Chris Froome and Greg van Avermaet to do battle as Tour de Yorkshire teams are unveiled

BMC's Greg Van Avermaet holds the Tour de Yorkshire trophy aloft after winning the 2018 race (Picture: SWPix.com)

Team INEOS will make their debut at the Tour de Yorkshire in May as one of four World Tour teams contesting the fifth edition of the race.

Chris Froome is expected to headline a squad that will be making its bow as Team INEOS following last week’s takeover of Team Sky, the British outfit that has won six of the last seven Tours de France.

INEOS will be joined by fellow UCI WorldTour outfits CCC Team - formerly BMC Racing for whom defending Tour de Yorkshire champion Greg van Avermaet rides – Team Dimension Data and Team Katusha Alpecin.

Eight UCI Pro Continental teams will also be on the start list along with seven further British-based squads.

Chris Froome, is heading back to Yorkshire (Picture: Bruce Rollinson).

The Asda Tour de Yorkshire Women’s Race, which takes place on 3-4 May, reads like a who’s who of elite cycling talent with 14 out of the top 15 ranked teams in the world announced on the start list.

Among them are Lizzie Deignan’s Trek-Segafredo squad, Boels Dolmans Cycling Team and race debutants Mitchelton Scott.

Four British teams will also be competing, with Drops Cycling, Storey Racing and Brother UK-Tifosi p/b OnForm lining up alongside the Great Britain national team.

A total of 10 teams will be in action across both races for the very first time.

Welcome to Yorkshire Commercial Director Peter Dodd said: “Finalising the teams is always exciting and we’re delighted to have attracted another strong field featuring many of the biggest names in the sport.

“Teams want to compete at the Tour de Yorkshire because they know they will be guaranteed massive crowds, exciting racing and an electric atmosphere.

“Last year 2.6 million spectators lined the route and the fifth edition will be of added interest to many riders given that the UCI Road World Championships are taking place here in September.

“With the teams we’ve got coming we will be guaranteed some enthralling racing and we’re looking forward to it immensely.”

The race begins in Doncaster on Thursday, May 2, and finishes with the Yorkshire Classic stage from Halifax to Leeds on Sunday, May 5.

Men’s teams:

Four UCI WorldTour teams: CCC Team (POL), Team Dimension Data (RSA), Team Sky (Ineos) (GBR) and Team Katusha Alpecin (SUI).

Eight UCI Pro Continental teams: Cofidis, Solutions Credits (FRA), Direct Energie (FRA), Euskadi Basque Country – Murias (ESP), Hagens Berman Axeon (USA), Manzana Postobon Team (COL), Rally UHC Cycling (USA), Riwal Readynez Cycling Team (DEN) and Vital Concept – B&B Hotels (FRA).

Six UCI Continental teams: Canyon DHB p/b Bloor Homes (GBR), Madison Genesis (GBR), Ribble Pro Cycling (GBR), Swift Carbon Pro Cycling (GBR), Team Wiggins (GBR) and Vitus Pro Cycling p/b Brother UK (GBR),

One national team: Great Britain Cycling Team (GBR)

The full list of teams for the 2019 Asda Tour de Yorkshire Women’s Race is as follows:

Women’s teams:

Ale Cipollini (ITA), Bigla (DEN), Brother UK Tifosi powered by On Form (GBR), Boels Dolmans Cycling Team (NED), Canyon // Sram Racing (GER), CCC – Liv (NED), Drops Cycling (GBR), FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope (FRA), Great Britain Cycling Team (GBR), Hitec Products – Birk Sport (NOR), Mitchelton Scott (AUS), Movistar Team Women (ESP), Parkhotel Valkenburg (NED), Storey Racing (GBR), Team Sunweb (NED), Team Tibco – Silicon Valley Bank (USA), Trek-Segafredo (USA), Valcar Cylance Cycling (ITA) and WNT Rotor Pro Cycling Team (GER).