Tour de France trophy coming to Hackney
A prestigious Tour de France trophy is coming to Hackney as East London gears up to host the great race this summer.
The Grand Départ trophy will be put on show in Hackney Museum from 10.30am to 7pm on Tuesday, March 18.
The trophy was commissioned in 2013 by the Amaury Sport Organisation to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Tour. It was designed by award-winning French photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand.
Each year the 40cm trophy, made from brass, bronze and nickel and weighing 15kg, is held by the area or city hosting the start of the legendary cycle race. This year it's Yorkshire. So far it’s toured Yorkshire, Cambridgeshire and Essex, and is now making its way through London.
It’s great that Hackney, London’s number one borough for cycling, is getting to host this prestigious trophy. The excitement of the Tour de France coming to London is starting to build and we want to make the most of every opportunity we have to promote cycling and encourage people to get on their bikes. Only one of these trophies has been made and it’s unlikely it will be returning to the borough for many years. We want as many people as possible to come and see it and hopefully get inspired by what it stands for.
There will be pre-arranged visits from schools and cycling groups throughout the day, but everyone is welcome to come and view the trophy until the museum closes. Though the museum will be open to the general public all day, groups of 15 or more people are advised to visit after 3pm. For more information call 020 8356 2509.
The Grand Départ is the name given to the first section of the Tour de France and is being held in the UK this year. There are three stages taking place over Saturday July 5 to Monday July 7. The first is from Leeds to Harrogate, the second is York to Sheffield and the third is Cambridge to London. The final stage will pass through East London before finishing in The Mall. The exact route is expected to be confirmed later this month.
