A COUNCIL has revealed the Tour de France generated £19.2m for a district as moves to mark the event with a mass ride across the route emerged.

Harrogate Borough Council said a study had found the world’s largest annual sporting event had produced unprecedented and ongoing tourism benefits and attracted crowds of 310,000 as the race passed through the area over two days.

It stated 180,000 visitors who came to the district to watch spent £17.6m.

A report by tour organisers has previously found the race boosted the Yorkshire economy by £102m.

After passing through Richmondshire, the opening stage featured about 20 miles of the district, and the following day the riders passed between Green Hammerton and Knaresborough.

The report states there were 102,600 visits to tourist information centres in the district from July 1 to September 30 last year, its highest ever quarterly figure.

Surveys found 96 per cent of the visitors said they would visit the area again, while 94 per cent of district residents agreed that the Tour has been good for the local area.

Meanwhile Richmondshire District Council leader Councillor John Blackie said a move to launch a legacy ride for the public, where part or all of the race route would be closed to traffic, had received a mixed reception.