Marie Curie has been announced as the first-ever charity partner for the Tour de France Grand Depart next year, just as Brit Chris Froome recovers from his historic Tour de France win this weekend.

The British hold on the Tour de France may be a new development, but it is gaining force. Following Bradley Wiggins unprecedented British win last year, Froome’s victory yesterday coincided with the announcement that the British end-of-life charity will benefit as the charity partner of the Grand Depart, which covers the first two stages of the tour – next year to be held in Yorkshire.

The Tour will begin in Leeds on 5 July, weaving its way to Sheffield before returning to more familiar soil on the continent.

Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme declared it an honour to be working with Marie Curie. “We hope by working together that we are able to help them raise vital additional funds to continue the amazing work of their nurses and hospices,” he said.

The detour of the tour to Yorkshire is as a result of the work of tourism agency Welcome to Yorkshire, whose executive is also a patron of Marie Curie Cancer Care.

“Marie Curie is a charity close to my heart as they were there for me when my wife Helen passed away with cancer. I am proud to be a patron and delighted they will be the official charity of the Grand Départ for the Tour de France,” he said. 

Picture: Launching the official partnership from left to right are: Louise Bryan (Marie Curie Nurse), Bernard Hinault, Tour de France ambassador and five times winner of the Tour de France, Carol Call (Marie Curie Nurse), Christian Prudhomme (Tour de France director) and Gary Verity