Can Tour De France Femmes recreate Yorkshire success of 2014?

Sunday 6 July 2014 is a day imprinted on pub landlord John Wyke's memory: it was when the most famous cycling race in the world arrived on his doorstep in South Yorkshire. The second day of that year's Tour De France men's race saw leading cyclists take on a colossal 125 miles (201km) of road in a challenging hilly route from York to Sheffield.

It took them took whizzing through the tiny village of Lower Bradfield with cheering crowds lining the streets outside Wyke's pub, The Old Horns Inn.

"It was the atmosphere for us," recalls Wyke.

"We started on the Friday and got a full weekend out of it."

With just one year to go until the Tour de France Femmes Grand Depart arrives in the UK, Wyke and business owners like him are gearing up excitedly to do it all over again with the women's race.

"It was a joyous occasion to be part of - and something we should remember and take into next year," he says.

Day One of the women's race next year is due to go from Leeds to Manchester, before the cyclists take on the challenges of Snake Pass, Winnats Pass, Côte d'Oughtibridge and Côte de Jenkin Road the following day on their way from Manchester to Sheffield.

The owners of several of the businesses that were along the route in 2014 are hoping to recapture the atmosphere of that unique time - including Wyke at The Old Horns Inn.

Standing on the picturesque corner of Wood Fall Lane and Loxley Road, overlooking the rolling hills above Agden Reservoir, Wyke reminisces about that day 12 years ago.

"It was incredible. We had easily six, seven, 8,000 people within this small triangle. Generations of families came together," he says - and Wyke believes that special weekend is now a "blueprint" for next year.

"We're just going to roll it out again," he explains.

"A few tweaks, maybe, a few more toilets - but there's no excuse.

"We'll have stalls and entertainment. I'm sure the farmers will be putting camping on again. There's no reason not to celebrate it with all your might."

Wyke says that with the hospitality industry still fragile, occasions like this are vital.

"It is hard at the moment. We're hoping things are going to change," he says.

"We can't sit still. We can all moan, but we don't, we try hard.

"This is something we can look forward to, we can plan, and you make hay when the chance comes - and we're making hay in the summer, ready for those cold winter months."

Another business that certainly benefited from the 2014 race is the Bank View Café in Langsett.

The red spotty walls became synonymous with the whole event and proved an inspired choice by Pete Sparks, who took over the café 20 years ago.

"I thought it needed to look smart, so I stood back admiring my freshly painted white café and it just dawned on me," Sparks remembers.

"It took me about a week. I just used the dustbin lid. It was surprisingly easy.

"The media were casting around for building up the story, and it made the perfect backdrop for a lot of different stories about the tour."

Twelve years on, on a warm summer's afternoon, every table in the "picnic garden" round the back of the café is full of walkers and cyclists tucking into teacakes and full breakfasts.

According to Sparks, the breakfast of choice for "super-fit cyclists" is actually a plate of "poached eggs and beans".

Sparks says that financially the café saw a 20% jump in turnover following the original visit by the Tour, and that has been "sustained".

"It's turned this area into a tourist destination, which is fantastic for local businesses, and it has a knock-on effect, really, because local hospitality supports local food suppliers," he says.

Sparks says that although the 2027 route will not take the peloton directly past the café, it will pass only a couple of miles away and there will still be a "party atmosphere".

"I think we'll end up being like a starting base for people viewing it, so hopefully we'll get lots of families walking or cycling from Langsett out into the hills," he explains.

"We'll certainly be open extended hours around the event. There'll be a party atmosphere going on, we'll have the race on the big screen in the café - and there might be one or two surprises up my sleeve."

While the financial boost to local businesses was crucial in 2014, the community spirit it helped bring about was also seen as a huge factor in the Tour's success.

That is something Pat Tomlinson is keen to recapture next year.

She works at St Margaret's Church on Jenkin Road in Wincobank, Sheffield.

The winding road there is notorious for being brutally steep and Côte de Jenkin Road will again be the final ascent next year.

"In 2014, we opened up the church so people got access to toilets and refreshments," Tomlinson says.

"The kids came out to grab the keyrings and all the freebies the tour cars threw out. It was wonderful.

"We're in the heart of the community, so again it's a good excuse to meet our neighbours and just do random things like having a drink together and cheering on teams for whatever it is."

Tomlinson says she is not worried that the more high profile Tour De France men's race will be taking place elsewhere and she is convinced people will come out in their "droves" for the Tour de France Femmes Grand Depart.

"It doesn't matter whether it's the men's team or the women's team, there's as much enthusiasm and support for the women," she says.

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