YORKSHIRE is bidding to host another of the world's top cycling events, backed by multi-million-pound support from the Government.

Welcome To Yorkshire has submitted a bid to host the UCI Road World Championships in 2019.

The eight-day event sees national teams compete in a range of individual and team time trials and road races.

The bid seeks to build on the success of the Tour de France Grand Départ in 2014 and would bring huge crowds and economic boosts to the region.

This year's event in Qatar includes 1,000 racers from 75 countries and more than 5,700 federation members, technicians and international journalists. The organisers are expecting 30,000 fans and Welcome To Yorkshire would hope for a repeat the enormous crowds that gathered for the 2014 Grand Départ.

>>> FLASHBACK: Hundreds of photos of the Tour de France in Yorkshire

Sir Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome To Yorkshrie, formally presented the application to Brian Cookson, the President of Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).

Yorkshire's bid has been put together with British Cycling and UK Sport, and the Government has guaranteed to underwrite the full cost of the event and to back it with £24 million of investment.

Sir Gary said: “It would be an absolute honour to host the 2019 UCI Road World Championships.

“Yorkshire has everything a bike race could wish for. We can promise a gruelling but spectacular range of routes, huge crowds and the very warmest of welcomes. We are sure the world’s best riders will find our beautiful roads both challenging and exhilarating in equal measure.

York Press:

“The Tour de France Grand Départ in 2014 cemented the county’s place as a world-class cycling destination and since then I have been proud to oversee the launch and growth of the Tour de Yorkshire – a race which is now regarded as one of the most dramatic and well-supported events in the sport.

“Make no mistake, cycling is in Yorkshire’s DNA and hosting the 2019 UCI Road World Championships will only reaffirm that.

York Press: Tour de France in York

The Tour de France in York in 2014

“Yorkshire is ready to embrace the Championships. We’ve turned the county yellow once before, and now we want to see it swathed with those coveted rainbow bands.”

The Yorkshire bid includes starts in North, South, East and West Yorkshire. Welcome to Yorkshire said full details would be announced if the bid is successful.

A decision is expected in October. The 2017 and 2018 events are in Bergen in Norway and Innsbruck-Tirol in Austria, respectively.

City leaders and tourism organisations in York have backed the bid.

Steve Brown, managing director of Make It York, said: “This is a timely announcement with the recent success of Britain’s cycling team at the Rio Olympics.  

“York and Yorkshire have seen huge benefits from the Tour de France and subsequent Tour de Yorkshire, putting the county firmly on the map for cycling and we wish this bid every success.”

Cllr Nigel Ayre, executive member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism at City of York Council, said: “Cycling has a special place in the heart of York as it plays an important part in the lives of so many residents, whether through recreational cycle rides or travelling to work.

“Our city can boast excellent facilities including a purpose built road cycling track and velodrome, 70 miles of off road cycle paths and parking for more than 2000 bikes around the city.”

Welcome to Yorkshire said the bid was the result of months of careful planning, and was unrelated to the organisation's offer last week to step in to help organise the UEC Road European Championships following Nice’s decision to withdraw from hosting. Those Championships will now take place next month in Brittany.