Three million. That’s the number of people even the most conservative estimates reckon will turn out to watch the Tour de France over the three days that it passes through the UK this July. After some back-of-the-envelope mathematics, that works out at 5.5 people per metre along every one of the 546 kilometres of the race. That’s a lot of people.
Some hotels and bed and breakfasts reported selling out all their rooms within 10 minutes of the route announcement, and campsites and festivals are filling up fast — suggesting a good deal of those three million people have been planning their trips to the Tour for months in advance.
While few will contest that catching the Tour soaring through the Pennines will be hard to beat, spending 24 hours perched perilously in a tent on the edge of Holme Moss might not be possible (or desirable) for everybody.
With food and drink, toilet facilities, big screens, easy access and plenty going on for the kids, a range of ‘spectator hubs’ across the region are set to offer everything for a hassle-free, last-minute Tour de France trip.
Some will be very busy — in particular on the Stray in Harrogate — while others like the hub in York’s Huntingdon Stadium will be further from the madding crowd.
So take your pick and enjoy le Tour!
Tour de France 2014 stage one profile
(Image credit: ASO)
Tour de France 2014, stage one: Leeds to Harrogate, 190.5km
Saturday, July 5 2014
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Timings given are based on an average race speed of 42km/h. Actual timings may therefore differ if the peloton speed is greater or lesser than this average.
Start: LEEDS 11:10
Arthington 12:00
Otley (A659-A660) 12:12
Addingham 12:34
Draughton 12:43
Skipton (A6069-A6131) 12:49
Rylstone 13:02
Cracoe 13:04
Kilnsey 13:17
Kettlewell 13:24
Starbotton 13:29
Buckden 13:32
Cray 13:36
Cote de Cray, category 4 climb 13:38
Newbiggin intermediate sprint point 13:50
West Burton 13:53
Aysgarth 13:58
Worton 13:59
Bainbridge 14:11
Hawes 14:20
Simonstone 14:24
Cote de Buttertubs, category 3 climb 14:29
Muker 14:38
Gunnerside 14:45
Strands 14:47
Low Row 14:49
Healaugh 14:56
Reeth 14:58
Grinton 15:01
Cote de Griton Moor, category 3 climb 15:05
Leyburn 15:16
Middleham 15:21
Masham 15:31
West Tanfield 15:50
North Stainley 15:54
North Lees 15:59
Ripon 16:01
Wormald Green 16:15
Killinghall 16:25
Enter Harrogate 16:29
Finish: HARROGATE 16:32
Tour de France 2014 stage two profile
(Image credit: ASO)
Tour de France 2014 stage two profile
Tour de France 2014, stage two: York to Sheffield, 198km
Sunday, July 6 2014
Timings given are based on an average race speed of 39km/h. Actual timings may therefore differ if the peloton speed is greater or lesser than this average.
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