Event: 14 August, 18 September 2013

As Chris Froome battles with the world's best cyclists in this year's Tour de France, attention is already turning to next year's event which sees the world's most famous cycle race return to Britain since 2007, and for the first time in its history, to the north of England.

The Yorkshire Dales will be the setting for the first two days of next year's event, the Grand Départ, and riders are now being given the chance to test themselves over the same route the professionals will be going over at the start of July 2014.

Yorkshire based Wolds Racing Team are organising day long accompanied rides which cover the main climbs and spectacular Yorkshire Dales sections of the first day's racing of the 2014 Tour. Each of the 157km long rides begins and ends in Ripon, which is also on the official tour route, and sees a maximum of 15 riders follow the Tour route as it goes up into the Dales and takes on a series of peaks, including the difficult Buttertubs Pass north of Hawes which is classified as one of the King of the Mountain climbs of the stage.

The first rides are being organised shortly, on Wednesday 14th August and Wednesday 18th September, with 2014 dates available. Each group will have two experienced accompanying riders to take account of varying abilities, plus a third rider in a support vehicle throughout the ride. Food, drink and other requirements are all included in the package and cyclists can expect a nourishing lunch at the excellent Simonstone Hall just outside Hawes. The normal cost of the full day is £99 with organisers offering a 20% discount for both inaugural rides, £79.

Organiser Adam Hardy said : "This really is a unique opportunity for amateur cyclists to experience for themselves what it will be like for a rider in the Tour de France and will mean that they can enjoy next year watching the professionals ride over the same ground that they have successfully tackled."

Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said: “This is a great initiative to showcase Yorkshire’s great cycling landscapes and tourism businesses a year before the official race puts the county on the worldwide map.”

Enter today for the August event or the September event.

For more information see www.ridethetourstage1.co.uk where you can find full details of how to book.