It is less than a week to the start of the inaugural Tour De Yorkshire event, and based off the success that the Tour De France had starting in the county last year hopes are high that the fans will again flock to the roadside to cheer on the participants.
Here is a guide on what to expect for the 3 stages in this years event.
Stage One
Stage One will start in seaside town of Bridlington and 174km later finish further up the coast in Scarborough. The riders, from all over the world, will pass through spectacular coastal scenery and the iconic North York Moors landscapes. From the start line in Bridlington the riders will head along the Flamborough Head Heritage Coast before turning away from the coast into the North York Moors National Park, through Dalby Forest and towards Pickering. They’ll then take a spectacular journey back to the coast at Whitby, and then south to Robin Hood’s Bay with the ultimate race to the finish line on the seafront at Scarborough.
Stage Two
Stage Two will see the race start outside the imposing Selby Abbey. The route takes in much of the Yorkshire Wolds, and from Selby will take the peloton towards Market Weighton, through North Newbald and on to Beverley, where they will turn north to Malton, then on to Stamford Bridge. Spectators will have the chance to see a circuit of York and organisers are hoping for a dramatic finish in the town. And as part of the legacy of the Tour de France to get more women cycling there will also be a dedicated women’s event on a circuit through York on day 2, the 2nd May.
Stage Three
Stage Three will see the peloton make a return to some of the roads raced in the 2014 Yorkshire Grand Départ of the Tour de France, only with a twist; starting in Wakefield, riders will travel south to Barnsley before heading to Holmfirth where they pick up the Grand Départ route in reverse, racing to Ripponden before riding the iconic Cragg Vale - which in the Tour de France was the country’s longest continual climb and now becomes the longest continual descent. The riders will then make their way to Hebden Bridge, Oxenhope and through the famous cobbled streets of Haworth, one of the most iconic images of the Tour de France in Yorkshire. After a steep climb at Goose Eye the riders will once again see Ilkley, with the famous climb up the Cow & Calf before a sprint point at Arthington and then what is expected to be a hugely popular finish line in Roundhay Park in Leeds.
If you’re looking for big names then look no further than Olympic gold medallists Ed Clancy and Samuel Sanchez who will join Sir Bradley Wiggins for the 3 day event.
For all you keen cycling fans here are the key riders in the Tour de Yorkshire.
SKY: Ben Swift, Chris Sutton, Bernie Eisel, Sebastian Henao, Nathan Earle
Giant-Alpecin: Marcel Kittel, Lawson Craddock, Bert de Backer, Lars van der Haar
IAM: Matteo Pelucchi
Lotto NL-Jumbo: Moreno Hofland, Maarten Tjallingii
BMC: Samuel Sanchez, Marcus Burghardt, Greg van Avermaet
Europcar: Tommy Voeckler, Cyril Gautier
Cofidis: Nicolas Edet, Julien Simon
Hardy Cult Energy Pro Cycling: Russ Downing, Linus Gerdemann
MTN-Qhubeka: Steve Cummings, Gerald Ciolek, Matt Brammeier
Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise: Capiot Roompot Oranje Peloton: Kreder, Duijn
Team Wiggins: Wiggins, Owain Doull, John Dibben
Great Britain: Germain Burton, Gabriel Cullaigh, possibly Josh Edmondson (Yorkshire)
JLT Condor: Ed Clancy, Kristian House Madison Genesis: Erick Rowsell, Tom Scully
ONE Pro Cycling: Yanto Barker, Pete Williams
NFTO: Steele Von Hoff, Ian Bibby
Team Raleigh GAC: Steve Lampier, Ian Wilkinson
For more information on the event please see this website.