Tour de France 2014 in East Anglia

The crowds were simply staggering yesterday at the Tour de France and today the organisers, businesses and the tourism industry have been reflecting on just how important the feel-good factor and the world-wide TV coverage could be for the region's economy.

Click below to watch a report from ITV News Anglia's Matthew Hudson

Read more: What the Tour de France meant to you

The Tour de France may have left our region, but it's hoped that the legacy left behind will live on.

It's thought that more than a million people turned up to watch the third stage of the Le Tour yesterday, and we spoke to just a few of those in Saffron Walden to find out what it meant to them.

"It was the greatest day of my cycling life," on enthusiast said.

"I came back from Dubai to see this having been born and bred in Saffron Walden. I've waited 20 years to have my sport recognised in town because when I first started cycling, people used to laugh at me!"

Read more: Your Tour de France pictures

It's thought more than a million people turned up to watch the third stage of the Tour de France yesterday.

Hundreds of thousands of spectators lined the route through Cambridgeshire and Essex as the race headed from Cambridge through to Saffron Walden and just touching the outskirts of Chelmsford, before finishing in London.

Today, organisers are reflecting on the boost to the region brought by the world's greatest cycling event.

"It was a wonderful day, an absolutely wonderful day," Liz Bissett from Cambridge City Council said.

"The crowds exceeded our expectations. It had a huge buzz around it. Everything worked according to plan. We didn't have any major incidents, people had a wonderful day out and those are all the things we wanted. And it will leave a legacy for the city."

Read more: The highlights from the start line in Cambridge

Read more: Your pictures of the Tour de France

The Tour de France in Essex has been hailed as a “historic day” after the world’s best cyclists raced through the county.

Officials have estimated over 1 million people turned up in Cambridge, Essex and London to watch the biggest annual sporting event in the world.

Thousands of people lined the route in Uttlesford, Braintree, Chelmsford and Epping Forest as the County’s beautiful countryside grabbed the world’s attention.