Be part of The Big Start!

The event, which was held in Ballycastle Golf Club on Wednesday, aimed at encouraging and enthusing stakeholders from the Giro route areas - Ballymoney, Bushmills, Ballycastle and Cushendall.

The Grande Partenza - or The Big Start - of the 20124 Giro d’Italia will come to Northern Ireland from May 9 - 11.

Day Two of the event will see the race leave Belfast and make its way to Ballymoney (via Antrim and Ballymena).

The race will turn right at the Portrush Road roundabout in Ballymoney and make its way to Ballybogey before sweeping around a hairpin bend at the Royal Court Hotel in Portrush and heading towards Bushmills before arriving in Ballycastle and then making its way to Cushendall.

Chief Executive of NITB Alan Clarke urged everyone to get involved in what is a very exciting, worldwide event.

A panel of speakers explained how the local towns are being encouraged to embrace the Giro and its corporate colour of pink - the colour of the winning jersey.

The audience was made aware of the massive global TV coverage the event will afford the Causeway Coast and the anticipated revenue generation of £2.5 million in Northern Ireland.

Among the ideas floated were turning the Ballycastle sea front water feature pink and bathing the Children of Lir sculpture and Bonamargy Abbey in pink light.

Shops and businesses were urged to decorate with their shop fronts in pink.

School competitions will be run to get children involved and community groups are also urged to take part in events such as Italian cookery or music.

NITB have produced a logo of a cyclist called Freddie Forte which they said could be incorporated in local events.

Pink balloons and bunting will also be produced and festooned along the route.

NITB have produced a Giro d’Italia Big Start toolkit which features all the information any local groups need to get involved.

The Toolkit can be downloaded at nitb.com/Giro2014