Tour de Yorkshire Route is announced!

The very first ‘Tour de Yorkshire’ in May 2015 will start in Bridlington and finish in Leeds.

Today, the route for the inaugural Tour de Yorkshire was released, with its ‘Grand Depart’ in the seaside town of Bridlington and the finish point at Roundhay Park in Leeds.  The tour will take place between the 1st – 3rd May 2015 and will see riders from all over the world competing in what is expected to be a highly popular and exciting event.   The whole event will be televised.

Here are the routes for each day of the tour:

Stage 1 route (1st May- start midday):

Starting in Bridlington, the first day will cover 174 km and see the riders heading along the Flamborough Coast before taking a route through the North York Moors and through Dalby Forest.  They will then return to the coast via Whitby and then onto Robin Hood’s Bay, finally finishing on the Scarborough seafront.

See a map of the Stage 1 route here.

(Image courtesy of British Cycling)

Stage 2 route (2nd May 2015 – start midday):

The second day of the race will begin outside the impressive Selby Abbey and will then head towards Market Weighton, through North Newbald and then onto Beverley.  From here, the peleton will turn north to Malton and onto Stamford Bridge.  The riders will then take a circuit around the historic city of York before finishing in the town.   The second day of the event will also host a dedicated women’s event on a circuit through York as part of the Tour de France’s legacy to get more women cycling.

Take a look at a map of the Stage 2 route here.

(Image courtesy of British Cycling)

Stage 3 route: (May 3rd 2015 – start midday):

The final stage of the race on Sunday 3rd May will see the riders return to familiar territory from last year’s Yorkshire Grand Depart of the Tour de France – but with a small twist.  The peleton will begin in Wakefield and travel South towards Barnsley before heading to Holmfirth.  Here they will then pick up the Grand Depart route – but in reverse.  The riders will race to Ripponden before riding the famous Cragg Vale (which was the longest continuous uphill gradient in last year’s tour, but which will now become a descent).  The riders will then pedal their way to Hebden Bridge, Oxenhope and the cobbled streets of Haworth.  After a climb at Goose Eye, the peleton will go through Ilkely and up the Cow & Calf before a sprint in Arthington and a final push towards the finish line in Leeds at Roundhay Park.  In the morning before the pro race begins, amateur riders can have their own taste of the Tour by joining in on a mass participation bike ride which you can  register for here.

You can see a map of the Stage 3 route here.

(Image courtesy of British Cycling)

The Tour de Yorkshire is being organised by ‘Welcome to Yorkshire’ and the Amaury Sport Organisation.  It is also being supported by British cycling and various cycling clubs across Yorkshire.

With only 99 days (and counting) before the 1st of May 2015, we have to say that we are very excited about the inaugural Tour de Yorkshire!