THE Tour de Yorkshire will not be going ahead next year, organisers have confirmed.

A spokesperson for the organisers has confirmed this evening the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, combined with "escalating financial challenges and uncertainties" have led to an agreed position that the event would be "unviable in 2022."

Welcome to Yorkshire Chief Executive James Mason said: “This has been an intense period of back and forth discussions about the 2022 Tour de Yorkshire over many months.

"The race is a much-loved international sports event which showcases Yorkshire across the globe. So many people involved in the decision making process understand just how popular the race is.

"We had every intention for the race to go ahead but unfortunately some of the circumstances were out of our control and sometimes you have to make big calls for the right reasons.

"People from Yorkshire are proud and we only want the best for the county. We still have ambitions for large events going forward to put Yorkshire on the world stage and we will continue to work with our partners to plan for those.”

Chair of Welcome to Yorkshire Peter Box said: “Whilst the news about the Tour de Yorkshire will be disappointing to hear for many, it’s important for Welcome to Yorkshire to now focus on imminent events and to continue planning for future annual campaigns, similar to 2021’s acclaimed ‘Walkshire’, promoting the whole of the county every day of the year.

"The last eighteen months have seen turbulent times for many businesses and for tourism, with financial restrictions which must be addressed and considered in all decision-making processes.

"The ongoing support of Welcome to Yorkshire’s partners across the county is gratefully acknowledged and we look forward to continuing working together going forward.

"The organisation has shown immense creativity, skill and expertise at arranging and hosting a wide-range of award-winning events in the past and it will continue to do so.”

The Northern Echo:

Cllr Mary Lanigan, Leader of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, said: “It is hugely disappointing that next year’s Tour de Yorkshire will not go ahead. We have worked closely with Welcome to Yorkshire over the past few years with a view to Redcar hosting a stage of the race.

"There has been a real appetite for cycling events in our borough, with the Klondike and, more recently, the fantastic spectacle of the Tour Series in Guisborough.

“We look forward to any future opportunities to be at the centre of nationally-renowned events and we will continue to work closely with Welcome to Yorkshire. In the meantime, we will continue to develop our own events plan to ensure our residents and visitors have a great time, while staying safe and helping to restrict any spread of the Covid-19 virus.”

Back in July a meeting of North Yorkshire County Council's executive heard "most if not all" local authorities responsible for the next year's start and finish towns have agreed to pay race organiser ASO up to £100,000 extra if Welcome to Yorkshire fails to raise sufficient sponsorship for the event.

This will see a total of £900,000 come from nine district and borough councils.

However, an independent study found in 2018 alone the Tour de Yorkshire generated £98 million as some 2.6 million spectators lined the route and others saw some of the area's most spectacular landscapes on television.