Internationally-acclaimed artist Mackenzie Thorpe will once again play a key role in this year’s Tour de Yorkshire, after it was today confirmed he has been asked to create the artwork for the 2020 Human Race medal.

Following his involvement in the 2019 race as the official artist, Mackenzie returns to the event in 2020, with over 5,000 amateur riders set to collect these newly-commissioned medals after completing the gruelling cycle on Sunday, May 3. A proud Yorkshireman born and bred, Mackenzie’s love for the county and experience at last year’s event has inspired this new design, with the medal depicting three local cyclists cycling in tandem through the picturesque Yorkshire Dales above a sea of the artist’s trademark bright red hearts.

With a gallery in the heart of Richmond, North Yorkshire since 1989, the region, as well as its proud cycling heritage, has continued to inspire Mackenzie’s work over the past three decades, with a number of his established collections resonating with cycling enthusiasts around the world.

Speaking about his medal design for the 2020 Human Race, Mackenzie Thorpe, said:

“It was a great honour to be involved in last year’s Tour De Yorkshire as the official artist, and also a fantastic way to celebrate our landmark 30th year. Following on from last year’s Human Race, it is great to be involved, and because of this, I really have relished the opportunity to create the medal again. For my new design I took inspiration from the passion and drive I witnessed from the crowds and the cyclists at last year’s event – it was just incredible. It is an event that all of Yorkshire should be extremely proud of – it encapsulates the spirit of the people, and throws a spotlight on its extraordinary natural beauty. I for one am very excited for May!”

Giving riders the chance to experience large portions of the professional Tour de Yorkshire route, cyclists taking part in the 2020 Human Race will also be taking in a further 10km of the route, which will see riders tackle the infamous Greenhow Hill, before crossing the finishing line in Leeds city centre, where they will be greeted by Mackenzie’s bespoke medals.