Returning to Yorkshire in 2015

The enthusiasm around the preparation of the Grand Départ of the 2014 Tour is at the root of the initiative. Boosted by the passion of the public and the support of the riders, A.S.O. and Welcome to Yorkshire have decided to pursue their venture way beyond next July. The Spring of 2015 should see the first edition of a new race some time in May. The exact date is still under review with the British Cycling Federation. In line with the 2014 Tour, the goal is to explore the County of Yorkshire by way of a three-day race to return to the sites visited during the Tour and extend the discovery of the region.

Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said: "We are working closely with A.S.O. and British Cycling to continue the lasting legacy of Yorkshire's Grand Départ by delivering this new race for Yorkshire from 2015, which will rank as a major new addition to the global cycling calendar. It has the potential to take in wider parts of the county and will help affirm Yorkshire as a cycling heartland of Europe."

“Being able to incorporate the relations built with the county of Yorkshire in a joint project is one of the virtues of the Tour de France. Thanks to this race, we are offering a new means of expression to cycling, making it possible to both ensure its future and contribute to its development. It is a further building block in the sport's growth in addition to the fantastic triggering factors represented by the Grand Départ in London in 2007 and the British victories on the last two editions of the Tour de France,” declared Christian Prudhomme, Director of the Tour de France.