Craven District Council : Skipton could host Tour de Yorkshire start in 2020

If successful, the cycling race could follow a route through the Yorkshire Dales Three Peaks within the National Park, showcasing the iconic landscape to the world.

The proposal was agreed at a meeting of full Council on August 6 and will now go forward to Welcome to Yorkshire, which will decide on the host locations and routes.

Councillor Richard Foster, leader of Craven District Council, said: “The Tour de Yorkshire has become a global event and the opportunity for Skipton and Craven to capitalise on its success is too good to pass up.

“We want to use this to promote the area not just as a great place to visit and cycle through, but also as a place to set up a business and bring your family to live.”

The Yorkshire Dales National Park has already committed an allocation of up to £50,000 from their Opportunities Fund, as a potential contribution towards the start of the 2020 Tour de Yorkshire in Skipton, with the proviso that the route would take in a large part of the National Park.

Other potential sponsors and partners are being sought to minimise the direct cost to the Council.

Councillors agreed to set aside £180,000 from the New Homes Bonus localism reserve, in order to underwrite the total costs associated with the event.

Should the Council’s application for Skipton to be a host location be successful, a further report will be put before the Policy Committee setting out in more detail the anticipated costs and likely Council contribution.

The 2020 Tour de Yorkshire will be held over four days, from April 30 to May 3.