CYCLING clubs, organisations and fans joined the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Bradford today as the official flag of the Tour de Yorkshire was unveiled in City Park.

The flag, which features the official logo of the Tour and is in the Tour's official colours of blue and yellow, went on a tour of the district.

Staff and volunteers at Keighley & Worth Valley Railway greeted its arrival at Ingrow Station in Keighley, before it moved on to City Park where it will be flown from City Hall on Sunday when the third and final stage of the race starts.

Joining the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress, Councillor Geoff Reid and his wife Chris, were members of Bradford: Capital of Cycling, Bradford Bikery, Queensbury Queens Cycling Club, Bradford Cycle Club and Paul Milnes Cycles/Bradford Olympic R.C. Cycling Club.

Tomorrow, pupils at St Bede's School and Green Lane Primary, who will be cycling from Lister Park, Bradford, to Roberts Park, Saltaire, on Sunday, will see the Tour flag at the Mogul Gardens in Lister Park at 10am, before it is taken to Tesco at Brighouse and Denholme Road, Queensbury, at 1pm where it will be photographed with Queensbury pupils.

Local art collective, Wur Bradford has been busy making Tour de Yorkshire-inspired art and has invited people to make their own Tour de Yorkshire poster by collaging on top of printed wheel marks to explore ideas of "movement, energy, action and excitement".

The workshop will be held at Kirkgate Market tomorrow from 1pm to 3.30pm and can be booked by emailing wurbradford@email.com, the artwork made at the workshop will be displayed in Kirkgate Market over the weekend.

The final stage of the Tour de Yorkshire between Bradford and Sheffield is the toughest in the race's three year history, with climbs totalling nearly 11,500ft over a stage distance of more than 120 miles, with many of the notable ascents being in the Bradford district.

These will include, the Cote de Silsden, Cote de Haworth and the Cote de Leeming in Oxenhope, before the race heads through Queensbury and departs the district via Calderdale, heading towards the finish line at Fox Valley in Sheffield.

Tim Curtis, founder of Bradford: Capital of Cycling, said: "It's incredible for the city, it's got the hardest UCI stage rating of any of the bike races happening this year and it's starting here in our city, what an honour."

Local businesses could also see a boost from the event which saw two million spectators attending last year, with about 100,000 spectators lining the start line on the final day in Middlesbrough.

Sandra Corcoran, co-owner of Pennine Cycles in Thornton Road, Bradford, said: "As a 70-year-old Bradford cycling business we're so excited to have the Tour de Yorkshire start here in Bradford.

"It will be a brilliant showcase of what Bradford has to offer and I'm very proud as a Bradford lass".

The race caravan will leave City Park at 10.10am on Sunday with the race commencing at 12.10pm.