Bradley Wiggins to lead all-star cast of riders in Tour de Yorkshire
Teams revealed in front of 1,000 people in Scarborough at UK’s biggest ever tourism conference
Sir Bradley Wiggins will head a field of international cyclists taking part in the first ever Tour de Yorkshire.
The Tour de France Yellow Jersey winner’s participation was confirmed at the UK’s biggest ever tourism conference, which was held at Scarborough Spa yesterday.
Team Wiggins will line up alongside Britain’s Team Sky and England wicket keeper Matt Prior’s ONE PLUS team in a field of 16 squads, each with eight riders.
Leading sprinter Marcel Kittel, who won the first stage of last year’s Tour de France in Harrogate, has also been confirmed as a rider in the inaugural event.
O n e o f t h e f i r s t maj o r names confirmed as taking part in the women’s race on day two is Dame Sarah Storey, one of Great Britain’s most decorated female Paralympians.
Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire Gary Verity said it was a huge coup for the race to have attracted such big names.
He said: “Our aim is for the Tour de Yorkshire to be one of the biggest and best three-day races in the world and this incredible line-up is evidence that we can achieve that.
“I t’s a t e s t a ment t o our county that some of the top riders i n the world want to come here.
“We are going to put on a show people will remember for the rest of their lives, whether they’re l i ning the route or watching on TV as it is broadcast to countries around the world.”
He added: “We wanted to bring the Tour de France to Scarborough and, for reasons which are now public, we were not able to do that so we were intent on ensuring that the first ever Tour de Yorkshire would be coming here.”
I TV will be showing the race live.
The Tour de Yorkshire will take place on May 1-3. Stage 1 on Friday May 1 starts in Bridlington and finishes in Scarborough. Stage 2 takes in Selby and York with Stage 3 visiting Wakefield and Leeds.
P r i me Mi n i s t e r D a v i d Cameron, who was busy with the Budget at the time of the conference, recorded a video message that was played to the more than 1,000 people in attendance.
In it he said: “With the Tour de Yorkshire coming you will be the talk of Britain in 2015.”