Tour de Yorkshire sets off from Bridlington

Bridlington has hosted the start of this year's 300 mile international cycle race - the Tour de Yorkshire. Cyclists set off from outside The Spa this lunchtime.

People from all over the country have turned out to wave off the cyclists as they got off to a flying start.

It then went through Driffield and Pocklington with Stage One ending in Scarborough at 5pm.

Dutchman Dylan Groenewegen edged out Caleb Ewan to win stage one of the Tour de Yorkshire after a huge crash on the final approach in Scarborough.

LottoNL Jumbo's Groenewegen, winner of stage one of this race last year, just hung on to beat Australian sprinter Ewan in a photo finish after the 174km run from Bridlington.

Behind, it was Ewan's Orica-Scott team-mate Magnus Cort who was sandwiched between two riders and hit the deck, causing a huge crash which brought down several riders.

After the race, it was confirmed that Cort and Marco Haller of Katusha had suffered broken collarbones, which JLT Condor's Russ Downing was thought to have suffered the same fate in his home race.

Two million people lined the race route last year - boosting the Yorkshire economy by nearly £60m.

Sir Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, spoke before the event and says he predicts a good year:

"Businesses have opened up and have thrived and grown in those areas on the back of the cycling, not just cycling businesses but hospitality businesses and I'm sure you'll see that again this time round. The event also brings an economic boost in the sense that people will see these pictures of Yorkshire live on television and think I must go and visit that place.

"It also brings communities together and it's not just the social cohesion now but it's about keeping that going, going forward and that different organisations and associations continue to talk to each other that might have not done so before.

"It is more than a bike race, it's about social cohesion and bringing communities together, it's about economic growth and it's giving people a reason to be proud of their areas and communities."

Here are the full stage timings for the race:

Stage One: Friday 28 April - Bridlington to Scarborough, 173km (107.5 miles)

The Stage of the Coast and Wolds will begin at 12:35pm outside Bridlington Spa and the first intermediate sprint will be contested in Pocklington at 13:48pm before the peloton tackle the Côte de Garrowby Hill at 14:06pm. The next categorised climb comes on the Côte de Goathland at 15:42pm, and the race reaches the coastline again at Whitby for the second intermediate sprint point outside Whitby Abbey at 16:03pm. The Côte de Robin Hood’s Bay must then be ascended at 16:19pm before the now legendary finish along Scarborough’s North Bay at 17:00pm.

Stage Two and the Asda Women’s Tour de Yorkshire: Saturday 29 April - Tadcaster to Harrogate, 122.5km (76 miles)

The Asda Women’s Tour de Yorkshire kicks off an enticing double-header on Saturday with the world’s best female cyclists riding the exact same route as the men do on stage two. They get under way on the newly reopened Tadcaster Bridge at 09:15am and head to Knaresborough where the first intermediate sprint points are up for grabs at 09:53am. The riders continue on into the heart of Nidderdale where the brutish Côte de Lofthouse awaits them at 10:51am. Any contenders that fall behind there will be looking to get themselves back into the mix for the second sprint in Ripon at 11:38am and the pace is then unlikely to relent from then on until a frantic finale in Harrogate at 12:27pm.

The men meanwhile, will roll out of Tadcaster for the Stage of Historic Market Towns at 14:05pm and contest the Knaresborough sprint at 14:40pm. The Côte de Lofthouse must be overcome at 15:31pm before they reach Ripon for a second sprint at 16:13pm. The action will then culminate with a similarly fast finish in Harrogate at 16:56pm.

Stage Three: Sunday 30 April - Bradford to Fox Valley, Sheffield, 194.5km (120.9 miles)

The decisive stage of this year’s race - ominously titled The Yorkshire Terrier due to its punishing parcours - exits Bradford’s City Park at 12:10pm and takes a scenic trip to the Dales before heading back along the Aire Valley for the first of eight climbs on the Côte de Silsden at 14:04pm. The Côtes de Haworth and Leeming then follow in quick succession at 14:22pm and 14:32pm respectively before the peloton reaches the Côte de Shibden Wall. This cobbled beast will be crested at 14:54pm before an intermediate sprint takes place in Clifton at 15:09pm. There’s no respite as the race passes into South Yorkshire, and the final sprint points are up for grabs in Stocksbridge at 16:47pm before the weary riders tackle a gruelling 22km concluding loop featuring no less than four categorised climbs. The Côte de Deepcar is first up at 16:52pm and the Côtes de Wigtwizzle (16:58pm) and Ewden Height (17:01) come one after the other before one last drag up the Côte de Midhopestones at 17:07pm. Anyone left in contention after that will duke it out for the stage and overall victory in Fox Valley at 17:15pm.