Alistair Brownlee summed up in a matter-of-fact and beautifully succinct sentence why Yorkshire is the ideal choice to host the 2014 Tour de France Grand Depart.

“Well, it’s the best place in the world isn’t it?”

The Olympic gold medallist is a proud Yorkshireman. Born and bred in ‘God’s own county’, he and brother Jonny are keen to extol the virtues of their native land whenever they get the chance.

Who can forget that wonderful statistic from the London 2012 Olympics, that if Yorkshire was a country, it would have finished level in the medals table with Australia.

After winning gold and bronze in the triathlon in that ‘golden summer’ of sport, Alistair and Jonny enjoyed trotting out this little gem to the media, reminding people that Yorkshire finished up with seven golds, which would have placed them 12th in the final table.

Well, the chance to promote the White Rose county has presented itself to the Bramhope-based Brownlees once again, as the eyes of the world prepare to focus on Yorkshire and the opening three days of this year’s Tour de France.

Alistair reckons Tour supremos will be applauding themselves for their wisdom in opting for Yorkshire over Edinburgh for this year’s Grand Depart.

“Where do you start about what’s great about Yorkshire?” asks Alistair. “Obviously the scenery is fantastic. Then there’s the great hospitality. Yorkshire people are great at welcoming people.

“The riders will be blown away by the support they are going to get during their stay here. It’s going to be a really special few days.”

The brothers have been chosen as ambassadors for the three-day Dare 2b Yorkshire Festival of Cycling, which the historic Harewood House Estate will play host to from Friday to Sunday.

The Tour de France forms the centrepiece of the festival, with the opening day of the race from Leeds to Harrogate passing into the estate, through its grounds and up the driveway to the grand entrance of Harewood House itself, offering spectators a unique up-close view of the Tour.

Mass participation events are planned, with big screens on hand and several high-profile guests.

Alistair added: “The festival will mean people can really feel part of the Tour de France. It first of all gets them into the grounds of Harewood House and shows them what a wonderful place it is to watch sport and then it gives them the chance to meet similar-minded people.

“Then there’s all the participation events to have a go at as well. That might then inspire them to go out and train or take up the sport.”

“It will be a celebration of cycling and, we hope, will encourage a legacy where people can get outside and enjoy cycling,” said Jonny.

“It’s great having the Tour visit, but it’s what comes after the Tour has passed through and gone back to France. Hopefully people will be inspired,” said Alistair The siblings have grown up riding the same roads the Tour will race over, and when the peloton snakes through Pool-in-Wharfedale it will be less than a mile from their houses in Bramhope.

“We ride on these roads pretty much every day and have done for most of our lives,” said Jonny. “We cover about 300 to 350 miles a week on the bike as part of our training regime (a regime which also includes between 60 and 80 miles running and 15 miles swimming).”

Alistair is excited by the prospect of the world’s elite riders visiting his neighbourhood: “It’s going to be fantastic. We’ve got a network of quiet roads which are ideal for cycling. Just a few miles out of the city centre and you’re already in the middle of the countryside.” Asked where the best view will be for the hundreds of thousands of spectators lining the route, Jonny said: “There is going to be a phenomenal amount of people coming out to see the stages. You don’t want to be on the flat as they come past so fast, at speeds of 30mph.

“Harewood House would be a brilliant place to watch the race as it enters the grounds and, with the big screens and other events planned on the day, it means you will be part of the event, not just on the side of the road as cyclists come whizzing past you. Maybe nip along to the finish as well at Harrogate.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You want to be part of it. People have got to be part of the Tour de France.”

Who needs a Yorkshire Tourist Board when you have the Brownlee brothers doing such a champion job banging the drum?