North Yorkshire welcomes Tour of Britain cyclists
The event arrives in the county today for stage four of the race
International cyclists will tackle a challenging route around North Yorkshire’s coast and moors when the Tour of Britain arrives in the county today.
Locals are being encouraged to get out to enjoy the spectacle.
Stage four of the Tour of Britain will begin in Redcar then pass through Whitby before heading into the North York Moors National Park. The final 30 kilometres will feature the demanding climbs of Carlton Bank and Newgate Bank before descending to the finish at Duncombe Park at Helmsley.
North Yorkshire County Council’s executive member for culture, leisure and sport, Cllr Simon Myers, said: “This promises to be a spectacular event, and I have no doubt the people of North Yorkshire will play a large part in making it so. The county’s residents are renowned for their enthusiasm in embracing cycling events.
“The Tour of Britain provides another ideal chance to showcase our beautiful county and the warm welcome it offers, and I know towns, villages and schools along the route will take advantage of that opportunity.”
Details of the route, along with estimated race timings and rolling road closure times, can be found on the North Yorkshire County Council website to help spectators to plan where to watch the race.
Businesses in Helmsley are seizing the opportunity and will be all dressed up for the event as they take part in a shop display competition.
Harry Berger, owner of Carlton Lodge B&B and a committee member of Love Helmsley, said: “We are all over the moon that the Tour is coming here. This is a wonderful showcase to put Helmsley on the map on an international stage and having the finish at Duncombe Park provides a fantastic backdrop.
“Helmsley is always busy and thrives on tourism, with lots of independent shops and its own café culture. It’s wonderful to have the Tour of Britain here on top of that, particularly this year to help to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the North York Moors National Park.”
At Helmsley, there will be big screens near the finish line and a Tour village in the grounds of Duncombe Park, and Helmsley itself offers many places to eat and drink. Car parking will be available at Duncombe Park, with disabled parking at Cleveland Way car park. Castlegate Road in the town will be closed between 1.30pm and 6pm.
Stokesley, which is on the route, is embracing the event with a big screen showing the race live in the market place. Shops and cafes will be decorating their premises and there will be special offers for racegoers. Parking will be available at Showfield car park.
Carlton Bank is a key point on the route and is bound to draw spectators. A big screen will show the race at Lordstones Country Park, where parking will be available before midday. Parking will also be available in Carlton in Cleveland village. There will be a road closure from Carlton in Cleveland to Chop Gate between noon and 5pm.
The executive member for highways and transportation, Cllr Keane Duncan, said: “Over the past decade, many people in North Yorkshire have seized the opportunity to take in the excitement of major cycling competitions and no doubt will want to do so again for the Tour of Britain.
“We want people to come out and watch the race and to be confident that they and everyone else can do so safely, so we’re asking people to make sure they follow a few simple guidelines.”
Anyone driving on or near the race route is reminded that there may be more pedestrians and cyclists around and to drive accordingly. Drivers should not park vehicles on the race route.
Riders pass by very quickly, so keep children away from the edge of the road and keep pets on a lead and away from the roadside. Keep flags and items such as photography equipment out of the road.
Always face the oncoming riders and race convoy. Turning your back on the race to take a selfie is not a good idea. For your safety, do not climb on walls along the route, particularly on Carlton Bank.
Rolling road closures will be implemented along the route, typically lasting up to 30 minutes. Full details are on the county council website.
The Tour of Britain started in Aberdeen on Sunday 4th September, and will finish on the Isle of Wight on Sunday 11th September.
ITV4 will broadcast live flag-to-flag coverage of every stage and a nightly highlights show, allowing fans in the UK to watch wherever they are. The race will also be shown in more than 150 countries worldwide, thanks to the event's partnerships with Eurosport and the Global Cycling Network.
For information about the race on social media, follow @tourofbritain #TourofBritain and @northyorkscc