Tour de Yorkshire details revealed

Sir Gary, speaking at last night’s festival dinner, said the Tour will have an extra day added this year - making a total of four days - and that there will be more focus on women’s racing.

He said: “Yorkshire has record visitor numbers. We wanted to have an event to unite the county and nothing united the county like the Tour de France.

“It will come back again. And following the Tour de Yorkshire success, in September we will announce the areas, with the full route revealed in December.

“It will be four days this year, two hilly routes and two flats.”

Sir Gary said the response from the public had been “astonishing” and it had made it “like no other cycle race”.

He added: “I want to increase the focus on women’s races to make it more in line with the men’s event.”