The MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, Andrew Jones, has been named the vice-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on the Tour de France’s Grand Départ in Yorkshire.
The Grand Départ is set to be the biggest sporting event ever in Yorkshire, and the Group has been set up on a cross party basis to ensure MPs do all they can to make the event a huge success and to ensure that the economic, social and cultural benefits are maximised in Yorkshire.
Shortly after the announcement was made that Yorkshire had secured the Grand Départ, Andrew spoke in a Westminster Hall debate highlighting why the route should come through the Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency. He explained that it is one of the ‘spiritual homes of cycling’ because the Cyclists Touring Club was founded in Harrogate, as highlighted by a plaque in the town centre commemorating that event.
Andrew said:
This role gives me a great opportunity to promote the event for Yorkshire as a whole and our area in particular. I want the visit of the Tour to be a stunning success, with a lasting impact too. I will be working to make sure that happens.
Hundreds of thousands of people will come to Yorkshire, lining the length and breadth of the route to cheer on the champions of world cycling, and this will bring a huge economic boost.
I am certain that Yorkshire will raise the bar in terms of expectations for future hosts, and I know that Harrogate and Knaresborough have all the ingredients to make a visit from the Tour a special one, with excellent visitor facilities, stunning scenery and passionate sports fans.
I have noted reports that the Tour de France Cycle Race is planned to start from Yorkshire next year.
I wonder if the organizers are aware of the establishment in 1942 of the British League of Racing Cyclists? Prior to their commencment the only cycle-racing thought to be safe on UK roads was Time Trialing run under the auspices of the Cyclists Touring Club – C.T.C.
By the early 1950’s the B.L.R.C. – a break-away group of the C.T.C. members – quickly established itself across the UK as the organizers of Massed Start cycle racing. It proved a big success! I was running a printing business in Sheffield at the time with premises close to where the Chairman, a Mr W (Bill) Thompson, had a business as a cycle builder. He came to me for the printing of programmes for local Clubs, and this eventually led to my company printing the National Handbook, copies of which I still have in my archive for the years 1952, 1953 and 1955.
My work in this area quickly led to my Company becoming specialist printers of Start Sheets (programmes) for Clubs all over the UK.
If you are interested, I would be happy to discuss with today’s organisers my recollections of this era of my life.