Good Job By Yorkshire

Last updated : 06 July 2014 By Covsupport News Service

"That was the first time I have ever been to cycling and I have really enjoyed it," was being said by so many people as they queued patiently for the Supertram back to Sheffield City Centre after the second stage of the Tour De France. 

The Yorkshire Tourist Board had bid £10m to stage the 2014 Grand Depart of the Tour De France and ‎were rewarded with biggest crowds ever to watch a cycling event in mainland Britain.
 
The planning for hosting the opening two stages of the Tour De France had been going on for two years and those involved ensured that attention was paid to every detail.
 
Leeds, Harrogate, York and Sheffield made sure that riders, press and fans alike were catered for with good work sites for those working and facilities such as fan parks that allowed many to ensure the race away from the route to enjoy what was a good family day out, whilst there were reports of anything up to six million people watching on the roadside.
 
Granted that approaching the two days of cycling on a two stages that provided‎ plenty of exciting racing which proved too much for first stage winner Marcel Kittel and the right moment for Astana's Vincenzo Nibali to seize control of the race, hotel accommodation was in exceedingly short supply and that the numbers wanting to travel from Leeds to Harrogate following the start of the race was hugely under-estimated, as was the numbers in Harrogate wishing to use data services on their phones, but millions got to see a little bit of the Tour De France live and if that sparked their interest in cycling, then Yorkshire's time in the cycling spotlight has been money well spent.