Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas lead Team Sky's Tour of Britain squad
Tour of Britain starts on Sunday at Wales' Pembrey Country Park
Wednesday 29 August 2018 10:45, UK
British riders Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas and Ian Stannard lead Team Sky’s Tour of Britain squad, alongside team-mates Wout Poels, Vasil Kiryienka and Lukasz Wisniowski.
The Tour of Britain begins on Sunday with Stage 1 starting at Pembrey Country Park in Wales, and will then take riders into the West Country and Cumbria before finishing in central London on September 9.
Froome will ride his first Tour of Britain since 2009, with the six-time Grand Tour winner making a rare appearance of any kind in a British race.
Thomas was once a regular in the Tour of Britain, but his appearance last year, when he finished seventh overall, was his first since 2011.
Aside from a handful of low-level criteriums on the continent, Thomas has not raced since becoming the third Briton to win the Tour de France in July, and is looking forward to racing on home soil.
The Welshman said: "As soon as I'd finished the Tour I knew I wanted to ride the Tour of Britain and race on home roads. It starts in Wales which will be special, and then I get to go and race across the whole of the UK. I can't wait."
Belarusian national time trial champion Kiryienka returns to the Tour of Britain after a third-place finish in the time trial in Clacton in 2017.
Stannard finished third overall in 2008 and won a memorable stage in 2016 at Tatton Park, while Wisniowski is making his second Tour of Britain appearance.
Froome's only previous participation in the Tour of Britain came in 2007 and 2009, and his appearance in the RideLondon Classic in 2016 was his only race to date in the UK since the London Olympics.
"It's been a long time since I've raced the Tour of Britain," said Froome, who has focused on La Vuelta in the past four seasons, winning the Spanish Grand Tour for the first time last year.
"I'm really looking forward to riding. I always remember there being a great atmosphere at the Tour of Britain and the race has only got bigger over the years. I'm really looking forward to coming back."
