The Tour of Britain Grand Depart arriving in Cornwall was a long road with many setbacks. But this Sunday, Cornwall can proudly show off its scenery as a great place to cycle.

The driving force for the tour coming to the county began five years ago with Helston resident Dave Potter.

Mr Potter had pondered the success and shared the local pride of large scale unforgettable events in Cornwall - such as the largest mechanical puppet ever created in the country, the Man Engine tours in 2016 and 2018, the Olympic Torch Relay of 2012, even the greatest influx and outflow of visitors ever seen in Cornwall for the 1999 solar eclipse.

Then a Helston town councillor, he put before his fellow councillors a motion to lobby Cornwall Council about backing a major cycling event such as the Tour of Britain being brought to the area, pointing out the economic boost it would give.

With the backing of Helston Town Council, Mr Potter wrote to all the other town and parish councils in Cornwall, asking for their support in Cornwall hosting a stage of the Tour of Britain in 2020.

Read more: Tour of Britain in Cornwall timings, route, schedule: where to watch

At the same time, two of Helston's Cornwall councillors Mike Thomas and John Martin championed the idea to officers at County Hall, despite having only been elected a few weeks earlier in the local government elections of May 2017.

Mr Thomas recalls: "We were still newbies. We didn't know anything about how to get things done. But we were inspired by David's enthusiasm.

"If it wasn't for what Dave Potter did it wouldn't be here."

Their work included encouraging the council to set up the necessary policies on such events, before taking a step back once the idea was adopted and taken forward.

Mr Potter, however, continued his involvement and went on to be chair of the Cornwall Tour of Britain Stage Working Group.”

In the event the route for the ride will not actually pass through Helston, but throughout the process Mr Potter has made clear that it it was not for self-gain that he was promoting the idea, but for the benefit of Cornwall and cycling.

In 2020, after years of promoting the prospect of a Cornwall Tour of Britain, Mr Potter said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to present to the world the landscape and culture of Cornwall.

“Hosting this premier sporting event also enables the generation of economic activity, promotion of healthy living and cycle tourism in Cornwall. But above all, it will hopefully act as an inspiration to young people that anything is possible, and nothing is out of reach.

“The Tour will bring economic benefits and encourage investment in cycling, but it will also bring some much-needed fun after the year we have all had.”

Now, in 2021, Cornwall will have world champion cyclists speeding through its countryside, villages, towns and city. A spectacle that will owe a lot to the determined vision of Mr Potter, and others who joined the call including famous cyclist Chris Opie, born in Truro, and Cornwall Councillor and former Mayor of Truro, Loic Rich.

Mike Thomas added: "When I see the Tour of Britain in the news I'm very keen people know that it was Dave Potter, his enthusiasm, getting it going in Helston that moved it on.

"Helston suggested it and it came out of our town."

This week planning permission has been fully granted for the The Cornwall Cycle Hub. The hub will be a brand new seven million state of the art facility with opportunities for residents of all ages and abilities to take part in cycling activities.

Read more: New 'regionally significant' £7m Cycle Hub in Cornwall gets planning permission