CYCLING enthusiasts will stage a festival of events ahead of the Tour de France visiting a city to inspire and enable more people to ride bikes.

Le Tour Ripon hopes its programme, which includes a series of talks, a classical concert and a film festival, will raise sufficient funds to create a legacy to the race in the area surrounding the city.

The group’s chairman, Robert Thorpe, said its ambition was to establish a number of safe, family cycling routes in the area.

He said: “There is a phenomenal level of support for the tour and we want to do something that will inspire people.

“It is not just about the festival this year, it is about raising enough money to create a legacy.”

The festival will include talks by former world pursuit champion Graeme Obree, round the world cyclist Alastair Humphreys and cycling authors Rob Penn and Andrew Sykes and Graeme Fife.

A three-day film festival being held at the Curzon cinema from June 13 will feature movies about inspirational cyclists, while Ripon Cathedral will host a photographic exhibition by cycling photographer Jon Sparks from April 4 and a concert of Yorkshire and French music by the St Cecilia Orchestra on Saturday, April 25.

The festival will culminate with a Yorkshire and French market and family entertainment in the Market Place on July 5 and 6, where there will be a giant screen with live coverage of the opening stages of the race.

Ripon and Skipton MP Julian Smith said: “Hosting the Grand Depart in Yorkshire is an excellent opportunity for communities along the route to come together and celebrate a once in a lifetime event so I am delighted that Ripon is planning such a vibrant and exciting range of events to mark the occasion.”

For details, visit letourripon.co.uk.