UK Sport have pledged £3million of National Lottery funding for the event, while the government has committed £24million, £15million of which will be used to develop 27 cycle sport facilities across the UK.

Cookson said of the decision: “Since hosting the Tour de France’s Grand Départ in 2014 and subsequent Tours de Yorkshire, the county has proved it is a fitting host for road cycling’s leading annual event and we are sure there will be world class crowds to match.”

Since the 2014 Grand Depart, which saw unprecedented numbers of fans coming to watch at the roadside, Yorkshire has remained a focal point for cycling in the UK, with the three-day Tour de Yorkshire launched as a legacy event.

And Sir Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, believes the world’s best riders will relish the challenge of racing for the rainbow jersey in Yorkshire.

“Today marks a moment in history,” he said. “Yorkshire has shown it can host world-class events with the Grand Départ and Tours de Yorkshire, and now the county has been chosen to host the nine-day UCI Road World Championships in 2019.

“We have got the scenery, the crowds, and the warm welcome, and we are sure the world’s best riders will love the challenging roads we have to offer.”

While the current World Championships are being held in Doha, Qatar, the next three will now all be held in Europe, with Yorkshire following Bergen in Norway (2017) and Innsbruck in Austria (2018).

To celebrate the decision, Leeds’ First Direct Arena, Trinity Leeds shopping centre and Clifford’s Tower in York will all be lit up in the colours of the rainbow stripes.

The full route for the race is set to be announced over the coming months, and more information will be available at www.yorkshire2019.co.uk.