Tour de Yorkshire 2017 Route Announced

The routes for all three stages of next year’s Tour de Yorkshire were announced at a press conference in Bradford city centre today.

The announcement at the Impressions Gallery was led by Welcome to Yorkshire Chief Executive Sir Gary Verity with the Amaury Sport Organisation’s Tour de France Director Christian Prudhomme.

Stage One on Friday 28 April has been named as The Coast and Wolds and takes in 173km from Bridlington to Scarborough. Stage Two on Saturday 29 April is names Historic Market Towns and sees the cyclists riding 112.5km from Tadcaster to Harrogate.

The third, final and longest stage (194.5km) of the 2017 Tour de Yorkshire has been named the Yorkshire Terrier, is the toughest stage in the history of the Tour de Yorkshire and takes place on Sunday 30 April.

Starting in the multi-award winning City Park in the centre of Bradford the route heads through Lister Park and the beautiful grounds of Cartwright Hall and on to the outstanding UNESCO World Heritage site of Saltaire. It take in this stunning Victorian model village, built by Sir Titus Salt with its magnificent Salts Mill, now home to a large collection of works by internationally famous Bradford-born artist David Hockney.

The route heads up Hollins Hill and past Esholt, the village used as the original set of ITV soap opera Emmerdale, on towards Burley-in-Wharfedale, birth place of professional cyclist Scott Twaites. It’s then on to Ilkley with its stunning lido where the Brownlee brothers have trained and the world famous Cow and Calf Rocks, which inspired the Yorkshire anthem On Ilkla Moor Baht 'at.

The action then heads to Addingham, the only place to have the 2014 Tour de France Grand Depart pass through on both its stages. The race moves out of the Bradford district and in to the Yorkshire Dales through Bolton Abbey, Burnsall, Linton, Cracoe, Rylstone, Skipton, Kildwick and Farnhill.

Re-entering the Bradford district it heads to Silsden, where the first of the stage’s eight categorised climbs named Côte de Silsden takes place (1.5km at 10.4%).

It’s then over the tops and down through Riddlesden, through Keighley town centre and up to Cross Roads. The route then goes up the iconic stone setts of picturesque Haworth Main Street and takes in the climb of Côte de Haworth (0.6km at 10.6%) in Bronte country.

Another climb at newly renamed, Côte de Leeming follows a brief visit to the village of Oxenhope before the race moves on towards Queensbury passed the multi-award winning Keelham Farm Shop and through the village of Mountain. As the name suggests Mountain is one of the highest villages in Yorkshire.

The race exits the Bradford district and heads to the Côte de Shibden Wall before and intermediate sprint at Clifton, then traversing from West to South Yorkshire and into Penistone, and another sprint at Stocksbridge before the riders embark on a torturous 22km finishing circuit that features no-less than four categorised climbs, before the race reaches its climax at Fox Valley in Sheffield.

Also announced at the event, was the Asda Tour de Yorkshire women’s race on the same route of stage two. The three routes of the 2017 Maserati Tour de Yorkshire Ride sportive were also revealed. The sportive ride gives 6,000 amateur cyclists the chance to ride key sections of the third stage just hours before the pros. The Alzheimer’s Society was also confirmed as the official charity for the third edition of the Tour de Yorkshire.

The whole announcement was a colourful affair with music from local Bradford musicians, children from Farnham Primary School helping with the launch and a flash mob of cyclists transformed City Park.

The ‘Bradford Peloton’ flash mob consisted of over 150 cyclists of all ages, abilities and cultures all cycling together in a huge friendly group, riding circuits around the Mirror Pool and through the fountain arches, complete with 'race commissaire' and 'directeur', chequered flag and pop-up crowd.

School children cycled alongside OAP’s and semi-pro and retired elite cyclists pedalled alongside hand-cranking disability cycle club members, all followed by the ‘Lanterne Rouge’ of large carnival costumed bikes: Dragon, Bird, Fish, Flame and Earth from the Cecil Green Arts Proper Cycling groups.

Those taking part came from clubs such as Girls Gotta Ride (a West Indian and African heritage women’s cycle club in Bradford), Bradford Disability Cycling Club, Bradford Cycle Club (a new and popular inclusive club), Queensbury Queens of the Mountain (a new and growing women’s cycling club).

The Brickbox collective, Sponge Tree and Proper Cycling groups delivered two set-piece race crowd scenes and encouraged members of the public to take part in two story starters: asking them to ‘Tell us about your first bike’ and ‘Tell us about your Grand Depart 2014’.

Cllr Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Environment, Sport and Culture said: “We are really excited about the Tour de Yorkshire coming to Bradford in 2017 and we are thrilled that we have been chosen to be the start for the final stage of the race."

“The organisers Welcome to Yorkshire and Amuary Sports Organisation (ASO) have chosen such a fantastic route showcasing the many amazing buildings and stunningly beautiful landscapes in our district."

“I am so proud of those who have come out today to take part in a truly Bradford collaboration of Bradford people and Bradford groups celebrating the newly announce route of the Tour de Yorkshire that will use the roads of our district, further inspiring the children and adults of Bradford with cycling."

“The Tour de Yorkshire brought £60 million into the Yorkshire economy last year. It will be televised in over 175 countries and last year around 11.4 million people watched it. I’m sure the crowds will be out on the streets of our district cheering on the riders.”