Cycling: Home tour punctured

THE Tour of Britain, which ran for 36 years as the Milk Race, will not take place this summer. The eight-month search for a sponsor to replace the Milk Marketing Board ended yesterday when the British Cycling Federation called off the race which was due to be held from 29 May to 11 June.

Ian Emmerson, the Federation president, blamed the recession and added: 'It is unfortunate that Britain will not have a national open tour. Now we have to tell the eight countries who accepted their invitations that it is off; Slovenia had even named their riders.'

'Now there is a chance to get organised for 1995. We can aim to come back bigger and better,' Brian Elliott, the race organiser, said.