SPORT is being given a fair crack of the whip in the city and I, for one, am really pleased.

Worcester City Council has set aside bumper fund of £195,000 to create a number of exciting events and sport sits at the heart of the plans, with the Tour of Britain set to return to our streets and the team behind the Great North Run are bringing top class athletics with them.

It is a fantastic vote of approval for sport and it is encouraging to see the council being ambitious and thinking in new ways.

Yes, some may argue it will be paid for by the tax payer, but I think the greater good and wider benefits outweigh that grumble on this occasion.

The profile of the sport is now huge and the economic boost could be vital.

The thought of our Olympic hero Bradley Wiggins, last year’s Tour de France winner Chris Froome and Mark Cavendish being among the cyclists going under starter’s orders in the Faithful City is simply thrilling.

They are all more or less household names and a chance to see them on your doorstep isn't something to pass up.

I hope to be able to get out and see them in the flesh on September 10 and 11 if I'm lucky enough to fit it into my work schedule.

The event did not run between 1999 and 2004, and it is the first time it has come to Worcester since 2008.

I have fond memories of it passing my primary school in Malvern and it is great other youngsters will get that same opportunity and take inspiration from it.

As a runner, the prospect of the Worcester City 10K, City Run Bike Run and Worcester City Young Athletes Run launching on Sunday, September 21 also catches the eye because it could eventually form the basis of the increasingly popular City Games format.

Major cities across the country turn into sporting festivals for these events and it has already got my mind racing as to the potential for Worcester.

Even those who were normally nonplussed by sporting events got caught up in the spectacle and wonder of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games.

Could these events help to create that same wonderful atmosphere that gripped the nation for a glorious month of celebration and success?

They should certainly raise the profile of the area as a sporting hub and drive up footfall from the casual tourist to lycra-clad competitors and fans.

Lace up your shoes and join the city's sporting revolution!