North Leeds will host the finale of the first ever Tour de Yorkshire in May.
Showcasing some of Yorkshire’s most iconic scenery the major international cycling race will be held over three days from 1st – 3rd May.
Stage One will start in the seaside town of Bridlington, passing through the iconic North York Moors, and culminating in Scarborough.
On 2nd May, Stage Two sees the riders commencing the race at Selby Abbey and finishing in York.
Returning to some of the roads raced in the 2014 Yorkshire Grand Depart of the Tour de France, Stage Three begins in Wakefield and finishes at Roundhay Park in Leeds.
North Leeds
The riders cycle into North Leeds along King Lane joining Alwoodley Lane followed by Wigton Lane. From there the peloton turns right onto Roundhay Park Lane where the riders then turn left onto the Ring Road. The cyclists then join Wetherby Road before merging onto the home straight on Princes Avenue. Depending on their speed, the race will culminate between 4.30pm and 5pm where crowds can see the winners crowned.
Road closures should last no more than an hour, apart from the start and finish lines and some climbs where the road closures will be longer. Road closures will be managed by the police and will be announced nearer the race weekend.
For more information on all of the stages, visit Letour.yorkshire.com.
Tour de Yorkshire Festival
The first ever Tour de Yorkshire Festival has been launched to celebrate the county’s fantastic arts and cultural scene ahead of the inaugural international cycle race in May 2015.
The Tour de Yorkshire Festival begins on 1st April, and concludes on 3rd May, showcasing a month of events in the run up to race weekend.
Theatres, concert venues, festivals, galleries and museums across the county are taking the opportunity to promote their work with over 200 events expected in the programme.
The event follows last year’s hugely successful Yorkshire Festival, which was the first such event to precede the Tour de France, ahead of the county’s spectacular hosting of the Grand Depart. The festival, which won Cultural Event of the Year 2014 at the UK Event Awards, included stage performances, art exhibitions, and music and dance events. The Yorkshire Festival will return in 2016.
On opening day pianist Jessica Wei Zhu will appear at The Venue, Leeds College of Music and on race days another festival highlight includes Leeds-based musical maestros Hope & Social, who will be performing at the start and finish towns.
Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said: “The Tour de Yorkshire Festival is a fantastic opportunity to once again showcase the county’s amazing arts and cultural offerings, and after the incredible success of last year’s Yorkshire Festival, I am quite sure it will be prove to be another fantastic event for the county.”
For more information on the Tour de Yorkshire Festival, and for a full, up-to-date programme, visitTourdeyorkshirefestival.com.