Giro d’Italia can Showcase East Antrim

Ulster Unionist MLA Roy Beggs Jnr says he is delighted that the world renowned bicycle race the Giro d’Italia  is taking in so much of the East Antrim constituency when it arrives In Northern Ireland for 3 stages next May.

Roy, who is a keen cyclist himself said:

“It is fantastic news that the Giro d’Italia will be passing along the Antrim Coast road on the Saturday stage of the race on 10th May next year.  We will be able to catch the event passing through Carnlough, Glenarm, Ballygally, Larne, Glynn, Magheramorne, Whitehead, Carrickfergus and Whiteabbey as it heads to Belfast.  This has echoes of last year when the Olympic touch relay made its way through a long stretch of East Antrim along the Coast Road.

This is another wonderful opportunity to showcase our beautiful part of the world and really develop our tourism potential. I would love to see local communities and sports clubs getting involved in 2014 by organising their own events to celebrate the Giro d’Italia coming to East Antrim and Northern Ireland.  I am sure Council Events Officers in Larne, Carrickfergus and Newtownabbey are already making plans to capitalise on this occasion.

My Party colleague, the Regional Development Minister Danny Kennedy has talked about the cycling revolution in Northern, and I know that he is working to ensure that the roads are in great condition for the competitors.  Indeed he has already set up a cycling unit within his Department which will seek to improve infrastructure.’

ENDS

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