THOUSANDS of people are expected to attend the first-ever Skipton town centre cycle races.

The Science Fitness Skipton Cycle Races will take place in the evening of July 2, and will see riders tackling a 970m circuit at speeds of up to 30mph.

Races will start and finish in front of Skipton Town Hall, with riders taking a route past the Castle Inn, left onto Water Street, Coach Street, Swadford Street, and back onto the High Street.

The largest crowds, which will be held back from the action by barriers, are expected at the finish line, while the fastest part of the race will be along Coach Street.

Another exciting part of the race is expected to be the hump-back bridge in Coach Street where riders will be tightly packed along the narrow street.

Riders will then have to hang on the brakes for a tight left at the bottom of Coach Street – on the final lap the first rider out of this corner might well be the winner as they sweep out of Swadford Street and up the High Street.

The biggest crowds will be here as the cyclists blast up the High Street and across the finish line.

The races will kick off with children's fun races, followed by an open circuit for anyone wanting a go, and finishing with the elite, professional men's race at 8pm.

Councillor Richard Foster, leader of Craven District Council, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for Skipton to recapture the glory of the Tour de France with an exciting event attracting professional cyclists back to the town.

“I’m sure the event will be a big hit with locals, cyclists and tourists – it’s bound to be a brilliant evening.”

The event is being supported by both Skipton Town Council and Skipton Town Partnership (STP).

“Town centre cycling events like this are becoming increasingly popular and it is a perfect way for Skipton to benefit from the legacy of Le Tour," said Cllr Chris Harbon, town council leader.

“We had a fantastic day last summer and I’m sure that this more concentrated burst of cycling action will prove a great success. I’m really looking forward to it.”

Andrew Mear, chairman of STP, added the organisation was happy to support the races which were shaping up to be a fantastic event for the town.

“It will add to our reputation as a lively town where there’s always something interesting going on and enhance our profile as a great cycling destination. The extra visitors will be good for local business, which is at the heart of everything the partnership does, " he said.

The races are being organised by Velo29, which has successfully organised town centre races in Stockton-upon-Tees and Bishop Auckland.

A spokesman for sponsors, Science Fitness, which is sponsoring the event, said: “Sponsoring the inaugural Skipton Cycle Races represents the perfect partnership for Science Fitness.

“As an exciting new brand of endurance and recovery nutrition based in Skipton, we are proud to support such a fantastic local event which further establishes Yorkshire as the UKs cycling heartland."