Between May 2 and May 5 some of the finest UK cyclists will ride in The Tour de Yorkshire under their new banner of Team INEOS (formerly Team Sky).

The Tour is a source of great celebration and multiple benefits to Yorkshire but we believe that this sponsorship by INEOS tarnishes cycling.

We are facing a climate crisis of massive proportions.

INEOS Industries have earned a reputation as a major polluter and greenhouse gas emitter. It breached air and water quality standards at Seal Sands on Teesside 176 times in four years and, according to The Times, is currently lobbying government to defer compliance with regulations.

INEOS holds 21 licences, covering much of Yorkshire, to frack for shale gas, with the primary purpose of manufacturing yet more plastics.

Cycling, whether for leisure or competition, encourages a healthy lifestyle and fitness for all ages.

We urge everyone with an interest in cycling and in reversing the causes of our climate crisis to let their views be seen and heard during the Tour (without causing any disruption to the race) so as to detach INEOS from its sponsorship of this wonderful sport.

John Plummer,

High Street,

Harrogate

On behalf of:

Frack Free Harrogate District, Harrogate Green Party, Harrogate and Knaresborough Liberal Democrats, Yorkshire and Humber Region Friends of the Earth, Plastic Free Harrogate, Frack Free Selby, West Newton Monitoring Station, Frack Free United, Frack Free York and villages, East Yorkshire Frack Free, Frack Free Scarborough, Haxby and Wiggington against Fracking, Frack Free South Yorkshire, Bolton against Fracking, Talk Fracking