The full list of teams competing in the 2021 Tour of Britain, the first since before the pandemic in 2019, has been revealed including some of the world’s top outfits.
Joining the six British teams announced in April – Canyon dhb SunGod, Great Britain, Ribble Weldtite, Saint Piran, SwiftCarbon and Trinity Racing – are seven WorldTeams, four ProTeams and one international Continental team.
Set to bring the action from the start in Cornwall on 5th September to the finish in Aberdeen on the 12th are Deceuninck-QuickStep, Ineos Grenadiers, Israel Start-Up Nation, Movistar, Team DSM, Team Jumbo-Visma and Team Qhubeka NextHash from the WorldTour, Alpecin-Fenix, Caja Rural-Seguros RGA, Rally Cycling and Team Arkéa-Samsic from the ProTour and New Zealand squad Global 6 Cycling.
Not only does that mean we could be graced with the presence of several former winners in reigning champion Mathieu van der Poel, his predecessor Julian Alaphilippe and 2014 victor Dylan van Baarle, but a host of British riders could be returning to our shores.
As long as they don’t get a late call-up to the Vuelta a Espana, your doorstep could see Mark Cavendish, Chris Froome, Alex Dowsett, Geraint Thomas, Tao Geoghegan Hart, Luke Rowe, Ben and Connor Swift and Olympic silver medallist Ethan Hayter.
The race’s parcours, history and timing is set up nicely to be the choice of riders preparing for the World Championships in Flanders later in September and the long-awaited return of Paris-Roubaix at the start of October.
For more information, visit tourofbritain.co.uk