McKevitt welcomes Gran Fondo decision

SDLP culture, arts and leisure spokesperson Karen McKevitt has welcomed news that the Gran Fondo cycling event will be coming to Northern Ireland in June, as part of the legacy project from the recent staging of the Giro d’Italia.

SDLP MLA Karen McKevitt

The South Down MLA said, “It’s fantastic news that the Gran Fondo will bring back world cycling’s attention to Northern Ireland after the successful staging of the Giro d’Italia.

“It’s very important that we build upon momentum and opportunities that arise from the staging global sporting events and maximize the potential for staging more.

“Legacy promotions are an intrinsic part of that. Irish cycling received a massive boost this year. The Giro also introduced people to the sport for the first time. We must continue that good work,” she insisted.

“In the recent past this island has been represented on a world stage in golf and boxing, to name only two, massively increasing spectator and participator interest in both, leading to opportunities for hosting global events in both codes. Cycling can be added to those.

McKevitt added, “It was very important that legacy projects continue to arise from the Giro and news that the Gran Fondo will return here for the next three years certainly fulfils that.”

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Posted by Newry Times News on Jan 5 2015. Filed under Sport. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry