:00:00. > :00:12.That's all from us. Now on BBC
:00:13. > :00:14.The world's largest annual sporting event begins
:00:15. > :00:17.in Leeds tomorrow with the first of two stages in Yorkshire.
:00:18. > :00:20.And the event is expected to bring a massive economic boost to
:00:21. > :00:23.The Town Hall steps in Leeds today were dressed with a yellow carpet.
:00:24. > :00:26.And over in Harrogate the world s media is now in place, poised to
:00:27. > :00:29.capture the event from every angle, whatever the weather has in store.
:00:30. > :00:31.Cathy Killick can bring us lore of a flavour
:00:32. > :00:45.It's only got a population of 5 0, but this little village north
:00:46. > :00:48.of Ripon has embraced the Tour and then given it French kisses.
:00:49. > :00:54.There's a fairground, a food court and a whole lot of fun.
:00:55. > :00:59.People are very happy to have the race coming to Yorkshird.
:01:00. > :01:02.They are delighted and to embrace it, as much as they can,
:01:03. > :01:09.190 countries take TV cover`ge of the tour.
:01:10. > :01:14.Each day teams and support staff book more than 1,000 hotel rooms.
:01:15. > :01:17.Add spectators to the mix and it will bring an estimated 100
:01:18. > :01:25.Here is one business experiencing a bonanza.
:01:26. > :01:29.Flying Colours in Knaresborough makes flags and bunting.
:01:30. > :01:32.They've had 20 times their normal orders.
:01:33. > :01:36.We just didn't expect the volume of orders we're getting.
:01:37. > :01:39.People want hand waving flags, people want to just be involved
:01:40. > :01:44.You couldn't get more community involvement than here in York.
:01:45. > :01:48.320 people have helped paint this enormous Hockney`style picture
:01:49. > :01:58.I'm a big believer in community spirit and community spirit has
:01:59. > :02:02.really come out in this project because of the workshops we have
:02:03. > :02:11.The final flourish, 60 gendarmes from Paris here to lend
:02:12. > :02:16.A massive day for the whole county of Yorkshire.
:02:17. > :02:20.One of the biggest days in our history.
:02:21. > :02:22.Looking forward to it very much indeed.
:02:23. > :02:25.I'm very proud of all the work that loads of people
:02:26. > :02:30.The stage is set for the Grand Depart.
:02:31. > :02:39.So that's how Yorkshire's looking tonight.
:02:40. > :02:43.Our Correspondent Matt Slater has been watching
:02:44. > :02:51.We've had about 18 months to build up for this.
:02:52. > :02:54.So much anticipation, so much excitement and, as you say, in about
:02:55. > :02:58.12 hours time the Grand Dep`rt, the big race starts in front of that
:02:59. > :03:03.About an hour before that there is a ceremonial
:03:04. > :03:06.in Leeds outside the town h`l,l but here, right now, there is a festival
:03:07. > :03:11.Thousands of people are camped here, they have been racing all this
:03:12. > :03:15.There will be more races tomorrow and racing is really the nale
:03:16. > :03:20.I spent most of this afternoon at a hotel not far from here where three
:03:21. > :03:23.of the teams are staying ` East Europeans, Danes, Italians, French `
:03:24. > :03:26.They didn't know much about Yorkshire before this,
:03:27. > :03:32.They all talked about how much the race has been embraced here
:03:33. > :03:33.They noticed the painted livestock, yellow bikes,
:03:34. > :03:39.What a way to open the show if Mark Cavendish,
:03:40. > :03:41.the honorary Yorkshireman, could win in Harrogate tomorrow.
:03:42. > :03:43.He used to holiday there as youngster.
:03:44. > :03:47.If he wins, well, that would be drinks all night long
:03:48. > :03:52.and I think there will be a few lock`ins as well.
:03:53. > :03:55.So it seems the whole of Yorkshire is getting into the spirit
:03:56. > :03:57.of this weekend, but of course safety is paramount.
:03:58. > :04:00.Let us not forget this routd includes some of Yorkshire's
:04:01. > :04:03.In fact hundreds of amateurs have already been having a go
:04:04. > :04:07.Air ambulance crews say thex've now been called out to a spate
:04:08. > :04:09.of accidents involving cyclhsts in the Dales.
:04:10. > :04:18.On a good day, this stretch of road up and over Butterttbs Pass
:04:19. > :04:23.But in today's driving rain and gusting winds it is also
:04:24. > :04:29.Over half a dozen riders have already come seriously unstuck.
:04:30. > :04:37.One of them had to be airlifted to hospital, but the most spectacular,
:04:38. > :04:40.almost fatal, accident came just by the Buttertubs themselves
:04:41. > :04:47.As you can see, the bikes come down off that top ridge really quickly
:04:48. > :04:54.What happened, he hit this S`bend where this rider is here ` you see
:04:55. > :04:58.he nearly lost control there ` he did, and he hit this catchmdnt fence
:04:59. > :05:01.here, flipped straight over the top of it, rolled and stopped on a ledge
:05:02. > :05:08.over a precipice there which drops straight down.
:05:09. > :05:19.Even some of the professional riders have voiced their concerns
:05:20. > :05:22.We've got a greasy road now that it's wet
:05:23. > :05:26.That is buffeting around the corners so, yes, we would appreciatd...
:05:27. > :05:29.There are lots of signs up warning them about the corners but some
:05:30. > :05:37.So, sticking with the roads, nearly 1,000 will be closed
:05:38. > :05:40.Your BBC local radio station has extra travel bulletins
:05:41. > :05:43.and key public information to help you get around, whether you're
:05:44. > :05:47.And there's also a Tour de France in Yorkshire page on the BBC
:05:48. > :05:49.website with information, news and features about the event.
:05:50. > :05:52.And on Sunday evening we'll have a special edition of Look North
:05:53. > :05:56.from the route of the Tour looking back at the weekend the Tour de
:05:57. > :06:03.Just one result in Rugby League tonight.
:06:04. > :06:05.Wakefield coach James Webstdr kept his winning streak going with
:06:06. > :06:10.A last minute try from Rich`rd Owen was all Wakefield needed
:06:11. > :06:29.There will be some wet weather but most of the time there will be a
:06:30. > :06:46.good deal of fine and Sunday, we start off with a lot
:06:47. > :06:52.of sunshine. The cloud will bubble up and there is the risk of a few
:06:53. > :06:56.showers with the odd heavy downpour. As we go through the rest of the
:06:57. > :07:03.night, some dry spells out there but as you can see, further pulses of
:07:04. > :07:06.rain pushing in from the sotth`west. It's going to be a mild night with
:07:07. > :07:12.temperatures lifting to arotnd 5 or temperatures lifting to arotnd 5 or
:07:13. > :07:14.16 Celsius. It's been quite blustery out there but that will ease as we
:07:15. > :07:15.out there but that will easd as we go through the night. To start
:07:16. > :07:24.go through the night. To st`rt tomorrow morning, a lot of cloud
:07:25. > :07:28.around making it quite grey. A little bit of drizzle for a time but
:07:29. > :07:32.that brightens up with pleasant spells of sunshine in the afternoon.
:07:33. > :07:46.Sunshine and showers for Sunday. Today's weather played out like a
:07:47. > :07:55.classic World Cup match - a tale of two halves.
:07:56. > :07:59.Highest temperatures for this year. A different story further north and
:08:00. > :08:06.west. A lot of cloud around. It was breezy, and yes, we saw significant
:08:07. > :08:11.rain. This rain has to clear further east overnight and then it
:08:12. > :08:17.introduces a different feel to our weather - sunny spells but also
:08:18. > :08:21.showers. So a good drenching for the gardens overnight. Some of the rain
:08:22. > :08:26.heavy over north-east England for a time and stretching up towards
:08:27. > :08:30.south-east Scotland as this weather front goes further east. First thing
:08:31. > :08:34.there is the potential for some of that rain to be lingering over
:08:35. > :08:39.eastern Scotland and north-east England. The same as we go through
:08:40. > :08:43.Lincolnshire, also into the East Midlands, East Anglia and the
:08:44. > :08:48.south-east corner. A contrasting start to the last couple of
:08:49. > :08:50.mornings. We are likely to see an improvement as the day continues.