Officials in Scotland are campaigning to have cycling's premier event, the Tour de France, come to Scotland within the next few years.

The summer marathon on two-wheels staged a major success this year with huge crowds turning out to see the prologue time-trial in London followed by a first stage down to the Channel coast.

And with cycling a boom sport north of the border, the national events agency EventScotland believes the time is ripe to lure the Tour.

The organisation's corporate communications manager Leon Thompson told The Scotsman newspaper that negotiations are underway to bring the Tour to the north.

"We've had the early conversations about the possibility of hosting the `Grand Depart' in Scotland," Thompson said. "It's an iconic world-class event, and the kind of event that would sit very well within our portfolio of major events. We haven't discussed possible years yet, or where it might happen."

Scottish officials are currently active on several fronts trying to bring top-class sports events to the country and they scored a notable success last month with Glasgow winning the right to stage the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

The Scottish Government have also backed a feasibility study to determine whether Scotland could stage football's European Championships in 2016.

The Scotsman noted that Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme had been made aware of Scotland's interest in staging the prologue and first stage.

The soonest Scotland could get involved, however, would be 2010, as Tour officials have confirmed the event will start in Brittany and Monaco in the next two years.

Scotland's top pro David Millar said he'd be thrilled to see a Tour start in his native country.

"It would be amazing," said the Team Slipstream rider, "and I think it is realistic."