THE 2017 Tour de Yorkshire boosted the economy by almost £64 million, according to a study by Leeds Beckett University.

The research showed that 86 per cent of spectators were from Yorkshire, while 14 per cent came from elsewhere. The race weekend saw a record 2.2 million spectators line the route and spend eight per cent more than last year.

Sir Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said: “This is marvellous news and the public support was truly overwhelming.

“These events are televised to hundreds of millions of people around the world creating a giant postcard beaming stunning images of Yorkshire across the globe.”

The 2017 Tour de Yorkshire was three days of cycling in April this year and ran through the heart of Ryedale. Last month Visit Britain revealed that 267,000 overseas visitors brought in almost £100 million in the year’s first quarter of the year, spending £99 million from January to March 2017, up 30 per cent year on year.