Leeds to host the Tour de France Grand Depart

Leeds in Yorkshire has been confirmed as the host for the start of the 2014 Tour de France.

The north England county will host racing on July 5th and 6th, before the tour moves south for another British stage, this time in London.

The prestigious race last visited the UK in 2007, when London hosted a prologue ahead of a road stage from the capital to Canterbury.

Yorkshire beat off the challenge of bids from Florence and Edinburgh to host the event.

It will be the fourth time the Tour has visited Britain after previous visits in 1974 and 1994.

Full details of the route will be announced at a news conference in Leeds and Paris on January 17th.

Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said: “Today is a proud day for everyone involved in the bid and the county as a whole.

“We are honoured that the race organisers have selected Yorkshire to be the host location of the 2014 Grand Depart.”

It caps a fantastic week for Welcome to Yorkshire, with the body also recognised as offering the World’s Leading Marketing Campaign at the World Travel Awards Grand Final Gala Ceremony in India.