The Tour, now in its fifth year, is expected to attract thousands of visitors and cycling enthusiasts along the route. It starts in London on September 7 and ends in Liverpool eight days later.

And it will bring national TV coverage to the area – the race is being shown daily on ITV4.

The Yorkshire and Humber section of the race – stage 5 of the eight stages – is on Thursday September 11, starting in Hull and ending in Dalby Forest.

Sixteen teams of six cyclists – including some of the world's top pro-cyclists – will race through the streets of Scarborough, along a route which the Evening News understands will see them come into the town on the A165 from Filey and drop down on to Foreshore Road and the sprint section of the leg along Marine Drive.

After the sprint the King of the Mountain section of the stage will take the riders up Columbus Ravine and Northway, turning right at the traffic lights at the top of Westborough and along Falsgrave Road and out of town on the A170 Racecourse Road before heading off to Dalby Forest and the finish line at the new visitor centre.

The teams will be revealed after the Tour de France has ended, in late July, with the individual riders only being finalised up to 48 hours before the event starts.

David Jeffels, Scarborough Council's cabinet member with responsibility for tourism, said: "This event will expose the town to national television coverage. It promises to be a splendid occasion, attracting thousands of visitors. It's been a long time since the town has been able to host such a prestigious event and the council will do all it can to help promote the race and the borough."

Mark Kibblewhite, the council's project development officer, said: "The Tour of Britain cycle race brings the opportunity to showcase the area to a massive television audience and offers the chance to see some of the world's finest athletes for free.

"The race will present a tremendous spectacle and we are expecting large crowds on the day as well as many new visitors to the area in the weeks and months following the event."

A race spokesman said: "The riders will face every kind of challenge that the UK's roads have to offer, from windswept coastal roads to steep narrow climbs and much more beyond."



The race is coming to Scarborough courtesy of regional development agency Yorkshire Forward who successfully bid for stages of the Tour of Britain to be held in the county.

Terry Hodgkinson, chairman of Yorkshire Forward, said: "I am delighted that the region is hosting the Tour of Britain once again – in addition to bringing cycling enthusiasts to the region, the event offers an excellent opportunity for people to 'get on their bikes' and enjoy the region's cities and open spaces whilst raising their fitness levels.

"Yorkshire Forward, together with its partners, has a clear goal to attract more major events to the region by demonstrating its ability to host major sporting events.

"The Tour of Britain has been one of our biggest successes, and we are happy to welcome the riders and the organisers to Yorkshire."

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