AFTER the Tour de France around Yorkshire comes the bike dash around Stockton.

Stockton Cycling Festival begins tomorrow (FRI) night when elite cyclists race around the town and there are events for all abilities across Saturday and Sunday.

One of Stockton’s own teams, the Achieve Skinnergate Racing Team, were promoting the event today and hope to make a big impression on this year’s race.

It is hoped the enthusiasm for cycling generated by last weekend’s Tour de France stages in Yorkshire will bring more crowds and cyclists to this year’s Stockton Festival

The Achieve Skinnergate Team began in 2012 to promote the Achieve Cycle Coaching business. However, the team progressed so rapidly they are now a separate entity and the team’s riders will take part in some of the elite races on Sunday.

On Friday track cycling world champion, Ed Clancy, an Olympic cyclist, will race on the Riverside and hundreds of riders will take part in the Velo29-Altura Endeavour Sportive event on the Saturday. On Sunday former Olympic champion Nicole Cooke will co-present the Street Velodrome, Britain’s only pop-up track racing cycle event which will be televised.

Hundreds of families are expected to take part in the Family Festival Day which has cycling-related activities from 1pm on the Sunday.

“This weekend is going to transform Stockton,” said Peter Riddell, recreation manager for British Cycling.

To see the full Stockton Cycling Festival programme, visit stockton.gov.uk/cyclingfestival