Kirklees Together

The world will be watching Kirklees on Saturday 2 May for the 2020 Tour de Yorkshire. It was announced today at a press conference in Leeds Civic Hall that the winner of the Asda Tour de Yorkshire Women’s Race will be crowned in Huddersfield before the male riders battle it out for stage success.

The four-day race, which has been described as “one of the most dramatic races in the cycling calendar”, will be a great opportunity to showcase the glorious countryside and communities of Kirklees before the riders compete to cross the finish line in the historic St George’s Square in Huddersfield. A staggering 1.96 million spectators lined the route for the 2019 edition which was also watched by a record 28 million TV viewers in 190 countries.

The stage three route leaves Barnsley and travels via Penistone on to Holmfirth, Netherthong, Meltham, Marsden and Slaithwaite before leaving Kirklees to travel through Calderdale. The route then heads back south via the outskirts of Halifax and Brighouse before the big finish in Huddersfield Town Centre.

The highly anticipated cycling race is a huge win for Huddersfield and wider Kirklees with the 2019 edition of the tour generating £60 million for the Yorkshire economy.

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Leader of Kirklees Council, said:

 “The 2020 Tour de Yorkshire is coming to Kirklees and we are thrilled that so many of our vibrant communities and stunning landscapes will feature on race day. Millions of people will watch the action on TV or line the route as the riders travel through Holmfirth, Meltham, Marsden and Slaithwaite before heading for the finish line in Huddersfield.

 This prestigious event offers a valuable economic and tourism boost to Kirklees, and a fantastic weekend of entertainment and action for all local residents. I hope it will also inspire many more people to explore Kirklees by bike.”

Council Leader, Shabir Pandor, and Chief Executive, Jacqui Gedman, attended today’s route announcement as well as representatives from several cycling groups in Kirklees.

Organisers have stated that the routes for both the men’s and women’s races will be the toughest in the history of the event and feature more challenging climbs than ever before. The sixth edition of the men’s race will take place between 30 April – 3 May while the Asda Tour de Yorkshire Women’s Race runs between 1-2 May. Once again, there will be equal prize money for both events, making it one of the most lucrative races in the sport.

Full details of each stage of the race can be found online via the Tour de Yorkshire website.

Before each stage announcement at today’s event, a short-film was shown to the audience featuring a school from each location. Thank you to the students of Spring Grove Junior School for your help in announcing the exciting news about Huddersfield.

Interested in volunteering at the 2020 Tour de Yorkshire?

 To apply to be considered as a Tour Maker visit the Tour de Yorkshire website – Tour Makers.

From riding sections of the route to creative window displays, there will be many ways that residents and businesses can get involved in the lead up to the 2020 Tour de Yorkshire and on race day itself. Tour Roadshow events will be held in locations along the route in Kirklees, providing further information about how to make the most of the event. Further information about Roadshow events near you will be announced shortly.

Please visit our website for all the latest information about the 2020 Tour de Yorkshire in Kirklees.