A piece of cycling history has attracted crowds and sparked excitement.
Hundreds gathered at the Westmorland County Show in anticipation of next year’s Tour de France Grand Départ.
A dedicated stand featured the Grand Départ Trophy and information about the world-famous race as part of a wider Trophy Tour to raise awareness of the event.
Stage two of the 2027 Tour de France will begin in Keswick on July 3, taking riders through parts of Westmorland and Furness before finishing in Liverpool.
Cllr Helen Chaffey, cabinet member for communities, customer services, culture and communications at Westmorland and Furness Council, said: "This is where it starts getting real.
"Seeing the Grand Départ Trophy at the Westmorland County Show, I can't tell you how excited I am about this incredible opportunity to showcase our beautiful Westmorland and Furness area to the whole world next July.
"This is the world’s biggest sporting event, both in terms of TV audience and people attending live on the day – and it’s coming here.
"Our communities, especially those along the way, are also getting excited about the prospect and we will be working closely with them on how we can use this event to promote a more active and healthy lifestyle, as well as celebrate the day itself.
"It is also a wonderful opportunity to attract more people to come and live and work here, as well as providing a welcome boost to our visitor economy."
The second stage of the 2027 Tour will pass through the region’s lakes and valleys, including Thirlmere, Grasmere, Rydal Water and Windermere.
From there, it will travel through the Lyth Valley, Levens, Milnthorpe and Beetham before crossing into Lancashire and ending in Liverpool.
Councillors Jonathan Brook (leader), Doug Rathbone (chairman) and Helen Chaffey visited the show stand on Wednesday to view the trophy.
Westmorland and Furness Council is working with race organisers as a host authority, supporting stage two with highways planning and event delivery.
The council is also collaborating with the Cumbria Combined Authority, Cumbria Tourism and local communities to ensure the event delivers social, economic and long-term legacy benefits for the area.
Cllr Brook said: "This is a really significant event for Cumbria and for Westmorland and Furness.
"This is one of the world's premier sporting events, viewed by millions of people around the world.
"The riders will be racing through some of the most iconic scenery in the world, and alongside the benefits of showcasing our area to that global audience, there are the benefits that come with the social impact of the race.
"Once the race has gone through, what we're hoping for, what we're working towards, is ensuring a lasting legacy in terms of inspiring people to get involved in sport – not necessarily just cycling – and engaging with physical activity and healthy lifestyles."
The Tour de France is the world’s largest annual sporting event, drawing 10 to 12 million spectators each year.
It is broadcast in more than 180 countries and attracts a television audience of around 150 million in Europe alone.
The Grand Départ Trophy will be presented to the host of the next Grand Départ in 2027.
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