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Yorkshire start for Tour of Britain
Friday, 12 June 2009
Regional Launch Photo Opportunity - 11am Saturday 20 June 2009, York Racecourse
The Yorkshire leg of the Tour of Britain race will be officially launched on Saturday 20th June in York. There’s huge excitement that the race will start with the Yorkshire leg, on 12 September 2009, and there will be a brand new route that takes in some of the best urban and rural landscapes in the region.
Yorkshire Forward, the Regional Development Agency has been instrumental in bringing the high profile event to Yorkshire. Tom Riordan, Chief Executive at Yorkshire Forward comments;
“I am delighted that Yorkshire and Humber is to host the start of the Tour of Britain race in 2009 – an accolade that clearly demonstrates how far our region has come in positioning itself as a prime location for hosting major cultural and sporting events, which showcase all that Yorkshire and Humber has to offer.”
The race has become a popular fixture in the region’s sporting calendar, bringing thousands of visitors to the region. Gary Verity, Chief Executive, Welcome to Yorkshire said:
“The Tour of Britain is a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase the wonderful landscapes and cityscapes of Yorkshire to a global audience. The Tour provides a great chance to encourage additional visitors to the region as spectators of the event, as well as demonstrating what a wonderful location Yorkshire is for enjoying the great outdoors”
With the Yorkshire Stage of the Tour finishing in York, the city is keen to maximise the benefits the Tour will bring. Gillian Cruddas, Chief Executive, Visit York said:
"We’re delighted to welcome the Tour of Britain to York and it is a fantastic coup for us to host a part of this prestigious sporting event. As the UK’s biggest cycle race, the finish of the first stage is expected to attract between ten and twenty five thousand spectators to the city, providing an ideal opportunity to promote York and Yorkshire on a global stage, as well as the potential to generate hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of revenue for the city and the region."
To mark the official regional announcement of the Yorkshire Stage, Yorkshire Forward, Welcome to Yorkshire and regional partners are hosting an official launch celebration which coincides with the CTC York Cycle Show.
Representatives from Yorkshire Forward, City of York Council and Sweetspot - the owners and organisers of the Tour of Britain, will be delivering a short speech to highlight the value of hosting the Tour in Yorkshire.
Welcoming a host of professional riders, the launch will work to deliver Yorkshire’s aspirations of promoting the region as a world class destination, the perfect place in which to host a world class race with world class riders.
With the CTC York Cycle Show as the backdrop, interactive BMX sessions, stunt displays, cycling demonstrations and competitions, the regional launch will provide an example of the commitment Yorkshire has in not only hosting another successful Tour of Britain, but in the desire to catapult Yorkshire centre stage, across the globe, through this exciting and world famous opportunity.
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Notes to the Editor
1. You are invited to cover the regional launch at 11am, Saturday 20 June 2009 at York Racecourse. For media accreditations, contact
Jo Pickering, Welcome to Yorkshire, E:
jpickering@yorkshire.com, M:
07977 636038 or
Dee Marshall, Welcome to Yorkshire, E.
dmarshall@yorkshire.com, M.
07950 325901.
2. Yorkshire Forward, Welcome to Yorkshire, Visit York, City of York Council, East Riding of Yorkshire Council and North Lincolnshire Council are partners, collectively responsible for funding, delivering and marketing Tour of Britain 2009 on behalf of the region.
Liz Topi, Events officer at City of York Council, said: "We're really looking forward to hosting the final stage of the first leg in York. As a Cycling City, it seems appropriate that we will have some of the best cyclists in the world in the area and I hope that residents and visitors will enjoy the event."
East Riding of Yorkshire Council further endorsed these comments. Councillor Jane Evison, portfolio holder for cultural services, housing and public protection said: “It was wonderful to see the Tour of Britain come through the East Riding of Yorkshire last year. The race attracted a lot of attention and people lined the roads to see it. I am sure they will all be as pleased as I am to hear that the race will come through the East Riding again this year.”
North Lincolnshire Council highlighted the importance of the Grand Depart in Scunthorpe. Cllr Mick Grant Cabinet Member for Housing and Strategic Planning said: "I am extremely proud that North Lincolnshire has been chosen to host the first leg of such a major sporting event. The Tour of Britain is an incredibly popular race and the calibre of the cyclists set to take part only goes to prove that.
This is a massive achievement for our area and the wider Yorkshire area too. There is much to celebrate and the regional launch aims to do just that. I'm sure on 12 September local people will come out and line the streets to cheer on the athletes and soak up the excitement of the day. North Lincolnshire and Yorkshire will be put on the sporting map and I'm sure communities all along the opening route will come out and join in on this remarkable day."
3. The Tour of Britain 2009 will be held from 12 September 2009 and will see a combination of familiar venues and regions, as well as new exciting additions to the route. The Yorkshire Stage begins in Scunthorpe and will finish in York, taking in an exhilarating mix of urban and rural landscapes along the way. For more information about the route and the Tour of Britain, log onto
www.tourofbritain.co.uk
4. Welcome to Yorkshire is the official tourism agency for Yorkshire and the Humber region. It exists to represent and help generate sustainable business for the region's tourism industry which is worth £6.3bn to the region annually.
5. Welcome to Yorkshire is supported by Yorkshire Forward, the Regional Development Agency charged with improving the Yorkshire and Humber economy.
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