The 2022 Tour de Yorkshire bike race has been cancelled today.
Race organisers Welcome to Yorkshire and French company Amaury Sport Organisation issued a statement at 7pm tonight blaming covid and “escalating financial challenges and uncertainties” for making the event “unviable”.
The 2022 route was not due to include the Harrogate district but had financial implications for local people because North Yorkshire County Council agreed last month to give £200,000 of council taxpayers’ money to support the event.
It is not clear yet what will happen to that funding.
The Tour de Yorkshire was held annually from 2015 to 2019 following the success of the 2014 Tour de France’s Grand Départ, which ended in Harrogate. Covid scuppered it last year and this year.
Despite today’s decision, Welcome to Yorkshire said in tonight’s statement its “ambition to continue hosting international events is as strong as ever and this is the beginning of a whole new positive plan to showcase Yorkshire globally through dedicating time to varied and exciting opportunities”.
But there was no mention of the Tour de Yorkshire being resurrected in 2023, raising doubts about it happening again.
Read more:
- Funding for Tour de Yorkshire to be reviewed next year
- ‘We have a duty to support Tour de Yorkshire’
James Mason, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, which is a marketing organisation for Yorkshire, said:
“We had every intention for the race to go ahead but unfortunately some of the circumstances were out of our control and sometimes you have to make big calls for the right reasons.
“People from Yorkshire are proud and we only want the best for the county. We still have ambitions for large events going forward to put Yorkshire on the world stage and we will continue to work with our partners to plan for those.”
Brian Facer, chief executive of British Cycling, said:
“Clearly this is very disappointing news for everyone who recognises the value the Tour de Yorkshire brings to the county and to cycling in Britain.
“This is not just about the economic boost that top level bike racing has brought to Yorkshire, but also in the huge numbers of people who have been inspired to cycle themselves.
“The local authorities in Yorkshire have done a fantastic job over recent years and deserve credit for trying to find a way forward.”
