LONDON (Reuters) – Next year’s Tour de Yorkshire event has has been cancelled because of continued uncertainty about the COVID-19 pandemic, organisers announced on Wednesday.
This year’s race at the end of April was also cancelled.
James Mason, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire who organise the event along with Tour de France owners Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), explained the early decision.
“During these uncertain times Welcome to Yorkshire need to focus on the immediate needs of the industry without committing both financial and human resources towards any activity or event that we cannot be certain of,” Mason said.
“Whilst it is very disappointing that we will be bereft of this wonderful race for another year the decision we have made it the right one and perhaps the only one we could make.”
The multi-stage race, which attracts the world’s top teams and riders and also thousands of amateurs for a sportive over the hilly roads, will hold its next edition in 2022.
“We will collectively do our best to re-launch the event in 2022 and give the chance to the world’s best riders to be on the Yorkshire roads in front of one of the most enthusiastic audiences the cycling world has ever seen,” Yann le Moenner, director general of ASO said in a statement.
The event came into being after the hugley successful Grand Depart of the 2014 Tour de France in Yorkshire.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
