Two Huddersfield girls have been selected for the inaugural Women’s Tour de Yorkshire.

Amira Mellor and Abby-Mae Parkinson join a stellar cast of racing talent as the first ever Women’s Tour de Yorkshire sees over 100 of the UK’s most exciting riders take part.

They will be lining up in York against the likes of Olympian and Paralympian riders including Dame Sarah Storey and Joanna Rowsell, and Commonwealth Games heroine Katie Archibald, who are all part of the Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International team.

Holmfirth cycle rider Amira Mellor has decided to dedicate her future to cyclo-cross.

Amira, 17, a former Holme Valley Wheeler made a decision to concentrate on cyclo cross on the back of a breakthrough season which saw her win the British Cycling National Trophy Cyclo-cross elite women’s title and become junior British champion.

But she is looking to ride a few road races and some events in the National Mountain Bike series in preparation for the new season.

Her team has a new sponsor and Mellor now rides for the Oldfield Paul Milnes ERT (elite race team).

Abby-Mae started competitive cycling when she was 12 , having been a swimmer and triathlete.

Her first cycling club was Holme Valley Wheelers, but a family move to Hartshead Moor brought a change of club to Aire Valley RT, from where she moved to RST RT last year. In York she will ride for the Team Giordana-Triton outfit.

Being the daughter of Lisa Brambani and Mike Parkinson, Abby’s cycling pedigree is very impressive.

She is another rider who has benefited from the White Rose Youth League training at the Richard Dunn Sports Centre in Bradford.

The Tour de Yorkshire sees the riders racing clockwise around some of York’s key historic sights on May 2.

The start and finish line are at the northern end of the Knavesmire Road in York – the same place that will see the men’s race cross the line on their own two circuits of York before the finish of their Stage 2 later the same day.

Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire said “After the Grand Départ of the Tour de France we promised to do all we can to promote women in cycling in Yorkshire and the first ever women’s Tour de Yorkshire is honouring that promise. This quality of riders for this first ever women’s race proves the interest and excitement out there and with these household names riding, we know it is going to be a superb and inspiring event”.