Hopes high for region’s Tour de France bid

The National Road Race Championships was held at Ampleforth Abbey in Ryedale yesterday and featured some of the country’s top riding talent.

Senior executives from the tourism agency, Welcome to Yorkshire, said the race acted as a strong indication that the region should be placed in pole position to secure the opening stages of the Tour de France, called the Grand Départ, in 2016.

Welcome to Yorkshire’s chief executive Gary Verity said: “Hosting the prestigious Nationals on the eve of the Olympics will showcase to the world that Yorkshire is a race ready location for the Grand Départ.

“We have the backing of some of British Cycling’s biggest names in this year’s Tour de France in Mark Cavendish and Ben Swift, as well as Olympic gold medallist Ed Clancy.

“They know what a great location Yorkshire is for Le Tour and that is the message we are taking to France this summer.

“Yorkshire is the spiritual home of British cycling and the county is ready to host the Tour de France.”

Yorkshire’s bid to host the Tour de France has also attracted support of former cycling legends from the region including Brian Robinson – the first British man to win a stage of the Tour de France in 1958 – and Barry Hoban, the winner of eight Tour de France stages.

The proposed route would start in Leeds before taking in the Dales and the North York Moors along with key locations including York, Scarborough, Hull and Sheffield.