Will the Grand Départ of the Tour de France take place in East Germany in 2030? It could very well happen. During the recent Tour de France, organizers from Germany's eastern states already held an initial discussion with the Tour organization, Andreas Prokop, co-initiator, told the press agency dpa.
An official bid has not yet been submitted, but the federal states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia are already preparing it. Additionally, sponsors have been secured to finance the initial steps. "The next step is a visit to Paris to discuss the application and clarify its format," said Prokop, who emphasized that it became clear during the first discussion that a German bid would have a strong chance of success.
The plan would be to organize three stages in East Germany. According to Der Spiegel, the first stage could run from Dresden to Gera via the Ore Mountains. The Steile Wand of Meerane (300 meters at 12.3% gradient)—known from the former Peace Race—could be part of the route. On day two, a time trial might follow from Halle to Leipzig. As for the third stage, speculation points to a race from Erfurt to Magdeburg.
