The Grand Depart from Leeds City Centre - Route Announced
The world famous Tour De France event will next year come to the county of Yorkshire, starting out in the historic city of Leeds.
Stage One begins in Leeds through to Otley, Ilkley and Skipton before heading into the stunning Yorkshire Dales and ending on the Stray in Harrogate on the 5th July 2014. The announcement of the route this week has been met with great cheer from all quarters of the country, with the event expected to deliver a multi-million pound boost to the local economy.
The decision to start the race in Yorkshire comes after a phenomenal 2012 for British cycling, with the winner of the Tour de France Bradley Wiggins also winning an Olympic gold. Last year was impressive all round for the county nicknamed “God's Own' by its inhabitants, with Yorkshire finishing with seven gold medals, two silver and three bronzes at London 2012, which would place it twelfth in the medal table if it was regarded as an independent country.
The Tour will start in Leeds city centre by the 19th century Town Hall, travelling down the Headrow before turning up Regent Street and on to Scott Hall Road out to the Yorkshire Dales and beyond.
The popularity of cycling in Britain has never been higher. Hundreds of thousands of fans expected to line the route as it makes its way through local towns, cities and over the Dales, as well as the three billion viewers that tune in to watch the cycling spectacle every year. The event is a fantastic opportunity for Yorkshire to shine. In addition, there is a cultural festival planned alongside the Tour.
The countdown is on to the opening of the world's biggest sporting event. There will be total and partial road closures within the city.
Our car parks in the centre of Leeds are well located for any cycling fans who wish to come to Leeds to celebrate this great event. Our Merrion Centre Car Park is just a five minute walk from the route, allowing you to park close to the action.