While the Irish start to the Tour de France was regarded as a one-off, the possibility of another visit here has already been discussed favourably by top Tour officials. However, there is no necessity to go dashing off to make plans for a repeat outing. If the race does come here again it will not be for at least 10, or maybe even 15, years.

Next year the Tour will start at Le Puy du Fou, in the Vendee region near Nantes (the venue used in 1993), but the organisers are considering Guadeloupe in the West Indies the year after. The Tour director general Jean-Marie Leblanc said if the Irish venture was as successful as hoped they would be looking at something exceptional for 2000. Ten years ago Montreal was considered, but such a lengthy trip across the Atlantic was rejected. Now, however, Leblanc is keen on Guadeloupe for the new millennium Tour start. Pat McQuaid and Alan Rushton were the main people involved in the Irish start and they expressed their delight and relief at how everything went, while Leblanc said it was even better than he expected. Rushton went on to reveal that, although the Tour visit was initially regarded as a once in a lifetime experience, that could become twice in a lifetime for some.

It was no surprise that the Tour survived its biggest doping affair, although some lawsuits are expected from those not found guilty of any offence but who were deprived of their earning capacity. Drug taking cannot be tolerated, but the way some of the French police handled cases of suspected possession of banned substances was highly questionable.

While the remaining riders in the Tour protested by not racing they also provided the best of racing in extreme weather. It will be interesting to see if similar severe police action is taken in other high profile professional sports when a doping case is detected.

Meanwhile, McQuaid is talking of Ireland applying to stage the World Road Race Championships in 2003 with Cork a likely venue.