Start and Finish locations for Tour de Yorkshire 2016 announced

Tour de Yorkshire organisers Welcome to Yorkshire and the Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.) have selected six towns across Yorkshire to host a start or finish for the Tour de Yorkshire 2016.

 

Tour De Yorkshire 2015 | Scarborough to Bridlington - Stage 1- ©CyclingShorts.cc / www.chrismaher.co.uk

TdY 2015 | Bridlington – Stg 1- ©CyclingShorts.cc / www.chrismaher.co.uk

Racing will begin and end in Beverley, Doncaster, Middlesbrough, Otley (Leeds), Scarborough and Settle.

 

The three day men’s race will be held between Friday 29 April and Sunday 1 May.  The women’s race will be held on Saturday 30 April.

 

Welcome to Yorkshire received fourteen expressions of interest to host a Tour de Yorkshire start or finish in 2016 or 2017.  A small number of 2017 start and finish locations have also been confirmed today, with Fox Valley (Sheffield), Halifax, Harrogate and Selby announced as hosts.

 

The inaugural Tour de Yorkshire was held in May this year and attracted one and a half million spectators and over six million global television viewers.

 

Tour De Yorkshire 2015 | Selby to York - Stage 2 - ©CyclingShorts.cc / www.chrismaher.co.uk

Tour De Yorkshire 2015 | York – Stg 2 – ©CyclingShorts.cc / www.chrismaher.co.uk

Sir Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said:

 

“From the first moments of the inaugural Tour de Yorkshire, everyone who was there knew it was something special.  I’m delighted that we are able to bring the 2016 race to all four corners of Yorkshire.  It is testament to how much the county has taken the race to its heart that we have been oversubscribed for next year’s starts and finishes. 

 

“The Tour de Yorkshire is an event in the cycling calendar that riders want to race in and we look forward to welcoming some of the world’s best riders back to Yorkshire next year.”

 

Tour De Yorkshire 2015 | Wakefield to Leeds - Stage 3 - ©CyclingShorts.cc / www.chrismaher.co.uk

Sir Gary Veriey & Christian Prudhomme ©CyclingShorts.cc / www.chrismaher.co.uk

Christian Prudhomme, Director of the Tour de France at the ASO, said:

 

“Yorkshire is so perfectly suited to international racing and the landscapes create wonderful chances for riders to shine.  Many of the teams and riders said that the Tour de Yorkshire reminds them of the Tour de France’s Grand Départ, with the routes, crowds and atmosphere once again combining to create a very special race”.

 

Next year’s Tour will be also see a return of the Maserati Tour de Yorkshire Ride and a chance for Tour Makers to volunteer on the race route and help welcome spectators at the event.

 

Tour de Yorkshire Trophy - ©CyclingShorts.cc / www.chrismaher.co.uk

Tour de Yorkshire Trophy – ©CyclingShorts.cc / www.chrismaher.co.uk

Several of the host towns announced today are also home to Yorkshire Bank Bike Libraries, a direct legacy of the Tour de France and Tour de Yorkshire, which aim to offer every child in Yorkshire access to a bike. So far nearly one thousand children have borrowed a Bike Library bike, through school visits, led rides and community activity.

 

The full 2016 race route will be announced in December 2015 – this announcement will include exact start and finish locations and the distance and profile of the race.

Inside The DeathStar – Cycling Shorts.CC at the Tour De France

 

RodEllingworthIf proof was needed of the popularity of Cycling as a sport in the UK now then a good Barometer has to be the ten deep crowds around the infamous Team Sky ProCycling Team Bus, aka The Deathstar. Not ten deep with the general public but with actual accredited worthies in and around the Tour de France!!

Team Sky Bus aka The DeathStarOne key difference with Cycling is and hopefully always will be access to the riders and team staff. Within minutes of approaching Team Sky’s allotted piece of Leeds City Centre we were granted a few seconds with a very, very busy Rod Ellingworth, Performance Director within last year’s Winner’s team. A few years ago a British Team, with British winners at this race would have been a dream but now even the coaches, all be it famous ones now have to face the public and sign autographs!!

So using my old racing ties with Coach Ellingworth and around the chaos at Le Grand Depart we stole a few seconds with Rod who will be a man in demand for the next three weeks!!

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