The biggest annual sporting event in the World is coming to Yorkshire!
The Tour de France 2014 will be coming to the North of England for the first time ever and the first two days of the event, called Le Grand Depart, will take place on 5th and 6th July 2014.
With a television audience of over 3 billion in more than 140 countries and the roadside route expected to attract up to 3 million spectators, it's going to be quite busy around that time.
The announcement for this event took place in Paris on 17th January 2012 and was followed by a huge street party in front of Leeds Town Hall the same evening.
Stage One of the Tour will commence in front of Leeds Town Hall on Saturday 5th July 2014. The 200 strong field of the world's leading cyclists will follow a 196k route called 'Seven Abbeys and Seven Castles' via Harewood, Otley, Ilkley, Skipton, Kettlewell. Aysgarth, Hawes, Reeth, Leyburn and Ripon before reaching the finish line in Harrogate.
This route travels through some of the most beautiful and picturesque countryside of the Yorkshire Dales with one big climb at Buttertubs Pass.
Stage Two, named 'Past, Present and Future', the following day, commences in the historic city of York for a 200k ride via Knaresborough, Addingham, Silsden, Keighley, Haworth, Hebden Bridge, Elland, Huddersfield, Holmfirth and down the backbone of the Pennine hills to finish in Sheffield.
Once again, the route travels through lovely countryside to include Bronte and Last of the Summer Wine country before the huge climb up Holme Moss and a fast finish to the Steel City.
Stage Three will be from Cambridge to London before the Tour enters France for the remainder of the Race.
Excitement is already strong in Yorkshire and to attract such a huge event to the county is a tremendous bonus, with the potential to produce more than £100 million of income to the region.
This is sure to be a massive attraction and all accommodation will be fully booked over a wide area.
Be sure to use the search facility on SilverTravelAdvisor to find recommended hotels, B&B's and restaurants.
Book now, for it will be a real scramble nearer the time.
Further details, route maps and updates about the Tour can be found at the Welcome to Yorkshire website www.yorkshire.com .
Eeee, it's Grand!
