Sunday 3 May 2015

Sir Bradley Wiggins rides in as the

Tour de Yorkshire comes through Silsden

Above: a bearded Sir Bradley Wiggins in Skipton Road as the inaugural Tour de Yorkshire came through Silsden on Sunday, May 3. From Wakefield to Leeds, this was the last of the Tour's three stages.
Above: filming the leaders of a field that featured several well-spread packs of riders.
Above: one of the leading groups.

Above: another pack in hot pursuit.

Above: downhill after the climb up Priest Bank Lane at Kildwick.

 Above and below: applause greeted the riders all the way down Skipton Road.
 

Above: Anne Kennedy holds her grandson William as they and William's mum Laura Welsh wait for husband James Welsh to ride past in the Sportive, which preceded the professional race.
Above: the Dale Family were out early on Sunday morning to cheer the 6,000 amateur riders in the Sportive, which took place on the same roads as the third and final stage of the Tour.
Above: Madison and Harry Bowness wait with dad Andrew to cheer the Sportive riders.
Above: music was provided at the Twisters Club for the spectators awaiting the Tour de Yorkshire.Above and below: crowds gather in Bell Square where the Kings Arms and the Punch Bowl provided refreshment.


Above: after rain in the morning, the sun was shining by the time people started to gather in Bolton Road.

Above and below: as with the Tour de France last year, public support for the Tour de Yorkshire overwhelmed the organisers. Ben Hermans, the Belgian winner of the Wakefield-Leeds stage, remarked that in the Benelux countries crowds throng the finishing line but in Yorkshire there was solid support throughout the 167km-stage.