Wiggle Yorkshire Tour Sportive

This route explores the best cycling Yorkshire has to offer — including many of the roads used for the 2014 Tour de France Grand Depart — linked together via quiet scenic lanes. The route is a real mix and ranges from quiet undulating roads to long slogs up to the high, exposed moors that deliver dramatic views across stunning landscapes.

Starting out from Thirsk Racecourse you will start by heading north for the first section of endless rolling roads before diving back south through Leeming Bar. Shortly after the Standard and Epic riders will push on west and head for the Moors!

Once you have dropped down in to Leyburn on your first swoop of Wensleydale, you will head back north east, linking with the Tour de France route for the first time. As you begin to climb back out of Wensleydale Epic riders will peel off cut directly through Bellerby Ranges, with its epic views, before dropping down to Swaledale to cross the magical river swale for the first time. After passing through Reeth, riders will hop back over the river Swale for a second time, before leaving the tour route.

Next is the challenging climb up on to Summer Lodge Moor, passing some of the Dales disused mines on the way. When on top of the moor the landscape unfolds, before the technical decent in to Askrigg, to rejoin the Tour Route. Now back in Wensleydale we will follow the River Ure before crossing at the Stunning Aysgarth Falls, to then head East at Leyburn for the final quick stretch back to Thirsk.