Tour de Yorkshire timings announced

The race timings for the 2018 Tour de Yorkshire and Asda Tour de Yorkshire Women’s Race have been announced by organisers Welcome to Yorkshire and ASO.

Millions of spectators are expected to line the route for the newly expanded four-day men’s race and two-day women’s race which run between 3-6 May, and comes to Richmondshire on days three and four.

The women’s stages will start in the morning with the men’s stages following in the afternoon.

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Timings have been calculated by anticipating the peloton’s average speed but are subject to change depending on variables such as wind speed, direction and how aggressively the riders race.

Timings for the race caravan have also been included and list the stop-off points where fans will be treated to a host of promotional goodies from the official race partners.

Welcome to Yorkshire chief executive Sir Gary Verity said: “It’s always exciting to share these timings as spectators can now plan exactly where and when they want to watch the action.

“Every time I see them I’m astonished by how quickly the peloton travels, but these are the very best riders in the world after all.

Of course, there is a huge amount of added entertainment planned across the county over the full four days, and be sure to line the route early to see the colourful race caravan and fleet of Yorkshire cycling legends pass through.”

Stage One: Thursday 3 May – Beverley to Doncaster, 182km (113.1 miles) for the men and 132.5km (82.3 miles) for the women

The men’s race exits Beverley’s historic market place at 13:50 before proceeding to the seaside resort of Hornsea (14:23). The peloton will then tackle a 16km loop before heading back through Beverley at 14:59 and into the Yorkshire Wolds. The first classified climb at Baggaby Hill (16:07) will get the legs pumping before a brisk descent into Pocklington for the opening intermediate sprint at 16:12. After passing the feed zone at Holme-on-Spalding Moor (16:44) the pace will gradually ramp up again for a second sprint in Howden at 16:59. Then it’s full steam into Doncaster on the newly opened Great Yorkshire Way. The riders will sweep past the world-famous Racecourse before a flat-out finish along South Parade at approximately 18:20.

The opening women’s stage meanwhile, gets going in Beverley at 08:40 and will follow the exact same route as the men once they have returned to Beverley. The women will contest the Côte de Baggaby Hill at 09:53 just before the first intermediate sprint comes in Pocklington at 09:57. The second sprint in Howden should take place at 10:50 and the action is scheduled to reach its conclusion in Doncaster at 12:19.

Stage 2: Friday 4 May – Barnsley to Ilkley, 149km (92.6 miles) for the men and 124km (77.1 miles) for the women

The men’s peloton will start outside Barnsley’s impressive Town Hall at 14:20 and head towards Penistone (14:44). The route ventures into Worsbrough at 15:04 and the first mountains classification points are up for grabs on Blacker Hill at 15:10. With those in the bag the race will pass through Wentworth at 15:17 before an intermediate sprint is contested in Swinton at 15:28. Conisbrough Castle (15:36) provides a stunning backdrop before the riders continue north for a second intermediate sprint in Scholes at 16:55, and Harewood House (17:15) also makes an appearance prior to the classified Côte de Old Pool Bank climb at 17:33. The route will then pass through Otley and Ilkley (17:37 and 17:51 respectively) before reaching the race’s first-ever summit finish on the Cow and Calf at 17:57. In an added twist, King of the Mountains points will also be on offer right before the stage winner is crowned on top of this iconic Yorkshire climb.

Before all that, the women will commence in Barnsley at 09:00 will follow the exact same route as the men from Worsbrough at 09:10. The riders will crest the Côte de Blacker Hill at 09:17 and duke out the first intermediate sprint in Swinton at 09:38. The second sprint in Scholes comes at 11:19 before the Old Pool Bank climb at 12:04. Then it’s on to the Cow and Calf where the winner of the race should be crowned at approximately 12:32.

Stage 3: Saturday 5 May – Richmond to Scarborough, 184km (114.3 miles)

The riders will roll out of Richmond’s cobbled market place at 13:10 and head through Catterick Garrison before the start flag is lowered at 13:20. They’ll then traverse Wensleydale and continue in an easterly direction at Leyburn (13:36), and on to Morton on Swale where the first intermediate sprint will be fought out at 14:14. Northallerton and Thirsk will then provide warm welcomes at 14:18 and 14:40 respectively, and no sooner have the riders crossed into the North York Moors than they’ll be faced with the fearsome Sutton Bank climb at 14:55. The action then passes through Helmsley at 15:11 and on to Pickering for a second intermediate sprint at 15:42. The climbers will be looking to come to the fore again on the Côte de Silpho at 16:25 before the race breezes into Scarborough for the first time at 16:38. Hugging the east coast, the peloton will continue on to Filey and sample its picturesque seafront at 16:58 before heading inland and back towards Scarborough. The frontrunners will sweep along South Bay, around the castle walls, and onto the now-legendary finish along North Bay at 17:38.

Stage 4: Sunday 6 May – Halifax to Leeds, 189.5km (117.7 miles)

The Piece Hall in Halifax provides a spectacular location for the start of this decisive stage at 12:10 and the first of six categorised climbs comes on the Côte de Hebden Bridge at 12:45. The race will head up the cobbled Main Street in Haworth at 12:56 before dropping into Goose Eye for the next punishing ascent at 13:07. Crossing from Brontë Country into Craven, the route heads through Skipton at 13:21 and the next climb is looming on Barden Moor at 13:35. The action will then head into the Dales before the riders contest the first intermediate sprint in view of Kilnsey Crag at 14:03. The Côte de Park Rash will no-doubt cement its place in Tour de Yorkshire folklore as the peloton grind their way up it at 14:18, and the route continues on to Masham (15:10) and then into Nidderdale before making a return to the formidable Côte de Greenhow Hill for the first time since 2016 at 15:52. The undulating terrain never relents and shortly after passing through Otley at 16:27 the next categorised climb is on the cards at Otley Chevin (16:33). The race will pass Kirkstall Abbey at 16:49 before the riders sweep into Leeds for a rip-roaring conclusion on The Headrow at 17:11 on the same spot as where the Tour de France started in 2014.

Full details on the route can be found at http://letouryorkshire.com