Tour Makers return for Yorkshire race

Just under 2,000 Tour Makers will help give a warm Yorkshire welcome to the one million people that are expected to line the streets of the three stages for the three-day race.

Around 10,000 volunteers welcomed more than three million spectators from all over the world last year and helped on the side line to make the sure the event went as planned.

Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said: “Following the success of the Tour Maker programme last year, we are delighted to be able to welcome back some of the volunteers to help ensure this year’s inaugural Tour de Yorkshire is a fantastic event and everyone gets a warm Yorkshire welcome.”

The Tour Makers completed a training programme for the Tour de France Grand Depart and will get extra training from the West Yorkshire Police in Wakefield in the next couple of months.

The training programme for the volunteers was developed by Sheffield Hallam University.

Mark Milsom, assistant chief constable of West Yorkshire Police, said: “West Yorkshire Police are delighted to be involved in training the Tour Makers for this year’s race, to make sure that everyone attending the event has an enjoyable and safe time.

Stage one of the Tour de Yorkshire will start on May 1 in Bridlington and finish in Scarborough. Stage two, which is on May 2, will commence in Selby and finish up in York. Stage three, on May 3, will kick off in Wakefield and come to a finish in Leeds.

A huge television audience is expected to tune in to watch the race.

It will be broadcast in the UK and on Eurosport in countries around the world.