Maserati sponsors Tour de Yorkshire sportive and signs up David Millar as a cycling ambassador

Luxury car brand Maserati has this week signalled its intention to step into the cycling world with the announcement that it is sponsoring the Tour de Yorkshire sportive in May. It has also signed up former professional cyclist David Millar as a Maserati cycling ambassador.

The car brand has launched Maserati Cycling, which intends to “celebrate the marque’s affinity with the sport and to offer a series of unique experiences for Britain’s road cyclists.” The first of these experiences will be the inaugural Tour de Yorkshire Ride on Sunday 3rd May.

“The sport is highly contagious,” says Peter Denton, Region Manager for Maserati North Europe. “We have seen an ever-increasing number of our dealership network and their customers get bitten by the cycling bug over recent years. For Maserati and its customers at least, it would appear that cycling is the new golf.

“The excitement generated nationally by last year’s Grand Départ was mirrored across our team and network, so the Tour de Yorkshire legacy event provides a suitably high profile ride with which to kick off our two-wheeled activity.”

A hundred Maserati management, staff and customers will join 6,000 other cyclists tackling the sportive. The ride, organised by ASO, owners of the Tour de France, and Human Race, will offer three routes, 50, 108 and 140km. The sportive route shares parts of last year’s Grand Depart route and includes the climbs of ‘Cote de Goose Eye’ and famous ‘Cote de Cow and Calf’ up onto Ilkley Moor. The ride starts and finishes at Roundhay Park in Leeds, and will precede the third and final stage of the Tour de Yorkshire Pro race later in the day.

The Italian car manufacturer also intends to bring a slice of luxury to the 6,000 participants of the sportive, with Michelin-starred chef Alan Murchison creating bespoked food for the ride. Murchison is a keen cyclist and an age group duathlon world champion.

“As a keen cyclist myself, I know how tired you can get of sticky sports nutrition by the end of a ride,” he says.  “I will be looking to use fresh Yorkshire produce and apply an Italian twist to surprise and delight riders, and give them the boost they need to see them home.”

David Millar, now with a bit of spare time on his hands after retiring at the end of last season, will serve as a Maserati Cycling ambassador. Millar describes himself as a lifelong Maserati fan, and lists the Ghibli II 2.8 GT as his dream car.

“Just like the sport of cycling, motor sport is steeped in history, and the Maserati brand has played a key role in this rich heritage, through 100 years of engineering innovation,” adds David Millar. “I am excited that two of my greatest passions in life are being combined and delighted to be involved from the start of what looks set to be a fantastic initiative.”

More about the Tour de Yorkshire at http://letour.yorkshire.com/tour-de-yorkshire/sportive