White Rose duo gear up to tackle the Tour de Yorkshire

The duo, who usually ride for UAW Team Emirates and Team Wiggins, respectively, were named in the Great Britain Cycling Team for the event that kicks off in Beverley on the morning of Thursday, May 3.

Rotherham’s Swift has won at the Tours of California, Romandie and Poland and has not competed in his home race since crashing in the opening stage in 2015.

Teenager Pidcock, a rising star from Leeds, turned professional on the road earlier this year and won the junior time-trial title at last year’s UCI Road World Championships.

Welcome to Yorkshire chief executive Sir Gary Verity believes the 2018 Tour de Yorkshire is shaping up to be the best edition of the race so far.

He said: “One of the key principles of the Tour de Yorkshire is that it allows young British talent to compete alongside the best riders in the world. That is no better personified by having Tom and Ben in our race.

“Tom is a true rising star, while Ben is one of the most experienced riders in the peloton. Ben has competed at the very highest level for the last 10 years and it is tremendous that young, British riders get to ride alongside the likes of him, Greg Van Avermaet and Mark Cavendish at the Tour de Yorkshire.

“We are very pleased with the start list we’re assembling for this year’s race and the action is sure to be spectacular.”