Tour de France to start in Scotland?

Just days after the announcement that the Tour de France will start in Monaco in 2009, many were talking about a possible start of the French Grand Tour in Scotland.

"It would be amazing, and I think it is realistic," said Tour de France race veteran David Millar to the Glasgow Evening Times. "Logistics are always a problem, but where there's a will there's a way and if Ireland can do it then Scotland can. We could fly back to France - we've had bigger transfers than that within France."

Leon Thompson of EventScotland, a national events agency confirmed his organization had initiated discussions with ASO after this summer's start in London. "We've had early conversations about the possibility of hosting the Grand Depart in Scotland," Thompson said. "We haven't discussed possible years yet, or where it might happen. But all conversations are at a very early stage and we're really just looking at it. It's not something we were seeking to publicise."

A Scottish Tour de France start could happen as early as 2011.