Start and finish points announced and enrty details for Sportive
Mike
Quote from Yorkshire Business NewsBRIDLINGTON, Leeds, Scarborough, Selby, Wakefield and York will all host a start or finish line for next year’s Tour de Yorkshire international cycle race.
The race, which will be held over the May bank holiday weekend (May 1-3) next year, is expected to become a flagship cycling event in the UK and an outstanding cycle race in the international calendar, including the participation of top international teams and cycling stars. It will be broadcast live on national TV and throughout Europe.
The full route details will be revealed on January 21, on the 100 days to go to the race, which is being held by Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.) and Welcome to Yorkshire (WTY), supported by British Cycling.
Director of the Tour de France at A.S.O., Christian Prudhomme, said: “I am delighted we are returning to Yorkshire where we saw the grandest ever Grand Départ for the Tour de France. It is clear the people of Yorkshire are passionate about cycling and we can’t wait to bring them this new race.”
More than three million people turned out to see the Tour de France in Yorkshire and the economic impact has been put at well over £100m.
Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said: “This is another huge milestone for Yorkshire as we position the county as the cycling heartland of Europe. This is the first ever Tour de Yorkshire, I am confident it will become a huge annual event and something that will raise Yorkshire’s profile year on year.”
Much of the new race will be in parts of the county the Tour de France didn’t touch.
Councillor Stephen Parnaby, leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “The East Riding is an area with a great passion for cycling, a passion that can be summed up by the on-going success of the East Yorkshire Classic Cycling Weekend, which sees some of the country’s top cyclists ride through Beverley, and the mass participation of the recent Sky Ride Local scheme. Hosting a major sporting event will have untold benefits for the whole county in terms of tourism and boosting the local economy and the council will make every effort to capitalise on this."
Organisers had hoped Hull would play a major part in the event, but according to reports, the city council said "budget constraints" meant it had to pass.
The deputy leader of North Yorkshire County Council, councillor Carl Les, added: “There is no doubt the Tour de France was a huge boost for North Yorkshire and we’re keen to support this new race, which will further strengthen the region’s economy. After the dales benefited directly from the Tour de France, we’re particularly pleased to welcome the inaugural Tour de Yorkshire to North Yorkshire’s beautiful east coast and moors.”
British Cycling is supporting the new race. President Bob Howden, said: “This new annual race partnering Welcome to Yorkshire and A.S.O. with British Cycling will help to maintain the legacy progress gained so far, helping us to achieve our collective goals of inspiring more people to get on their bikes and get active. Events of this calibre show to the world that Britain has what it takes to be the par excellence deliverer of iconic world class showpieces.”
A mass sportive with several distances where people can ride the same route as the pros will be held on day three (May 3). The mass ride will be delivered by Human Race – owners of the Dragon Ride and many other sportives – in collaboration with the Tour de Yorkshire organisers. People can apply to enter the sportive on the Tour de Yorkshire website -
http://www.letouryorkshire.com/ Bernard Hinault, five times Tour de France winner, said: “The Tour de France has had a sportive alongside it for many years and it’s a unique experience for amateur riders to ride at L’Etape; so to have this similar experience available at the Tour de Yorkshire will be magnifique and something all keen riders will want to be part of.”