that the economic impact increases between six and nine investments made. That is, “for every euro of the public budget, between 6 and 9 euros of economic impact is achieved for the city, and this assumes the generation of direct employment related to the project itself, tourism, residential and commercial movement, beyond history , culture and bike fans in Euskadi”, in the words of Councilor for Economic Development, Commerce and Employment, Xabier Ochandiano.
Everyone enjoyed the first three stages of the Tour on Basque soil, whose photos reached 190 countries and more than 12 million people. Viewers will understand why the Basque Country It is considered one of the cradles of cycling and why its fans are one of the most knowledgeable. The ‘orange tide’ took over the streets and the ramps of the main ports, and only the defiant action of the few who threw thumbtacks in the path of the cyclists put a balance that can only be described as very positive.
It is identified by Amorebieta Mayor Ainhoa Salterain, who recognized the magnitude of the event: “This is a showcase for the world, a historic opportunity for the municipality. Having a way out of Amorebieta, a town with less than 20,000 inhabitants and visible in 190 countries…”, in remarks to Cadena SER. He was also delighted Mayor of San Sebastian, Eneko Goiawhich did not hide the fact that “the passage of the Tour through San Sebastián was a national bet from the beginning. It is worth hosting a test with such a projection”. And the proof of the great reception of Tour in Euskadi was seen in El Arenal Fan Park in Bilbaowhich broke the attendance record in the history of the ‘Grand Départ’ with 106,300 attendees, so the Mayor of Bilbao, Juan María Aburto, will point out that “the stage was won by the people. It has been a success.”
This year is the second time that the Tour starts from the Basque Country and Spain, after in 1992 it was done from San Sebastián. The 2024 edition starts on June 29 at Florence, Italy).
Source: La Verdad
I’m Robert Maynard, and I am a passionate journalist with experience in sports writing. For the last few years, I have been writing for Today Times Live. My main focus has been on sports-related stories and features. With my strong background in journalism and extensive knowledge of the industry, I am able to provide readers with well-crafted pieces that are both informative and engaging.
