Crowds turn out for Tour of Britain's fourth stage

Hundreds of spectators lined the streets of Helmsley, North Yorkshire, on Saturday morning to watch the fourth stage of the men's Tour of Britain commence. The North Yorkshire town was adorned in red, white, and blue as the cycling peloton passed through Market Place at 11:00 BST on their 103-mile route to Leyburn. With 8,800 feet of elevation, the stage was anticipated to be one of the most challenging and decisive tests of the race, according to British Cycling.

Dutch rider Cees Bol emerged victorious, while Belgian cyclist Tim Wellens claimed the green jersey – awarded to the race leader at the end of each day – from Great Britain's Lewis Askey. The event concluded on Sunday with the fifth and final stage in the Scottish Borders.

Local business owner Carolyn Frank expressed her delight at Helmsley being chosen to host the event, praising the "brilliant atmosphere." She noted that the town hosted the finish of the Tour of Britain four years ago, but having the start was particularly special. The co-owner of Libby Butler Jewellers added that the community turned out in full force, surrounded by beautiful landscapes.

The Tour of Britain began in Lincoln on Wednesday, and the fourth stage route passed through Boroughbridge, Ripon, the Yorkshire Dales, and ended in Leyburn. North York Moors National Park employee Mike Houghton commented on the positive impact of the event on the town, with families and children also witnessing the professional cyclists on their doorstep.

Cyclist Tony Scott echoed these sentiments, stating that the event had created a lot of excitement in the area.

Carl and Rebecca Sugden from Thirsk attended the event, emphasizing the tradition of cycling in Yorkshire and how the Tour de France's presence in 2014 had sustained that legacy. The couple believed that small market towns like Helmsley benefited greatly from the extra exposure.