Race organisers Welcome to Yorkshire and A.S.O have announced a host of big-name riders for the 2017 Tour de Yorkshire, with Luke Rowe, Nacer Bouhanni and Caleb Ewan among those set to compete.
Welshman Rowe, who has been part of the last two Tour de France wins, will be joined in a strong Team Sky line up by Olympic Gold Medallist Owain Doull and 2016 World Track Champion Jonathan Dibben.
Bouhanni, one of the world’s top sprinters who has five Grand Tour stage wins to his name and has already claimed the Nokere Koerse and Paris–Camembert titles this season, will head up the Cofidis Solutions Credits team while fellow star sprinter Caleb Ewan leads the Orica-Scott charge in a squad that also includes 2016 Paris-Roubaix winner Mathew Hayman.
The Asda Women’s Tour de Yorkshire on Saturday 29 April also boasts a top-quality field with Olympic Road Race Champion Anna van der Breggen (Boels-Dolmans), two-time World Champion Giorgia Bronzini (Wiggle High5) and 2017 Tour of Flanders winner Coryn Rivera (Team Sunweb) all on the start line.
In addition, reigning British Road Race Champions Adam Blythe (Dimension Data) and Hannah Barnes (Canyon-SRAM) will both be in action along with three former race winners in Lars Petter Nordhaug (Aqua Blue Sport), Thomas Voeckler (Direct Energie) and Kirsten Wild (Cylance Pro Cycling).
Yorkshire’s very own Scott Thwaites (Dimension Data) and Lizzie Deignan (Boels-Dolmans) are also set to be in attendance, with the full start lists for both races being unveiled before the men’s race commences on Friday 28 April.
Welcome to Yorkshire Chief Executive Sir Gary Verity said:
“It is exciting to be able to unveil this first wave of big-name riders and the strength of this list demonstrates how highly the Tour de Yorkshire is regarded.
“The third edition will be the biggest and best one yet, and with World Champions, Olympic Gold Medallists and Grand Tour stage winners on the start list, we can guarantee three days of great racing.
“Yorkshire is already gearing up to celebrate the race with banners, bunting and giant land art projects springing up right across the county, and we can’t wait to welcome everyone.”
Full information on the Tour de Yorkshire and Asda Women’s Tour de Yorkshire can be found at http://letour.yorkshire.com(external link)