The eight host locations for 2018 Tour de Yorkshire have been unveiled today.
The stages for the newly expanded fourth edition will begin or end in:
Barnsley (South Yorkshire)
Beverley (East Yorkshire)
Doncaster (South Yorkshire)
Halifax (Calderdale)
Ilkley (Bradford)
Leeds (West Yorkshire)
Richmond (North Yorkshire)
Scarborough (North Yorkshire)
Organisers Welcome to Yorkshire and the Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.) revealed the locations for the newly expanded four-day men’s race which will take place between 3-6 May. The Asda Women’s Tour de Yorkshire – which is doubling in size from one to two days – will be held over 3-4 May.
The third edition took place in April and saw the race go from strength to strength once again. A record 2.2 million spectators lined the route and generated £64 million for the Yorkshire economy. The action was also beamed live in 180 countries and attracted 9.7 million global TV viewers on Eurosport and ITV alone.
Sir Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said:
“The Tour de Yorkshire is a true success story and in just three years it has grown to become one of the best attended and most dramatic races on the cycling calendar.
“Of course, with the men’s race being extended to four days and the women’s race now being held over two, it means we can visit more parts of the county and I know our eight start and finish locations will put on a real show.”
Christian Prudhomme, Director of the Tour de France at the A.S.O, said:
“The Tour de Yorkshire has gone from strength to strength over the last three years and we are delighted to be working in partnership with such a great team at Welcome to Yorkshire.
“The way people get behind the race in Yorkshire is incredible and we are looking forward to another fantastic edition in 2018.”
Julie Harrington, Chief Executive of British Cycling, said:
“Next year’s Tour de Yorkshire is shaping up to be the best yet with more stages for the men’s and women’s races and, at British Cycling, we’re looking forward to working with colleagues and partners across the county to use the inspiration of the world’s best riders to get even more people on bikes.”
Cllr Tim Swift, the Leader of Calderdale Council, said:
“It’s fantastic news that Halifax has been announced as a start/finish in the 2018 Tour de Yorkshire. We’ve been lucky enough to host the race through the borough twice and it’s a real testament to Calderdale’s appeal as a cycling destination that we’re able to play an even bigger part in the race in 2018.
“The TDY is a great boost for tourism in Calderdale as well as bringing economic and community benefits.
“Every year the Tour de Yorkshire grows in popularity and with the race extending from three days to four in 2018, it’s incredibly exciting that Calderdale will have such a important role to play.”
Next year’s Tour will once again see the return of the Maserati Tour de Yorkshire Ride sportive and give the chance for Tour Makers to volunteer on the race route and help welcome the millions of spectators.
Many of the host towns announced today are also home to Yorkshire Bank Bike Libraries, a direct legacy of the Tour de France and Tour de Yorkshire, which aim to offer every child in Yorkshire access to a bike. So far 46 libraries have opened across the county and over 5,000 bikes have been donated.
The full 2018 race route will be unveiled on Tuesday 5 December 2017 – this announcement will include exact start and finish locations and the distance and profile of each stage.