A MAJOR new cycling race for Yorkshire has been confirmed by the sport's world governing body.
The race, provisionally called the Tour de Yorkshire, will first be staged from May 1 to 3 next year, the Union Cycliste Internationale has said.
It will be run by Welcome to Yorkshire and Amaury Sport Organisation, which operates the Tour de France, and backed by British Cycling.
There are plans to include parts of the region that missed out when The Tour de France Grand Depart was held in Yorkshire in July.
Three full stages will take place over the three days, and it is expected there will be a women’s race and a mass participation event.
More details will be released later this year, with full routes to follow in the New Year, and talks are underway about securing global coverage of the race, following the international focus on the Yorkshire countryside during the Grand Depart.
Christian Prudhomme, Director of the Tour de France, said: “We knew Yorkshire was gorgeous and there was a real passion for the Tour, but now we know after the unforgettable Grand Départ that people love the sport of cycling. It is now time to work together to bring a new race that will see some amazing riders and passionate crowds once again line the streets.”
Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, which led the bid to bring the Tour de France to the county, said: “This new official international cycle race heralds the start of a world-class event for Yorkshire that we want to see grow over the coming years to become known the world over.
"We already have a huge amount of interest thanks to the Yorkshire Grand Départ, which captured the imagination of millions of people globally – and the Tour de Yorkshire will be a fitting legacy. We’re confident that come May, we’ll deliver something very special.”
Bob Howden, President of British Cycling, said: “To secure the approval of the UCI is terrific news and building on the huge success of the Grand Départ here in Yorkshire, we can drive up participation and work towards more people cycling more often. A new world-class race helps underline a commitment to cycling in all its forms.”