Lizzie Armitstead reckons her home county of Yorkshire is "the best cycling destination in the world".
She may be a tiny bit biased but you can't doubt her enthusiasm with the Tour de France visiting her doorstep next July. She has also signed up to become the ambassador for the Dare2B Yorkshire Festival of Cycling, which takes place between 4-6 July 2014 at Harewood House.
"There’s such a buzz about cycling in Yorkshire at the moment," Armitstead said. "As a county we've produced some of the best cyclists in the world and we’re very proud of our cycling history. For me, Yorkshire’s the best cycling destination in the world; the scenery’s beautiful and the terrain is tough, relentless even, but it’s training in these conditions that makes Yorkshire’s cyclists such strong competitors.
"On top of that, Yorkshire is just a really friendly place to go out on your bike. There’s a really strong community spirit here so I know that the locals will be out in force to support the Tour next year, especially the British teams and riders, and Harewood House is a fantastic setting to bring everyone together to celebrate."
The three day festival will be a celebration of all things cycling. You'll be able to camp in Harewood's grounds and then watch the Tour first hand as the peloton races up the front drive and past the house, before viewing it live on big screens.
You can also follow in the pros' tracks on led-rides and take part in other cycling and running events. A shopping expo and plenty of music and cycling-related entertainment - including a thousand-seat Cycle Cinema and talks from the UK’s favourite cycling authors are some of the attractions to keep you entertained.
Tickets start from £18 per person (BikeRadar readers can claim 10% off with the voucher code FUTURE10), with a range of tailored packages available for camping and participation activities. A 10x10m standard 3-night weekend camping pitch for up to 8 people costs £145.00 (use the voucher code FUTURE5CAMP to claim 5% off).
Tickets for the Festival are available now at www.festivalofcycling.org.
