It was another massive success.

But now organisers of the Tour de Yorkshire are looking ahead and hoping to be planning for a four-day event next year.

Over 2m spectators cheered on this year’s Tour de Yorkshire as the county was heralded as fast becoming the heartland of cycling by Tour de France boss Christian Prudhomme.

Cyclists and organisers have been overwhelmed by the stunning support for the race which saw winner Thomas Voeckler declare: “It makes me want to come back next year!” and compared it to racing in a stage of Tour de France.

Now Welcome to Yorkshrie head Sir Gary Verity has repeated the call for British Cycling to make the Tour a four-dav event.

“UCI (the International Cycling Union) want it to be over four days, the teams want four days, women’s cycling want it four days, the public of Yorkshire wants four days. It’s a no-brainer.”

Nathan Haas, from Team Dimension Data who won the King of the Mountains jersey, called for the Tour de Yorkshire to be allowed to grow bigger than a 2:1 classification and thanked the Tour de Yorkshire organisers and the “great crowds”. He said: “As a team we are privileged to be part of an event as incredible as this and have fans as engaged as they are.”

SCARBOROUGH, ENGLAND - MAY 01: Overall winner Thomas Voeckler of Direct Energie and France celebrates winning the third stage of the 2016 Tour de Yorkshire between Middlesbrough and Scarborough

Yorkshire was transformed into a sea of blue and yellow as the county got behind the second edition of the Tour de Yorkshire.

Mr Prudhomme, Director of the Tour de France, said: “There have been huge crowds, huge enthusiastic crowds who respect the riders. The Tour de Yorkshire is on the podium for being one of the best bike races in the world and for me the best public for cycling in the world.

“The people of Yorkshire have passion and pride. I love what the Tour de Yorkshire has done for children who are watching this on the route and at the start and finish lines. These are memories that those children will never forget.

“The passion is growing and growing and Yorkshire is fast becoming the heartland of cycling.”

People crowd Sutton Bank near Thirsk to watch stage three of the Tour de Yorkshire.

This year;s race did not include Huddersfield or Calderdale, both of which were in the 2015 race, but many local people were out over the three days to see the exhilarating race.

They included family and friends of New Mill rider Gabz Cullaigh, who finished in 79th place after three hard days.

Sir Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire said: “Yorkshire is the true winner. The way the people of Yorkshire have taken this race to their hearts is overwhelming. The county is fast becoming the capital of cycling and that is down to the incredible support from communities who have turned out in their droves. Yorkshire you should be proud!”