Tour de Yorkshire cycle race is confirmed

Organisers of the new race hope to attract similar crowds to those who watched the Tour de France in July

A new professional cycle race will be held in Yorkshire in 2015, the sport's governing body UCI has confirmed.

The Tour de Yorkshire will be run by Welcome to Yorkshire and Amaury Sport Organisation, which operates the Tour de France.

Organisers hope the new 2.1 UCI Europe Tour event, to be held between 1 and 3 May 2015, will attract some of the world's leading cyclists.

The route of the race's three stages will be confirmed early next year.

Welcome to Yorkshire said it hoped the race would include parts of Yorkshire the Tour de France did not pass through when it was held in the county in July.

Gary Verity, chief executive of the tourist organisation, said: "We already have a huge amount of interest thanks to the Yorkshire Grand Depart, which captured the imagination of millions of people globally and the Tour de Yorkshire will be a fitting legacy."

The new race is supported by British Cycling and will include a women's race.