Russ: Tour was terrific

RUSSELL Downing led the way for the local riders at the inaugural Tour de Yorkshire, and admits the raucous support from his home crowd has left him eager to return next year.

The 36-year-old from Rotherham, who came an agonising fourth in the road race at last summer's Commonwealth Games for England, rode home 25th on stage three to finish an impressive 23rd in the overall classification.

Downing had been in touch of the leaders all weekend, but as the tour's final stage took the riders over the Pennines, he admitted the final of six gruelling climbs took its toll.

And the veteran admitted the throngs of Yorkshiremen and women lining the roads would make the race the perfect place to end his career one day.

"It was tough all day," he said. "Steep climbs really split it up and I was feeling alright, but those last two were really hard work.

"We lost ground there and that was game over for us, and that final sprint was a real killer and everyone in that second ground died a bit of a death then.

"But it's been an unbelievable tour. Everyone's compared it to the Tour de France, and for me it's on par."