Council gears up for ‘Giro’

A cross departmental working group, including councillor membership, is to be established to draw up a plan for the Ballymena route of the world famous bicycle road race.

Recommending the creation of such a group to a Council committee, last week, Economic & Tourism Development Manager Sean Trainor said the presence of the ‘Giro’ cyclists in Ballymena on May 10 was an opportunity to showcase the local area included on the route.

Mr Trainor also pointed out that dressing the route in the official race colour - pink - is being encouraged and that the race will be filmed every stage of the way from both the air, via helicopters, and the road, via motorcycle camera crews.

“NITB (Tourist Board) have secured ‘The Big Start’ in Northern Ireland of 200 riders an an opportunity to showcase Northern Ireland,” he told the meeting.

“Some 800million people will view the race in 165 countries on five continents. Two million will view on live streamline with one million views per day,” he said.

The committee agreed to set up a working group and to bring back a proposal with costs to a meeting early in the New Year.