The route for the 2016 Tour de Yorkshire has been revealed, with the second edition of the three-stage race to cover 515km from Friday April 29 to Sunday May 1.

The race, won by Team Sky’s Lars Petter Nordhaug in 2015, will take in six separate start and finish towns, with eighteen teams of eight riders set to compete.

Stage one will take the peloton from Beverley to Settle and, while the 184km route will feature 1,832m of climbing, it is expected to end in a bunch sprint.

With 2,593m of climbing and six King of the Mountains ascents ((Sutton Bank, Blakey Ridge, Grosmont, Robin Hood’s Bay, Harwood Dale and Oliver’s Mount), including a final climb less than 10km from the finish, the race will likely be broken up for a sprint from a reduced group or solo winner on the seafront in Scarborough.

“For next year’s race we’ve selected routes which showcase Yorkshire’s stunning scenery and will also deliver an excellent sporting event,” said Welcome to Yorkshire chief executive Gary Verity.

“Our first race was phenomenally successful, bringing 1.5 million spectators to the roadside, generating over £50 million for the regional economy and being broadcast around the world – not many races can say that.  The stages we’ve revealed [for 2016] are eagerly anticipated by fans, riders and teams and we have all the ingredients for another spectacular race which will bring the crowds back out.”

Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme added: “I am always happy to be back in Yorkshire and today marks an important milestone for the race.

“Feedback from teams and riders last year was excellent and this year we have three stages which together create a race right to the end; the final King of the Mountain points are barely six kilometres from the final finish line.”