Tour de France 2014 UK stages
The 2014 Tour de France begins in the UK on 5th July 2014.
Stage
one of the
2014 Tour de France (the grand
départ 2014)
starts at Leeds Town Hall, on the Headrow in Leeds,
goes through the
Yorkshire Dales, and finishes at the Hotel du Vin, on West Park in
Harrogate. Stage
two
is from the racecourse in York,
going west intially via Knaresborough
and Harrogate, then heading south through Howarth, Hebden Bridge,
Huddersfield and Holmfirth to Sheffield, with nine categorised climbs
along the way. Stage three
is from Parker's Piece in
Cambridge, through the Essex countryside to the Mall in London, taking
in the Olympic Park, and other
major
landmarks.
Tour de France 2014 UK stages: stage 1, Leeds to Harrogate
The route of Stage One of the 2014 Tour de France, on 5th July 2014, is from Leeds to Harrogate, via the Yorkshire Dales. It's 190.5km, or 119mi. The official distance begins when the racing starts at Harewood, and does not include the section from Leeds, which is a départ fictif, or ceremonial start.
The last 60km of Stage One are mainly flat, and it is expected to end in a bunch sprint in Harrogate
The départ - Leeds to Harewood (ceremonial start)
Stage One begins outside the Town Hall in Leeds, and picks up the A61, which is urban dual carriageway. The A61 crosses the Leeds Ring Road between Moortown and Moor Allerton, then emerges into the countryside by Alwoodley Gates school, heading for Harewood House.
Harewood House to Otley (0-8.5km; 0-5mi)
The riders will go in procession to Harewood, where they'll pause in the grounds, to be greeted by a VVIP, and the people attending the Festival of Cycling there. When they exit the grounds of Harewood House, the racing starts, and they'll take a left turn onto the A659, for a flat ride along the river Wharfe, via Pool to Otley.
Read more about Stage One of the Tour de France 2014...
Tour de France 2014 UK stages: stage 2, York to Sheffield
The route of Stage Two of the 2014 Tour de France, on 6th July 2014, is from York to Sheffield, via Howarth, Hebden Bridge, Huddersfield, and Holmfirth. It's 201km, or 126mi, from the start of the racing outside York. The ceremonial start is at York racecourse.
Stage Two is a real 'up hill and down dale' stage, which will probably be more suited to the attackers and climbers than the sprinters. The succession of hills is said to resemble the famous Liege-Bastogne-Liege race.
York to Knaresborough (0-30km; 0-19mi)
From the racecourse in York, the riders go over Skeldergate bridge, past Clifford's Tower then the Minster, and out towards Clifton; then over the river Ouse again, and out of York on the A59, where the racing will start.
The A59 is flat as it goes past the villages of Poppleton and Green Hammerton. It then takes the riders into Knaresborough, where they cross the Nidd again.
The first of the nine climbs on Stage 2 comes after Harrogate, when the riders go up Kex Gill, or the Côte de Blubberhouses, as it is known to the Tour organisers.
Read more about Stage Two of the Tour de France 2014...
Tour de France 2014 UK stages: stage 3, Cambridge to London
The route of Stage Three of the 2014 Tour de France, on 7th July 2014, is from Cambridge to London, via the Essex countryside and the Olympic Park. It's 155km or 97 miles, which makes it a relatively short stage. It's also almost entirely flat, which means that it's very likely to set up a sprint on the finish straight on The Mall.
The start in Cambridge
Stage Three begins at Gonville Place in Cambridge, by Parker's Piece, an open park area, which will be turned into a Tour de France spectator hub. The riders will go in procession through the city, before emerging onto the Trumpington Road. The racing begins just before Trumpington.
Cambridge to Saffron Walden (0-19.5km)
From Trumpington, the riders follow the river Cam, over the border into the gently rolling countryside of Essex, and on towards Saffron Walden. Read more about Stage Three of the Tour de France 2014...
Tour de France 2014 UK stages: timings
The Tour de France organisers have published estimated timings for the first three stages of the Tour de France 2014. There are three scenarios, depending on the average speed of the race.
Tour de France 2014, Stage 1 timings
Stage one leaves Leeds at 11.10 (ceremonial start), and the race proper, from Harewood House, begins at 12 noon. The riders should arrive at the finish in Harrogate between 16.20 and 16.46. The publicity caravan passes about 2 hours ahead of the race. See the full timings for Stage One, Tour de France 2014.
Tour de France 2014, Stage 2 timings
The average speed on stage two is expected to be lower, because of the difficulty of the stage, which includes nine categorised climbs. It leaves York at 11.00 (ceremonial start), and the race proper begins on the A59 at 11.20. The riders should arrive at the finish in Sheffield between 16.14 and 16.46. See the full timings for Stage Two, Tour de France 2014.
Tour de France 2014, Stage 3 timings
Stage three starts in Cambridge at 12.15 (ceremonial start), and the racing begins just outside Trumpington at 12.25. High average speeds (up to 47kmh) are predicted for this flat stage, and the riders are scheduled to get to the finish on The Mall between 15.42 and 16.01. See the full timings for Stage 3, Tour de France 2014.
Tour de France 2014 UK stages: news
2nd July 2014: final Tour preparations in Harrogate, with TV crews arriving...
1st July 2014: Simon Yates selected for Orica Greenedge Tour team...
1st July 2014: South Yorkshire plumber writes Tour de France song...
1st July 2014: Millar and Dowsett not selected for Tour de France...
29th June 2014: Harrogate's Tour de France decorations...
28th June 2014: Royals confirmed at Harewood...
27th June 2014: Team Sky announce squad for Tour de France...
27th June 2014: Wiggins wins Nationals time trial, and confirms he won't ride the Tour de France...
27th May 2014: Cav reconnoitres Yorkshire stages, and gets lost...
16th May 2014: Red Arrows to be at (over) Harewood Festival of Cycling...
2nd May 2014: women's race La Course by le Tour de France in Paris...
22nd April 2014: Up to 5 million people expected to watch the Tour de France in the UK - Sir Rodney Walker
8th April 2014: Barry Hoban predicts Stage 1 will blow the field to smithereens...
1st February 2014: Cavendish tells the Independent his whole year is about Harrogate...
29th January 2014: Plans for Harrogate town centre on the day of Stage 1 include public grandstands near the war memorial...
24th January 2014: Details of the road closures in North Yorks planned for the Tour...
23rd October 2013: Route of the whole Tour de France 2014 announced in Paris...
Read all the latest news of the UK stages of the Tour de France 2014...
Tour de France 2014 UK stages: route videos for Stages 1, 2 & 3
We have videos the route of Stages 1, 2 & 3 of the Tour de France 2014. They show the roads the riders will take, the countryside, landmarks, and attractions along the way, and cyclists riding the Tour de France route.
Stage One:
Stage Two:
Stage Three:
Tour de France 2014 UK stages: where to stay
Where to stay during the Tour de France: hotels
Many of the hotels along the route of the Tour de France 2014 in the UK were already booked up in August 2013, according to a report in This is Money. They also found rates at some hotels three times higher during the weekend of the race than just before or after.
At the start of February 2014, the Harrogate Advertiser found that most of the hotels in the town were sold out, and had waiting lists. They found three hotels with availability - the Nidd House (or did they mean Hall?) Hotel, the Cairn Hotel, and the Travelodge.
There may still be some hotel rooms available in the run-up to the Tour. For example, at the end of May 2014, the Boar's Head in Ripley still had four rooms free.
Where to stay during the Tour de France: camping
Camping is popular with cycling fans. There are permanent campsites near the route of the Tour, and there will be pop-up campsites just for the race.
For example, the Great Yorkshire Showground has obtained planning permission for a caravan and camp site, in time for the Tour de France (and continuing afterwards, on the basis that Harrogate wishes to be a major events town, and so needs all types of accommodation for visitors). See this report in the Harrogate Advertiser.
There'll be pop-up campsites at Ilkley Rugby Club, Broughton Hall Skipton, Kilnsey Velo Fest, Kidstones, Ripon, Ripley, and Harrogate Rugby Club. There are campsites too on four National Trust properties, plus many more locations on stage 2, such as Cougar Park, Keighley, Ripponden, High Bradfield, and Oughtibridge. Perhaps the most popular campsites will be on or near to Holme Moss.
Read more about where to stay during the Tour de France 2014 and where to camp during the Tour de France.
Tour de France 2014 UK stages: watching the race
The race will be preceeded by a publicity caravan of about 180 vehicles (giving out free goodies), which will be 20km long, and take 45 minutes to pass by. The caravan sets off 2 hours before the riders. See the timings for Stage One of the 2014 Tour, the timings for Stage Two of the 2014 Tour, and the timings for Stage Three of the 2014 Tour.
When planning where to watch the race, bear in mind that the roads on the race route will be closed for a minimum of eight hours on the day of the race. So far as possible, roads crossing the race route will be kept open for as long as possible, but there may be restrictions. Also, it should be possible to cycle after the roads have closed, up until about 30 minutes before the caravan, and pedestrians can cross the roads at stewarded crossing points. For more details, see the road closures section below for more details.
Where to watch Stage One, Tour de France 2014
Stage One starts in Leeds, and one of the places to watch the Tour in Leeds is the spectator hub at the start on The Headrow. There'll also be a spectator hub and big screen on Scott Hall Playing Fields, on the way out of Leeds. There are then seven more official spectator hubs along the route of Stage One. They are family-friendly venues, with free entry, food and drink, toilets, and big screen to watch the race.
Harewood House is on the route of Stage One (after the départ fictif in Leeds, and just before the real racing gets going), with the race scheduled to call in and pause there - a brilliant opportunity to see the riders. Those attending the Festival of Cycling at Harewood, will be able to watch the race on big screens, or join a led ride to a good vantage point to see the race. As well as the led rides, they have various other participation events, such as a time trial, and a family fun ride - both on closed roads within Harewood.
There are three categorised climbs on Stage One, all in the Yorkshire Dales - Côte de Cray, Côte de Buttertubs, and Côte de Grinton Moor. These are sure to be packed with spectators.
Stage One finishes in Harrogate, on West Park. One side of West Park will be out of bounds - reserved for the race organisers and TV crews. The other side, though, by the war memorial, will be a viewing area for the public, with grandstands erected by Welcome to Yorkshire (possibly). There'll be big screens, too - one down at the Crescent Gardens, and the other on West Park Stray. Read about the best places to watch the Tour de France in Harrogate, and see a map.
Where to watch Stage Two, Tour de France 2014
There'll be big crowds in York, for the start of Stage Two. 20,000 free tickets for the start at York racecourse were taken in hours, but there'll be lots of other places to watch in York.
Lots of people will gather in the towns along the way, including Knaresborough, Addingham, Keighley, Haworth, Hebden Bridge, Huddersfield, Holmfirth. Some of these have official spectator hubs.
The climbs of Stage Two will be popular, too, and as there are nine categorised climbs, there'll be plenty of opportunities to see the riders ascending. The most popular is likely to be Holme Moss, but as the race enters the City of Sheffield, there are a few more short, steep climbs, including Jawbone Hill (Côte d' Oughtibridge), and the climb of Jenkin Road near the finish.
It'll be possible to watch at Meadowhall, and there's a spectator hub planned at Don Valley Grass Bowl, near the finish line in Sheffield.
Where to watch Stage Three, Tour de France 2014
Cambridge will be a popular place to watch the Tour, especially the spectator hub at Parker's Piece, near the start line. After that, the race heads into Essex, with spectators in the villages along the way, and in Saffron Walden and Chelmsford. A intermediate sprint on Epping High Street should attract cycling enthusiasts.
After Epping, the Tour crosses into Greater London. The official spectator hubs on Stage Three include the Olympic Park. The race comes into London from the east, and spectators will gather in Docklands and the City, and close to the finish as the riders head through Parliament Square, along Birdcage Walk, before taking Spur Road to Buckingham Palace, and sprinting to the line on The Mall. Tour de France Fan Parks in Green Park and Trafalgar Square (see our spectator hubs page), both close to The Mall, will allow fans to follow the action on big screens.
Tour de France 2014 UK Stages: the climbs
The climbs on the UK stages of the 2014 Tour de France are all on stage 1 and stage 2 - stage 3 is flat. Stage 1 has three categorised climbs, including Buttertubs pass. Stage 2 is tough, with nine categorised climbs in total, and Holme Moss likely to be the most spectacular of them.
Climbs of Stage 1, Tour de France 2014
There are three categorised climbs on stage 1, all of them in the Yorkshire Dales. The first is the Côte de Cray (Kidstones Pass), and the second is Côte de Buttertubs (Buttertubs Pass), which is likely to be the most spectacular and the most popular. Finally, the riders tackle the Côte de Grinton Moor, from Grinton towards Leyburn. Read about the climbs of stage 1 of the Tour de France 2014.
Climbs of Stage 2, Tour de France 2014
Stage 2 has nine categorised climbs, plus a few more besides. The first is the climb of Kex Gill, known to the Tour organisers as the Côte de Blubberhouses. Ripponden Bank will be short and sharp. The exposed moorland of Holme Moss provides the most spectacular, and no doubt the most popular, climb of the Tour in the UK. As the race nears the finish in Sheffield, Jawbone Hill (Côte d' Oughtibridge) provides a challenge that could split a lead group, and help determine the stage winner. Finally, Jenkin Road, which has a gradient of 33% at one point, provides the sting in the tail of stage 2, just a few kilometres before the finish line. Read about the climbs of stage 2 of the Tour de France 2014.
Tour de France 2014 UK Stages: road closures
The general rule is that the race route will be closed for a minimum of 8 hours, and there will be road closures and temporary traffic management on other roads leading to the race route. Some town and city centres, particularly the start and finish points of the Tour stages, will be closed to traffic for longer.
Cyclists will generally be allowed on the closed roads up to 30 minutes before the publicity caravan arrives (and the caravan precedes the race by about 2h). There will be stewarded crossing points for pedestrians.
Each local authority along the Tour de France route has published more details for their own area, often with maps and lists of roads affected. The relevant local authorities for Stages 1 and 2 are Leeds CC, Bradford MDC, North Yorkshire CC, Harrogate BC, Calderdale, Kirklees, Derbyshire, Barnsley BC, and Sheffield CC. See road closures for the Tour de France 2014 in Yorkshire for local road closures and links to the relevant council website pages.
On Stage 3, the closures begin on Sunday evening for some roads in Cambridge. In Essex, there are slightly differing closure times for the different districts of Uttlesford, Braintree, Chelmsford, and Epping Forest. In London, the race route will be closed from 10am to 6pm, and the arrangements are being made by Transport for London. We have all the details in our Stage 3 road closures section.
Tour de France 2014 UK stages: Cycle Yorkshire Ride the Route app and videos
Safer Roads Yorkshire & Humber has produced a smartphone app to help people to cycle Stages 1 and 2 of the Tour de France safely. It has been released under the name Cycle Yorkshire, the organisation charged with ensuring a legacy from the event, and it is called 'Ride the Yorkshire Routes'.
The app includes maps of both days' routes, news and events, and road safety and general information. It also has 'flyover' videos showing certain key sections of the routes, and information videos, with professional cyclist Jamie Sharp riding difficult sections of the route, together with commentary from Jonathan Cowap of BBC Radio York highlighting dangers and giving advice on how to ride. The videos were made by York City Council.
This is an example of a flyover video, about the B6160 near Kettlewell in the Yorkshire Dales:
This is one of the information videos, showing the descent of Holme Moss, towards Woodhead Reservoir:
We include many of the videos in our guide to Stage 1 and guide to Stage 2; all the videos can be found on vimeo here. The Ride the Yorkshire Routes app can be downloaded for android or for iphones/ipads.
(At the time of writing, late April 2014, the app and the videos do not always show the latest route, where small adjustments have been made by the race organisers).
Tour de France 2014 UK stages: towns on the route
Tour de France in Ilkley
The Tour passes through Ilkley on Stage 1, and Stage 2 takes in Addingham, just a short distance away. There is great enthusiasm for cycling in Ilkley, which has a thriving cycling club, and the town is determined to make the most of the Tour de France.
There'll be big screens, pop-up campsites, town centre races a few days before the Tour, and an Ilkley TDF Festival Week, with lots of events. Read about the Tour de France in Ilkley...
Tour de France in Skipton
Skipton will be popular with spectators. It has an official spectator hub on Saturday 5th July, with a capacity of 12,000. There'll be entertainment there, and big screens will show the race. Read about the Tour de France in Skipton...
Tour de France in Masham
Le Grand Party Masham is being organised by Masham Sports Association. There'll be live music, food, and beer on the evening of Friday 4th July, then a big screen, activities, and entertainment on Saturday 5th July. Read about the Tour de France in Masham...
Tour de France in Ripon
Ripon is holding a series of events in the build-up to the Tour, including a talk at Ripon Cathedral by Graeme Obree, the 'Flying Scotsman.' There'll be pop-up campsites for the race itself, including at Ripon Racecourse and Ripon Rugby Club. A week after the Tour, local cyclists have the opportunity to ride much of the route of Stage 1, on the Ripon Tour Sportive. Read about the Tour de France in Ripon...
Tour de France in Ripley
The Tour de France is Ripley's chance to shine, and they are determined to make the most of it. There are events in the run-up to the Tour, a Tour de France campsite, and lots of entertainment and activities on race day. Read about the Tour de France in Ripley...
Tour de France in Harrogate
Harrogate hosts the finish of Stage One of the 2014 Tour de France, and sees the riders return in the early stages of Stage Two. We have information on the local council's plans for the Tour, including the arrangements in the town centre on Saturday 5th July. There's also all you need to know about where to stay and where to park during the Tour de France in Harrogate, and all the latest news on the Tour de France in Harrogate. Read about the Tour de France in Harrogate...
Tour de France in York
Stage Two starts in York. See the route through York and read about the spectator hubs, race timings in York, the road closures, where to stay in York, and the Tour-related events. Read about the Tour de France in York...
Tour de France in Sheffield
We have route information and maps for the Tour de France in Sheffield - from where it enters the City of Sheffield at Midhopestones. Our guide to the Tour in Sheffield also includes ideas for where to watch the race, the race timings, road closures, where to stay in Sheffield for the Tour, and Tour de France-related events. Read about the Tour de France in Sheffield...
Tour de France in Cambridge
Our guide to the Tour de France in Cambridge includes a route video and map, ideas for where to watch the race, information on the Parker's Piece spectator hub, timings, road closures, where to stay, events, and parking. Read about the Tour de France in Cambridge...
Tour de France in London
Hedgehog's guide to the Tour de France in London has route information, and a selection of maps of the London section of the route. We have ideas for where to watch the Tour in London, including the official spectator venues at the Olympic Park, Green Park, and Trafalgar Square, and the finish on The Mall. You can see the race timings, and find information on road closures. Read about the Tour de France in London...
Tour de France 2014 UK stages: Yorkshire Tour de France legacy
The hosting of the Tour de France should lead to a cycling legacy for the Yorkshire & Humber region. Welcome to Yorkshire has set up a Cycle Yorkshire website, outlining plans to promote and develop cycling in the region, as part of a legacy from the race. Read more about the Yorkshire Tour de France legacy...
Tour de France 2014 UK stages: successful Yorkshire Tour de France bid
The success of Welcome to Yorkshire's bid to host the Tour was announced on 14th December 2012. Their case had been helped by a promotional film, to highlight the beauty of the Yorkshire countryside, and by Mark Cavendish's backing. (His uncle, Russell Davidson, lives in Harrogate, and was part of the Yorkshire delegation that travelled to Paris).
When the Tour de France team visited Yorkshire, they were taken by helicopter to the North York Moors and the Yorkshire Dales, and they landed at Harewood House, where Simon Guellor, chef of the Box Tree restaurant in Ilkely, prepared Yorkshire lamb for them.
Details of the route were announced at a press conference on 17th January 2013, given by Keith Wakefield of Leeds City Council, Gary Verity of Welcome to Yorkshire, and Christian Prudhomme, director of the Tour de France. After the press conference, an event was held outside the town hall, called La Nuit du Tour.
In an interview on the Le Tour Yorkshire website, Christian Prudhomme said, 'I was struck by the beauty of Yorkshire and difference between it in summer and winter as well as the contrast between what a great city Leeds is and the beautiful countryside which is only a few kilometres away.' He believes the route in Yorkshire will be visually stunning and technically challenging. He was also stuck by the desire of the people of Yorkshire to welcome the Tour. 'There is a real desire, there is everything you need (sites, cities, places, infrastructure) to make the Grand Départ an incredible time.'
Thierry Gouvenou, the Sports Director of the Tour de France, was responsible for choosing the route of the race. He said, 'The topography of Yorkshire offers a very diverse terrain with its plains and hills, and allowed us to offer the cyclists two different stages. I can tell you that it will be a very difficult Grand Depart...'
Tour de France 2014 UK stages: Frequently Asked Questions
These are some of the questions asked about the UK stages of the Tour de France 2014.
How many people are expected to watch the UK stages of the Tour de France?
Around 880,000 people will watch Stage 1 of the Tour de France 2014, and it is anticipated that there will be 1,020,000 spectators along the route of Stage 2. (Source: report in the Harrogate Advertiser).
North Yorkshire County Council predict up to 1 million spectators in the county over the weekend of 5th & 6th July 2014, but it is impossible to come up with exact figures in advance. Welcome to Sheffield estimates that 250,000 people will watch the Tour in Sheffield.
At the presentation of the Tour de France 2014 on 23rd October 2013, Gary Verity of Welcome to Yorkshire said he expected more than a million people to watch the two Yorkshire stages. 'I would think that would be the minimum - probably closer to two million, that will depend on the weather.' A more recent estimate was given by the chair of TDF Hub 2014 Ltd. At the end of April 2014, Sir Rodney Walker said that for the three UK stages of the Tour, '...we might have to manage up to four and five million spectators...'
Where are the spectator hubs for the Tour de France 2014 (UK stages)?
There will be spectator hubs at Leeds Victoria Gardens, Scott Hall playing fields Leeds, Otley, Ilkley, Skipton, Grassington, Aysgarth, Hawes, Leyburn, Ripon market place and racecourse, Harrogate, York racecourse, York designer outlet, York Huntingdon Stadium, Knaresborough castle, Keighley, Haworth, Calder Holmes Park Hebden Bridge, Huddersfield, Holmfirth, Oughtibridge, and Sheffield.
Harewood House is running a Festival of Cycling weekend, from Friday 4th to Sunday 6th July 2014, and the race is due to call in and pause there on Saturday 5th July.
Where are the spectator hubs for Stage 3 of the Tour de France 2014?
There are spectator hubs at Parker's Piece, Cambridge, at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, then two more run by Tour de France Fan Parks, at Green Park and Trafalgar Square. See our information on spectator hubs and fan parks on Stage 3, Tour de France 2014.
What time does Stage 1 of the Tour de France 2014 start?
The ceremonial start in Leeds is at 11.10am on Saturday 5th July 2014. The racing begins at 12 noon, from Harewood. See all the timings for Stage 1 of the Tour de France 2014.
What time does Stage 1 of the Tour de France 2014 arrive in Harrogate?
There are three scenarios, based on different average speeds. Stage 1 is scheduled to enter Harrogate between 4.17pm and 4.42pm on Saturday 5th July 2014, and get to the finish line between 4.20pm and 4.46pm. See all the timings for Stage 1 of the Tour de France 2014.
What time does Stage 2 of the Tour de France 2014 start?
The ceremonial start in York is at 11.00am on Sunday 6th July 2014. The racing begins on the A59 just outside York at 11.20am. See all the timings for Stage 2 of the Tour de France 2014.
What time does Stage 2 of the Tour de France 2014 arrive in Sheffield?
There are three scenarios, based on different average speeds. Stage 2 is scheduled to finish in Sheffield between 4.14pm and 4.46pm. See all the timings for Stage 2 of the Tour de France 2014.
Where's the nearest place to Manchester to watch the Tour de France 2014?
Stage 2 of the Tour de France 2014 goes quite close to Manchester. To the NE of Manchester, the race goes along the side of Blackstone Edge reservoir (take the A58 via Littleborough to get there). It also goes through Holmfirth, and climbs Holme Moss, before going past the Woodhead reservoir. Take the A635 over Saddleworth Moor to Holmfirth; or the A628 to the Woodhead reservoir. Stage 2 finishes in Sheffield.
Who set the route of the Yorkshire stages of the Tour de France?
Thierry Gouvenou, a former professional cyclist, who has completed seven Tours de France, was the traceur who set the route of the two days of racing in Yorkshire.