It is said that 3billion people will watch Le Tour de France, either live or on television, in July. If you are one of them watching right from Le Grand Depart through Yorkshire, keep an eye out for the showroom of stonemason B D Brooks. In the window is a bicycle made of York stone.

Le Grand Depart of the event this year begins in Leeds on 5 July. The next day the riders will go through Ripponden (among other places) and past the showroom of the stonemasons, where Brian and Lewis Brooks have dispalyed the bicycle cut from Johnsons Wellfield York stone.

If the cameras pick up the stone bike as the cyclists pass, Brooks will have gone global.

The shape was cut out using the waterjet cutter of Karl Asbridge at Water Jet UK in Halifax, who B D Brooks knew because the stonemasons have used the waterjet services before for some of the bespoke stonework it carries out throughout the country (fireplaces a speciality). Together, Brian, Lewis and Karl thought the stone bike would be a great idea.

And after the Tour de France, in order to support the whole of the Yorkshire area, a raffle for the stone bike will be drawn. The money from the raffle is in aid of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

If you are going to watch the cycle race and want to contribute, as well as having a chance to win the stone bike (which is about the size of a child’s bike, 90cm long and 60cm high, and standing on a stone plinth with '2014' carved on it).  You can buy raffle tickets (they are £1 each) in the showroom of B D Brooks in Ripponden and at various other local shops.

See the Brooks Facebook page or website (address below) for details, or call 01422 822220.

After two days cycling round Yorkshire, the racers will head off on 7 July for London, finishing in the Mall before crossing the Channel for the race in France.

With the successes of British riders Chris Froome last year and Bradley Wiggins the year before, when he became the first Briton to win Le Tour de France (which he followed up with a Gold for his time trial performance in the London Olympics) the popularity of cycling has never been higher.

Yorkshire is proud to be able to say it will host the start of this huge international event. The county is a heartland of the sport and hopes the spectacle will inspire more people to go up its hills and down its dales on two wheels, perhaps taking a little more time to enjoy the scenery and facilities than those taking part in Le Tour de France.

Click here for more about Le Grand Depart of Le Tour de France