The Tour de France organizers, ASO, quickly denied revelations which appeared in the cycling-related media last days and suggested that the 2016 edition of the French Grand Tour might be held in Thailand.

Earlier this weak, Cycling Weekly quoted the Thurism Authority of Thailand (TOT) governor Thawatchai Arunyik, who insisted to be in the middle of negotiations with ASO chairman in order to bring the biggest cycling stage event to the Asian country.

Tour de France organisers deny reports that the 2016 race will“We are still talking with Tour de France organisers but we are looking at next fiscal year. So 2016, not 2015,” Thawatchai Arunyik,  governor of TAT said.

“We’re not sure yet how many stages we will hold whether it is one or two stages or the whole competition. This is something that still needs to be discussed.

“Thailand is the perfect location for this highly prestigious competition, not to mention that cycling as a sport is enjoying enormous popularity here at the moment,” said Arunyik.

However, Tour de France organizers quickly reacted to those revelations, explaining that they’re indeed negotiating with TOT, but a possibility of bringing on of their post-race criteriums to Thailand, exactly like it happens in case of the Saitama Criterium held in Japan.

An ASO spokesman has said: “There are talks indeed, but not to bring the Tour to Thailand.

"There are discussions to settle in Thailand via a criterium, just like we did in Japan with the 'Saitama Criterium by Le Tour de France'.”