50 days to the Tour de Yorkshire

Sent on behalf of Welcome to Yorkshire:

• First look at the Mackenzie Thorpe-designed Tour de Yorkshire Ride Medal to mark 50 days to go until the 2019 Tour de Yorkshire

• The first collaboration for a Tour de Yorkshire Ride medal designed by the official Tour de Yorkshire artist

• More than 4,500 cyclists expected to collect the mini work of art after completing one of three courses

  The Tour de Yorkshire Ride in collaboration with Mackenzie Thorpe, official tour artist, are proud to reveal the design for a new medal for the event. All participants of the Ride, expected to exceed last year’s 4,500 people, will be awarded the specially designed medal as they cross the finish line in Leeds, just hours before the pros roll through on 5 May.

  Artist Mackenzie Thorpe, one of the biggest-selling British contemporary artists, marks 30 years as a professional artist in 2019. To crown this occasion, he has been made Official Artist for the Tour de Yorkshire this year, creating a collection of artworks for the event which were recently unveiled. Bicycles have long held a powerful and symbolic position in Mackenzie’s artwork and his unique talent at communicating emotions through his art, means these images resonate with both cyclists and non-cyclists alike.

  Now Mackenzie has lent his talent to the Official Ride medal, strengthening the link between the Tour and the Ride and a work of art in its own right. The medal features a rider in a ‘Y’ jersey holding aloft two hearts in Mackenzie’s iconic style. This is set against a backdrop of the rolling hills of Yorkshire, detailed out in shades of green as the cyclist conquers the brutal beauty the county is known and loved for.

  Mackenzie Thorpe says: “At the launch for this year’s Tour de Yorkshire I was inspired hearing about ‘the Ride’ where cyclists, of all ages and abilities, will be tackling the challenging courses, all for the love of riding, camaraderie and of course to raise money for charity. I love the fact that people can join in and experience for themselves some of the excitement and thrill of the race. I was honestly delighted to be asked to design the medal and wanted to do something special, that reflected the Ride and the area, so people can take home with them a little bit of Yorkshire . I’m really pleased with how it has turned out, and hope the riders are too”

  Nick Rusling, CEO of Human Race says: “This medal really is something truly different. Never before have we had such a prominent artist be involved in the design of one our event medals. I love it and love the close connection we have with the elite event, with Yorkshire and with our participants. I think we have created a real collector’s item here and you have to complete the Tour de Yorkshire Ride to get one.”

  Peter Dodd, Commercial Director of Welcome to Yorkshire says: “This beautifully designed medal will act as a brilliant incentive for all those people planning to take part in in the Tour de Yorkshire Ride. It really is stunning and will be a more than worthy reward for all those amateur cyclists who complete this challenging yet exciting day in the saddle.”

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  For more information contact

  Neil Martin – Human Race Marketing Manager

  E: neil.martin@humanrace.co.uk

  For Mackenzie Thorpe, contact:

  Dominic Beaumont

  T: 0151 236 2879

  E: dominic@jaynemooremedia.com

  For the Tour de Yorkshire, contact:

  Nick Howes – Head of Sports Media

  E: nhowes@yorkshire.com

  About Human Race

  Human Race is the UK’s leading mass participation events company, putting on over 15 events each year in triathlon, cycling, running, and duathlon. Part of Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.), owners of Le Tour de France and the leader in the French running and sportive market, Human Race’s prestigious portfolio includes the Royal Windsor Triathlon, Vitus Dragon Ride, the Cancer Research UK London Winter Run and the ASICS Greater Manchester Marathon. The company also specialises in delivering bespoke corporate events, working with businesses such as JLL.

  Human Race’s events bring together an active community of people taking part in sporting events for reasons ranging from fitness, competition, charity, health, fun or to simply finish. The participants vary from nervous first timers of all ages through to World Champions. Collectively, the events raise millions of pounds for hundreds of charities. www.humanrace.co.uk

  About Mackenzie Thorpe

  Mackenzie’s collection of official artworks for the Tour de Yorkshire 2019 can be downloaded from https://ace.media/lookbooks/mackenzie-thorpe/w6Q/official-artworks-for-tour-de-yorkshire-by-mackenzie-thorpe

  Mackenzie Thorpe’s journey from dyslexic child, born into a working-class family in Middlesbrough, to international artist exhibiting worldwide has been both extraordinary and inspirational. Celebrating 30 years in the business in 2019, Mackenzie Thorpe continues to blaze a trail for the artists who have followed in his footsteps. He will mark the year with major celebrations in Middlesbrough and Yorkshire as well as a world tour.

  His collectors come from all walks of life and include famous names from the worlds of sport, music, film, politics and royalty, while achieving global success in galleries throughout the UK, America, Japan and Australia.

  Mackenzie uses his art to regularly support local, national and international charities. All of his charitable work relates back to important issues depicted in his art such as disadvantaged children, loneliness and hope.

  https://mackenziethorpe.com Follow Mackenzie Thorpe on Facebook @artistmackenzie, on Twitter @artistmackenzie and Instagram @artistmackenzie

  About Tour de Yorkshire

  The Tour de Yorkshire was launched in 2015 as a legacy of the 2014 Grand Départ. It is organised by Welcome to Yorkshire and the Amaury Sport Organisation.

  The men’s race holds a 2.HC UCI Europe Tour classification.

  The Asda Tour de Yorkshire Women’s Race was awarded 2.1 status in 2016.

  2.6 million spectators lined the route for the 2018 edition, up from 2.2 million in 2017.

  The 2018 edition was watched by 12.5 million TV viewers in 190 countries.

  The 2018 edition generated £98 million for the Yorkshire economy.