Tour de Yorkshire 2016 route revealed

The Tour de Yorkshire 2016 route has been unveiled, with the race set to be hosted by six different towns. The second edition of the race will take place from April 29th to May 1st, visiting three different start locations and three different finish towns.

Stage one, widely billed as a sprinters’ stage, will take riders from Beverley to Settle. However, with plenty of home riders looking to make a name for themselves and a series of climbs before the end, it could be a day for a breakaway to chance its luck and go for the stage win. This stage takes in some of the 2014 Tour de France Grand Départ route which should see the crowds out in their masses to line the roads.

The second stage could again be one for the sprinters, especially if their teams’ efforts were not rewarded the day before. This stage also has a few kicks towards the end that could split the bunch or set someone up for a solo break for glory. Making its way from Otley to Doncaster, stage two takes in roads that have not been raced on, in either the Tour de France or Tour de Yorkshire. The start town is home to the current World Champion Lizzie Armistead who could make an appearance in the women’s race. Both the men’s and women’s races follow this route rather than the abridged version raced by the women last year. Full details of the women’s race are yet to be released.

The final stage includes more climbing, so could be the decider for the overall General Classification. Similar to some of the parcours used in 2015, stage three goes from Middlesbrough to Scarborough and takes in six King of the Mountain peaks in the 196km.

As well as the professional race, the Maserati Tour de Yorkshire Ride sportive will take place on the morning of stage three and use the same finishing kilometre and finish line. The sportive offers routes of 40km, 85km, and 115km.

Stage One

  • Date – Friday, April 29
  • Where – Beverley to Settle
  • Distance – 184km
  • Elevation – 1832m
  • Who does it suit? – Sprinters’ stage, if a break can’t use one of the climbs to get away
  • Sprints – Bubworth, Threshfield, Giggleswick
  • KOM – Greenhow Hill

Stage Two

  • Date – Saturday, April 30
  • Where – Otley to Doncaster
  • Distance – 135.5km
  • Elevation – 1110m
  • Who does it suit? – Sprinters’ stage, with a few small kicks towards the end
  • Sprints – Scholes, Warmsworth
  • KOMs – Harewood Bank, East Rigton, Conisbrough Castle

Stage Three

  • Date – Sunday, May 1
  • Where – Middlesbrough to Scarborough
  • Distance – 196km
  • Elevation – 2593m climbing
  • Sprints – Thirsk, Whitby Abbey
  • KOMs – Sutton Bank, Blakey Ridge, Grosmont, Robin Hood’s Bay, Harwood Dale, Oliver’s Mount

For full information on the routes and the Tour, check out the official website at http://letour.yorkshire.com/.

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