• Thu. Mar 28th, 2024

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Tour de Yorkshire Trophy hits the road in Middlesbrough

Screen Shot 2016-04-13 at 15.56.04ALL eyes were on the prize when the Tour de Yorkshire trophy made a whistle-stop tour of Middlesbrough this week.

Some of leading names in world cycling will be battling to see their name engraved on the gold and silver award when the race gets under way on Friday, May 29.

And organisers are predicting that the overall winner will still to be decided when the peloton rolls out of Middlesbrough for the 198km final stage on Sunday, May 1.

In the build-up to the race, the trophy is visiting all six start and finish towns, and on Tuesday it was the turn of Middlesbrough to play host to the striking metal sculpture.

The Trophy Tour stopped off first at the Cleveland Centre, where the newly returned replica of HM Bark Endeavour provided a fitting backdrop ahead of the race’s Captain Cook Stage.

Then it was off to mima, the Captain Cook Birthplace Museum and Middlesbrough Sports Village, giving schools and local communities a chance to see it up close and get a souvenir picture.

The trophy, designed and made by hand at world leading trophy makers Thomas Fattorini Ltd, was won last year by Team Sky’s Lars Petter Nordhaug.

Councillor Lewis Young, Middlesbrough Council’s Executive Member for Culture, Leisure and Sport, said: “It was great to welcome the trophy to Middlesbrough, and it’s really brought home to people just what a fantastic event the town is playing host to.

“There’s a real sense of excitement as the big day approaches, and I know the Tour can expect a true Middlesbrough welcome and a rousing send-off.”

For full details of the 2016 Tour de Yorkshire, visit letour.yorkshire.com/ and for regular updates on Middlesbrough’s build-up to the big day, visit www.middlesbrough.gov.uk and lovemiddlesbrough.com/enjoytheride 

By admin