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Yorkshire cycling fans greet start of Women's Tour

Paul Ogden
BBC News, Yorkshire
David Spereall
BBC News, Yorkshire
PA Professional cyclists begin a road race in a rural location. The road s flanked by silver fencing, trees and greenery.PA
Excited spectators travelled to watch the race begin on Thursday in the North York Moors

Cycling fans in Yorkshire have spoken of their excitement as the Women's Tour of Britain got under way in the county.

Stage one of the four-day event began on Thursday at Dalby Forest in the North York Moors National Park, with the race then set to continue into the north-east of England and into Scotland.

The start of the Women's Tour has come just over six years after the final edition of the Tour de Yorkshire was held - an event founded in the wake of the 2014 Tour de , which famously held its opening stages in the county.

Attending the opening day, spectator Lynne Gay said she wanted to see "a lot more" races come to Yorkshire in the future.

PA A group of cyclists, all wearing lycra and helmets, riding along a country road. In the background is sprawling heathland. PA
Stage One of the race began in Dalby Forest, in the North York Moors National Park

Ms Gay said: "I was born into a cycling family. I've raced myself and I've followed cycling all my life, so we love being here and enjoying the atmosphere.

"I just wish it had stayed in the area a bit more and maybe gone to Scarborough.

"We don't get much cycling in Yorkshire now the Tour de Yorkshire is gone, but I suppose we've got to be grateful we've got this."

Meanwhile, Mark, a cyclist from Pickering, North Yorkshire, said: "I think it's so exciting seeing the scale of it.

"I think it just gets people into cycling. They think, 'I could get out and do that'.

"It brings excitement to the area."

Paul Ogden/BBC A woman in her early twenties wearing a blue tracksuit top. She is stood next to what appears to be a campervan with its door ajar. She is smiling into the camera.Paul Ogden/BBC
Competitor Maddie Leach, who is from Huddersfield, described the route in her home county as "beautiful"

The picturesque North York Moors backdrop to the first stage of the race also proved to be a source of pride for the competitors.

Huddersfield's Maddie Leach said: "It's great. Just to get the exposure out to the young girls and children watching is exciting.

"To show the World Tour the roads we train and race on, too. They may not enjoy it, but it's Yorkshire and it's beautiful."

Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.

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