YEP man pens book on Le Tour

Jonathan Brown cycled the Stage One route from Leeds to Harrogate to get a feel for the race and rode pillion on the back of a motorbike to report on the 2014 Grand Départ.

Now the former YEP reporter has captured the towns, villages and characters in Cycle Yorkshire: From road racing pioneers to the ultimate Grand Depart and beyond.

The book is a breathtaking ride through the history of cycling in Yorkshire and chronicles the UK’s growing obsession with two wheels.

Mr Brown said: “The Tour de France Grand Départ of 2014 shone a light on Yorkshire as a world class cycling destination. But the triumph that was Le Tour was in many ways the latest encounter in a unique long distance love affair between the White Rose and the most challenging race on the planet.”

It delves into how the pit villages, steelworks, glorious landscapes and riding routes of Yorkshire have played their part in pioneering and sustaining British cycling at home and abroad.

And it explores the stories of cycling legends like Brian Robinson and Barry Hoban and the successes of modern day greats like Malcolm Elliott, Ed Clancy and Lizzie Deignan. It also looks ahead at what the future might hold for the sport in God’s Own Country with its first Road World Championships on the horizon in 2019.

And YEP readers can order pre-print signed copies before March 15 and get the name of their choice printed inside the book, which costs £20 or £35 for two.

Visit www.ypbookoffer.co.uk or call 01274 735056.