The third stage was the queen stage of the race and included several of the roads used in stage 2 of the 2014 Tour de France. The stage began in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, outside the city's cathedral; there was a neutralised lap of the city centre before the riders left the city to the south. The route passed through Sandal and reached Barnsley after . Here the roads turned west and entered the Pennines. The first climb of the day came after : this was the Côte de Holmfirth ( at 5.5%). From here the route was twisting, though it generally travelled north as it passed to the west of Huddersfield and Halifax. The next climb, the Côte de Scapegoat Hill ( at 8.3%), came after of racing. The riders briefly left Yorkshire for the only time in the race (the route entered Greater Manchester but immediately returned to West Yorkshire). The roads were hilly throughout, with barely any flat road. The next categorised climb was the Côte de Hebden Bridge ( at 5.5%) after with the Côte de Goose Eye ( at 10%) shortly afterwards. After , there was an intermediate sprint in Ilkley, then the Côte de Cow and Calf ( at 8%). At the top of the climb, there were to the finish line. The final categorised climb of the race, the Côte de The Chevin ( at 10.3%), was from the finish; there was also a slight climb to the second intermediate sprint in Arthington. There was then a fairly flat section to the finish line in Leeds, with the finish line in Roundhay Park.