CORRINE HALL hopes the introduction of women’s cycling at the inaugural Tour de Yorkshire will lead to a full women’s stage next year.

The 24-year-old Londoner, who is the current World Road Race Champion as tandem pilot in the Team GB Para Cycling Team, was one of nearly 100 riders to compete across four laps of the 20k circuit in York on day two of the new event.

An exciting race ended in memorable circumstances, with Hall’s IKON-Mazda teammate Louise Mahe claiming the winner’s jersey after a breathless bunch sprint.

“We never get to race on closed circuits usually and then, with the crowds like this, it was a pretty special race to be honest,” said Hall, who studied at St Mary's University in Twickenham.

“It’s definitely good to be a part of the first Tour de Yorkshire – let’s hope it continues and maybe we can potentially get a stage race in the future.”

Pearl Izumi’s Katie Archibald – a world champion on the track in the team pursuit – produced a fine display to place in all three sprints and pick up the sprinter’s jersey before Mahe proved victorious in the final fight for the line.

Hall finished 44th in one of her first races of the season, but she was quick to highlight the positives for herself and her team on a memorable day for the IKON-Mazda outfit.

“I tried getting in the breaks early on,” she said, “but it didn’t come to anything and I just didn’t have the legs at the finish, but it was a good one for the team.”

Yorkshire Bank is an Official Partner of the Tour de Yorkshire and the ground-breaking Yorkshire Bank Bike Libraries initiative. Visit www.ybonline.co.uk