Video: Pupils cheer Le Tour legend as funding wrangle rolls on

A warm welcome from the children of Kippax School near Leeds as the Tour de France Director Christian Pruhomme (left) and Tour legend Bernard Hinault

Whitehall stepped in last month with £10m to help the county host the first two stages of the 2014 Tour de France on July 5 and 6.

But the pledge came with a caveat that organisers Welcome to Yorkshire review the plans and make a more robust approach to ensure taxpayers’ money is not wasted.

Speaking yesterday at Kippax Primary School in Leeds, where five-time Tour winner Bernard Hinault was guest of honour, Mr Verity said: “[Funding] is a work in progress.

“The important thing for us is that ASO are very happy with us and that’s clearly significant. Things are progressing incredibly well. So we are well set, but we are not complacent. There’s a lot of hard work to come but we are in good shape.”

Tour director Christian Prudhomme added: “I’m very confident. I think Yorkshire could be ready this June, not only next year.”

The Tour delegation visited three schools, starting at cycling-mad Kippax, which built its own track for pupils. Hinault said: “The passion for the Tour from the people of Yorkshire is fantastic. It touches our heart.”