Big name riders to look out for at the Tour of Britain

Picture: the Tour of Britain in Edinburgh, 2015, supplied

The 20 teams for the 2017 OVO Energy Tour of Britain were announced in August, and include a line-up that will feature ten UCI WorldTour teams, plus a further three squads that have competed in one of the two Grand Tours so far in 2017.

All of the top five teams in the current UCI WorldTour rankings – Quick-Step Floors; Team Sky; BMC Racing; Movistar Team and Orica Scott – will be at the OVO Energy Tour of Britain, which kicks off in Edinburgh and the Borders in Stage One from Sunday 3rd September.

Among the top names already confirmed for the race are Team Dimension Data’s Mark Cavendish, Team Sky duo Geraint Thomas and Michal Kwiatkowski, recently crowned European Champion Alexander Kristoff from Norway, World Time Trial Champion Tony Martin and multiple British Champion Alex Dowsett.

Team Sky

Geraint Thomas, winner of the opening stage of the Tour de France in Dusseldorf and Owain Doull,who finished third overall and won the Points Classification in the 2015 Tour of Britain. As an all rounder, Michal Kwiatkowski, the 2014 world road race champion produced one of the highlights of the team’s 2016 season with his rousing victory at E3 Harelbeke. He is one of the most explosive riders in the peloton and will be keen to shine in the 2017 Tour of Britain.

Geraint Thomas will make his return from injury at the race, which gets underway in Edinburgh on Sunday 3rd September, making his first appearance in Britain’s national Tour since 2011, when he won the Points Classification.

Commenting on the news, Geraint Thomas said; “It’s always great to be able to race in front of home fans, so I’m really looking forward to the Tour of Britain. I haven’t had the chance to race at home much in recent years, but the atmosphere at London 2012, then at the home stages of the Tour de France and Commonwealth Games in 2014, has always stayed with me.

Owain Doull, like Thomas, is excited by the prospect of racing over the finish line in his home city of Cardiff in Britain’s biggest professional race.

Doull says: “I can’t wait to be back racing in the UK, especially with the race finishing in my hometown of Cardiff.

“This will be my fifth time racing the Tour of Britain and my first time racing with Team Sky so it will be an even bigger event for me. The crowds just seem to get bigger every year, so it’s a race I really look forward to.”

Movistar Team

Alex Dowsett, British time trial champion

Dowsett will start the race as one of the favourites thanks to the 10-mile/16-kilometre individual time trial on his home roads in Essex on Stage Five (Thursday 7th September), which takes place entirely within the Tendring district at Clacton-on-Sea.

Commenting on the news, Alex Dowsett said; “I’m very excited to be returning to the OVO Energy Tour of Britain again, this year’s route looks pretty good for me and unsurprisingly I’m very excited for a 10 in Essex! Movistar will be a force to be reckoned with again this year I’m sure.”

The 28-year-old has ridden the race on six previous occasions, winning an individual time trial in London in 2011 and memorably snatching the race lead in Hemel Hempstead in 2014

Team Katusha Alpecin

Alexander Kristoff, winner of the European Championship Road Race and the Prudential RideLondon – Surrey Classic.

Commenting on his upcoming Tour of Britain race, Kristoff said: “The Tour of Britain is not only a perfect race in my build-up to the World Championships, I will also try to win some stages”, said Alexander Kristoff.

“For me it is a return to this race after eight-years. I still have good memories of my participation in 2009. Moreover, I always perform well on British soil.

“I took my Olympic medal in London as well as the victory in last week’s RideLondon-Surrey Classic WorldTour race. I really look forward participating in the OVO Energy Tour of Britain.”

Team Dimension Data

Mark Cavendish MBE, the Manx missile, counts a total of 48 Grand Tour Stage wins, 30 Tour de France stage victories, 2005 / 2008 / 2016 Madison World Champion and 2011 UCI Road Race World Champion amongst his many achievements on the bike.

After leaving Team Sky in 2015, Mark has joined Team Dimension Data and will be racing this year despite a recent injury sustained in the Tour de France. One of the best known names to be cycling this year, fans should arrive early to catch a glimpse of Mark in action.

Madison Genesis

Matt Holmes, who came 5th in the GC Tour de Yorkshire and Connor Swift, a recent signing for the team who has fought injuries from a crash to bounce back for this year’s race – his first Tour of Britain.

At just 23, Holmes from Wigan produced the ride of his life when he finished fifth at the Tour de Yorkshire, against world-class opposition. The best British rider at the race, he will hope for another prominent performance whenever the race enters his favoured hilly terrain.

In his first year on a professional team, 21-year-old Swift has taken three victories, showing his strength and versatility on the domestic scene. Breakout performances in the Tour Series have marked him as one to watch for the future.

Edinburgh’s Culture and Communities Convener, Councillor Donald Wilson, said: “From Cavendish to Kristoff, cycling’s finest will set off from the Royal Mile before winding through our Old Town and towards East Lothian.

“Not only will spectators be able to enjoy the sight of the Tour of Britain Grand Depart, they will also have the chance to pedal after the professionals at Edinburgh’s HSBC UK City Ride.

“We’re delighted to be hosting the first leg of the competition in Edinburgh and this mass participation cycle for the very first time. Come out and see these teams compete through our city streets.”

WIN!

An exclusive Madison Genesis fan pack

Madison Genesis is a UK-based professional road cycling team helping young British riders achieve their potential on the biggest stage.

Competing in the Tour of Britain for a fifth consecutive year, six selected riders will get the chance to test themselves against some of the world’s best competition.

Founded in 2013, the team was launched to develop UK road cycling talent to Professional Continental or World Tour racing teams.

The competition prizes

A signed MGT jersey, two team water bottles, and a team podium cap.

To enter please click here

Madison Genesis Team Rider, Johnny McEvoy says of this year’s Stage One:

“I love Edinburgh as a city and to start the Tour of Britain there is great – I can’t wait to get going. Hopefully the weather will be kind to us though because the cobbles were treacherous when we raced here at the Tour Series last year!”