WELCOME to Yorkshire has announced the first set of Tour de Yorkshire roadshows for 2018, which will take place across the county in the run-up to the race.

The roadshows will offer a detailed view of the route and provide local residents, businesses and community groups with all the information they need to be prepared for this year’s races, which are set to be staged between Thursday, May 3 and Sunday, May 6.

The roadshows will take place at a variety of venues along the 2018 route and will provide details of road closures, the annual sportive and discussion of Welcome to Yorkshire’s various cycling legacy projects, as well as information about how you can volunteer as an official Tour Maker.

There will also be details of how to take part in the Best Dressed and Land Art competitions.

In addition there will be marketing, website and social media tips, and ways in which businesses can embrace the huge influx of visitors that come to the region to watch the action - not to mention a global TV audience of almost ten million.

This year, the Tour has been extended to include four days of racing, encompassing routes from Beverley to Doncaster on day one, Barnsley to Ilkley on day two, Richmond to Scarborough on day three and Halifax to Leeds on the final day, and is expected to draw crowds in excess of two million.

The two women’s races take place on day one and two.

Welcome to Yorkshire’s chief executive Sir Gary Verity said: “The Tour de Yorkshire and Asda Tour de Yorkshire Women’s Race are now recognised as some of the best supported races in the world and that’s down to the great people of this county taking them to their hearts.

“I’d encourage everyone who lives or works on the route to come along, ask questions and get inspired on how we can all make this the biggest and best one yet.”

The roadshow comes to Beverley on January 11 at the East Riding Theatre and on January 15 at Scarborough TEC college.

Full details of all the dates and information on how to register can be found at www.letouryorkshire.com/information/roadshows.

If the Tour has inspired you to get on your bike, you can find information about Yorkshire Bank’s Bike Libraries - where bikes can be donated or borrowed - at http://bikelibraries.yorkshire.com.