The idea for the race arose as a legacy event following the success of the visit of the 2014 Tour de France to the county.

This took place from 29 April – 1 May (British Cycling had rejected an application by the organisers Welcome to Yorkshire and ASO to increase the race to four days for 2016[3]), and the route was Beverley–Settle, Otley–Doncaster, and Middlesbrough–Scarborough.

[2] On 28 September 2017, the start and finish points of the stages were announced as Barnsley, Beverley, Doncaster, Halifax, Ilkley, Leeds, Richmond, and Scarborough.

[8] In October 2018, it was announced that Barnsley, Bedale, Bridlington, Doncaster, Halifax, Leeds, Scarborough and Selby would all be either start or finish points for the stages in the tour of 2019.

Sir Gary Verity, the race organiser and chair of Welcome to Yorkshire said That's a great honour for us to get the upgrade to HC, that's one below world tour status.

[11][12] The 2020 tour was scheduled to run from 30 April to 3 May with stages from Beverley to Redcar, Skipton to Leyburn, Barnsley to Huddersfield and Halifax to Leeds.

[19][20] The Managing Director of Silicon Dales said it was hoped to get the race running again for the 10th anniversary of the 2014 Yorkshire Grand Depart in 2024.

[25] The 2018 Tour attracted crowds of about 2.6 million people, which The Times newspaper estimated to be the largest spectator event in the United Kingdom.