Beryl Burton’s daughter to ride in women’s Tour de Yorkshire event

Denise Burton-Cole, a top cyclist in her own right, will take on the 50km Tour de Yorkshire Ride Cycletta on Sunday May 3.

She rode alongside her mother for Great Britain in the 1972 World Championship and won bronze in the 1975 World Individual Pursuit Championship.

Burton, who rode mainly for Morley Cycling Club before moving to Knaresborough Cycling Club, won around 100 National Championships and set a women’s record in the 12-hour time-trials which beat the men’s record for two years.

She features in the British Cycling Hall of Fame and was awarded an MBE and an OBE.

Her daughter grew up watching how passionate her mother was about cycling and fell in love with the sport.

Joining her in riding the Maserati Tour de Yorkshire Ride Cycletta will be her own daughter, Anna.

Ms Burton-Cole said: “It is fantastic for Yorkshire to have an international cycle race and for a mass participation women’s event to run alongside it on the last day is terrific. I can’t wait to be part of it.”

Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said: “It is great to have Denise in the Tour de Yorkshire Cycletta Ride. Denise was inspired by her mother to take up cycling and went on to become a medal winner and now Denise is inspiring other women to take up the sport.”

Burton’s story was adapted into a stage play actor-turned-writer Maxine Peake, staged at West Yorkshire Playhouse during the Grand Depart’s £2m cultural celebration, the Yorkshire Festival 2014.

Almost 300 women have already signed up to ride in the Maserati Tour de Yorkshire Cycletta Ride.