TEAM Sky have announced four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome has set his sights on riding this year’s Tour de Yorkshire.

The six-time Grand Tour Champion, who is eyeing a fifth Tour de France title, has announced his race calendar for the year and high on his agenda is a return to Yorkshire.

The race, which will take place from May 2 to 5, will be a four-stage ride across the county.

The closest it will get to Ryedale is on Saturday, May 4, when stage three will take some of the world’s top cyclists from Bridlington, north up the coast and across the moors to Whitby, before doubling back and finishing in Scarborough.

The 132km route, which features five climbs and two sprints, will also be used for the second stage of the women’s race on the same day.


33-year-old Froome said: "Yorkshire hosted the start of the Tour de France a few years ago and the atmosphere was just incredible. The Tour de Yorkshire has been growing year on year and I’d love to get out there this year."

Chris Froome talking about the Tour de Yorkshire and UCI Road World Championships. Video courtesy of Team Sky

The team also revealed Froome hopes to be a part of the UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire in September where he’ll race for Great Britain along with the reigning Tour de France Champion Geraint Thomas.

Thomas, who is 32, said: "Looking at the course for Worlds in Yorkshire, I think the Men’s Elite Individual Time Trial will be my best chance of getting a title. It’ll be a good goal to have for the end of the year. I certainly want to be there because the support in Yorkshire is unbelievable. I think it’s going to be a massive World Championships and I want to be a part of it."

Geraint Thomas talking about the Tour de Yorkshire and UCI Road World Championships. Video courtesy of Team Sky

Sir Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said: "Both Chris and Geraint raced in Yorkshire when we hosted the Grand Depart of the Tour de France in 2014 so have first-hand experience of the incredible crowds and carnival atmosphere here in Yorkshire.

"They will be guaranteed the hugest of Yorkshire welcomes for the Tour de Yorkshire and the UCI Road World Championships and we can’t wait to see them race on our county’s roads."