Ryedale to miss out on Tour visit
THE Tour de France will not pass through Ryedale when it comes to Yorkshire in 2014 – much to the disappointment of local businesses and civic leaders.
But there is confidence that the district can still benefit economically from the visit through spin-off events and the large number of tourists that are expected to descend on the region for the two stages in July next year.
“We are delighted that the Tour De France is coming to Yorkshire,” said Cllr Linda Cowling, Leader of Ryedale District Council. “It is disappointing that the race does not come through Ryedale, however I am sure the economy of the area will benefit from it coming so close to us.”
Tour officials announced on Thursday that the Grand Depart from Leeds on July 5 2014 will see riders go through Ilkley and Skipton, through the heart of the Dales via Kettlewell and Hawes to Leyburn before turning south through Ripon to the stage finish in Harrogate.
The second stage will begin in York and will take in Keighley, Haworth, Hebden Bridge, Elland, Huddersfield and Holmfirth before finishing in Sheffield.
Organisers also hope to recreate the excitement of the London Olympics by having a stage finish in the Mall – the finishing line for last year’s road races.
Before the announcement, hopes had been high that Ryedale and the North York Moors would be able to attract the 2014 Tour de France because of its picturesque countryside and close ties with cycling, having hosted the UCI Cross Country Mountain Bike World Cup recently.
Delegates with the tour had visited the area several times, seeing the landscape by helicopter and riding on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.
Adrian Carter, owner of Dalby Bike Barn in Dalby Forest, said: “We can only be pleased for the region as a whole and Yorkshire in general because it is going to be a fantastic boost for us and bring some spins-offs.
“We have already started discussing what, from this point forward, we can do to capitalise on the increased profile of cycling.
“We will be planning a series of events, on-road and off-road competitions, so we are taking part and catering for this increased profile in cycling.”
One such event is a cross country event at Dalby Forest on Sunday March 10, which will have competitions for all ages and standards from junior classes through to the elite.
But not having the Tour pass through Ryedale is disappointing for those businesses in Ryedale and through to the coast that have had a “bit of a battering” over the past few years, added Mr Carter.
“The most galling thing is it’s not just the event on the day,” he said. “Once the event has been announced, thousands of tourists will be travelling that route, pre-riding it. And alongside the Tour, there are all the different events and we are going to miss out on that. The event is much bigger than the day itself.”
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Weather for Malton
Wednesday 19 June 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 10 C to 19 C
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