Verity: First Tour de Yorkshire could net £40m for economy

Organisers of the Tour de Yorkshire believe the three-day race this May could bring up to £40m to the local economy.

Gary Verity, of Welcome to Yorkshire, believes the number could be proportionally as significant as that experienced by the Tour de France’s Grand Départ in the county last July.

While the Grand Départ cost around £27m to host, according to the Yorkshire Evening Post, the mainly sponsor-backed Tour de Yorkshire could bring similar benefits to the local area.

Verity told the YEP: “Proportionally you could say it has the potential to be as significant as the Tour de France.

“It wont be as big as the Tour but it could be £30m or £40m given the right weather and conditions.”

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Sir Bradley Wiggins and Marcel Kittel are the big-name stars to be confirmed for the Tour de Yorkshire so far, with the race taking place between May 1-3.

Welcome to Yorkshire released a fly-through video of the key parts of the route, which takes in some of the area’s most testing climbs.

Verity added: “I’m thrilled for Yorkshire for every business and local authority and everybody who’s chosen to get involved with this event that will potentially go on for decades and will be there for our children and grandchildren. It will benefit the economy going forward.”