It’s less than a month until cycling superstars Sir Bradley Wiggins and Marcel Kittel tackle Huddersfield and Calderdale’s hilly roads.
The inaugural Tour de Yorkshire will pass through the Huddersfield area as part of stage three on Sunday, May 3.
But hours before more than 100 pro-cyclists whizz through, an estimated 6,000 amateur riders will tackle a gruelling 'sportive' route starting and finishing in Leeds and passing through Calderdale.
The Tour de Yorkshire stage three will see riders pass through Denby Dale, Holmfirth, Upperthong, Meltham, Marsden and Scapegoat Hill before looping through Calderdale on their way to the finish in Leeds.
The racers will be on open roads and Calderdale Council is asking some residents in tricky aspects of the route to help by moving their cars parked on the road by 8am on Sunday, May 3 until the last of the sportive has passed at around 12noon.
Calderdale Council’s Director of Communities, Robin Tuddenham, said: “The Tour de Yorkshire will be a great event, not just for Calderdale, but for the whole of Yorkshire.
“The accompanying sportive will also give amateur cyclists the chance to experience the Tour de France legacy and the now legendary Yorkshire support.
“Anyone who went along to the Tour de France in Yorkshire last year will know what a special event it was, and will no doubt be looking to attend the race this year.
“To ensure the safety of riders and spectators, and to make sure the borough looks its best, we’re asking some residents close to the routes to move their vehicles.
“Unlike last year, the road and parking restrictions will not be in place all day. While the timings may cause some inconvenience, it’s a great opportunity to show the world our fantastic local area and we appreciate your help in making the event safe and enjoyable.”
Kirklees Council will be closing a handful of roads in the run-up to the race. They have also asked residents who want to use their cars to move them before 10am on race day.
The main event leaves Wakefield at 12.30pm, comes into the Denby Dale area at 1pm, the Holme Valley at 1.30pm, the Colne Valley at 1.45pm and into Calderdale at Barkisland at about 2pm.
Rolling road closures will be in place for up to half an hour before the race comes through.
Full details of both the sportive and the main race route are available at www.visitcalderdale.com , where you can also find links to detailed maps of both the sportive route and main race.
