Schoolchildren in Leeds were given the chance to see the famous Tour de Yorkshire trophies last week as the leader of Leeds City Council, Councillor Judith Blake, welcomed them to the city as part of Welcome to Yorkshire’s trophy tour.
Each year in the lead up to the race, both the men’s and women’s trophies visit each of the start and finish locations on their very own tour. The trophies have followed the route of the tour by visiting Beverley, Doncaster, Barnsley, Ilkley, Richmond, Scarborough and Halifax, finishing in Leeds. The Tour de Yorkshire is now less than a month away, taking place on Thursday 3 May – Sunday 6 May 2018. Leeds is hosting the grand finale on Sunday 6 May. The race will finish on The Headrow – on exactly the same spot as where the Tour de France started in 2014.
Last month, the trophies visited the new Leeds Urban Bike Park situated in Middleton Park. Phase one of the £1.2m cycling hub, funded by Leeds City Council, British Cycling and Sport England, opened in December 2017, and currently features a cross country mountain bike trail, a pump track mini pump track, and a revamped and extended former golf clubhouse building which will provide extra space for community activities and educational programmes.
There are still two more phases of work before the bike park will be completed, and it will boast a fantastic range of family-friendly facilities and activities for people of different cycling experience.
The leader of Leeds City Council, Councillor Judith Blake joined schoolchildren from Middleton St Mary’s C of E Primary School and Holy Family Catholic Primary School who were invited to the park to celebrate the arrival of the famous ‘Y’ trophies in the city. They received an hour long coached cycling session at the park, followed by the exciting chance to see the trophies close up and even hold them.
Leader of Leeds City Council, Councillor Judith Blake said:
“The trophy tour is a great way for communities to get involved and build excitement in the lead up to this year’s Tour de Yorkshire, and we are very excited that Leeds is hosting the last leg of the race.
“It was an unbelievable moment when our city was given the chance to host the truly amazing Tour de France le Grand Départ in 2014, and we have been determined to build on this legacy and make Leeds a real city of cycling. It was wonderful therefore to welcome the TDY trophy to our very own Leeds Urban Bike Park, which is a fantastic facility for cyclists of all ages and abilities, including children, families and beginners, as well as more experienced riders.”
Judith Blake is standing as a candidate for the Labour Party in the forthcoming local elections. South Leeds Life will publish a full list of candidates once nominations close on Friday 6 April.