The 2020 event was cancelled following the interruption of the cycling season this spring and will not be held next year, despite an international race program in the summer and fall.
The race was organized by Welcome to Yorkshire, along with Tour de France organizer ASO, and with the second wave of COVID-19 infection blocking the UK, it was not practical to hold the event scheduled for April 30 to May 3 It was the regional tourism office that thought it was not feasible.
"In these uncertain times, Welcome to Yorkshire needs to focus on the immediate needs of the industry rather than investing financial and human resources in activities and events that are not certain," said James Mason, CEO of Welcome to Yorkshire.
"This is a very important step in the development of the industry.
"It is very disappointing that this great race will not be held again this year, but the decision we have made is the right one and perhaps the only one we can make. The uncertainty before us meant that it was impossible to plan for or commit the resources that the race would require. This was a mutual decision made by Welcome to Yorkshire and A.S.O. and we now look forward to putting all of our efforts into making the Race bigger and better than ever in 2022."
The Tour de Yorkshire was set up in 2015 as a legacy event for the 2014 Tour de France Grande Pearl after the first two stages were held in this region of northern England.
The men's race was initially held in three stages, but was expanded to four days in 2018, while the women's race started as a one-day race and was expanded to a two-day stage race that same year.
The event was described by Welcome to Yorkshire as "an incredible success for Yorkshire," with 2.6 million roadside spectators in 2018 and a potential TV audience of 28 million in 190 countries claimed for 2019.
However, Gary Verity, the driving force behind the creation of Grande Pearl and the Tour de Yorkshire, resigned as chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire last year after an investigation into his expenses and behavior towards staff.
"We are fully aware of Welcome to Yorkshire's position and fully support this joint decision," said ASO Director General Jan Le Morner.
"We have worked together a lot since the Tour de France 2014 Grand Pal to place the Tour de Yorkshire at the top of the international cycling calendar. This effort has clearly not been in vain and we will collectively do everything in our power to relaunch the event in 2022 and give the world's best riders the chance to ride the roads of Yorkshire in front of the most enthusiastic crowds the cycling world has ever seen."
Lars Petter Nordhaug (Team Sky) won the inaugural men's Tour de Yorkshire, with Thomas Voeckler (Direct Energie), Serge Pauwels (Dimension Data), Greg Van Avermaat (BMC Racing ), followed by Chris Lawless (Team Ineos).
The women's race was won for the first time by Louise Mahe (Ikon Mazda), with Kirsten Wild (High Tech Products) and Lizzie Deignan (Boels Dolmans) winning their local one-day event. 2018 saw Megan Guarnier (Boels Dolmans) won the event for the first time as a stage race, followed by Marianne Vos (CCC-Liv) in 2019.
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