Hundreds of school children in Bridlington, Driffield and Pocklington will get the chance to see the Tour de Yorkshire Trophies as they go around the county ahead of the third race, which starts in Bridlington on Friday, 28 April.
East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s Road Safety Team, working with race organisers Welcome to Yorkshire, has arranged for both the men’s and women’s Y-shaped trophies to visit the schools on Monday, 27 March.
The trophies have been designed and made, by hand, at world leading trophy makers Thomas Fattorini, based in Yorkshire.
Special assemblies will take place and the children will be able to see the trophies up close, find out more about the race and ask any questions.
Councillor Stephen Parnaby OBE, leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said:
“The council is proud to again be involved in the Tour de Yorkshire and has secured its long-term involvement with the race until 2019.
“The trophy tour has become something of an annual tradition and, by taking the prize into schools, the council aims to engage with school children and encourage them to participate in the event and take up cycling.
“Excitement for this year’s race is starting to build, especially in Driffield and Pocklington that will be on the route for the first time.”
Sir Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said:
“The trophy tour is always a hugely popular event in the run up to race weekend and this year it will be even more special with the addition of the women’s trophy.
“Each host local authority has pulled together an exciting timetable of events so I hope communities will come out to see the trophy and build excitement for the race.”
The ceremonial start will take place outside Bridlington Spa at 12.35pm before the riders go up past East Riding Leisure Bridlington and out of the town via the A614.
The peloton will then pass through Carnaby, Haisthorpe, Thornholme, Burton Agnes, Nafferton and into Driffield at around 1.08pm. The riders will then pass through Kelleythorpe, Kirkburn, North Dalton, Warter and into Pocklington for an intermediate sprint, outside Woldgate College, at around 1.45pm before taking in Meltonby and Bishop Wilton on the way to the first categorised climb at the Cote de Garrowby Hill, at around 2.02pm, and into North Yorkshire.
Stage two of the event, on Saturday, 29 April, starts in Tadcaster and finishes in Harrogate and stage three, on Sunday, 30 April, starts in Bradford with the race finish in Fox Valley, Sheffield.
