The Tour of Yorkshire kicks off on Friday 28th April, bringing elite pro racing to the roads of the UK again in the event's third year of running.
After Team Sky won the inaugural Tour with Lars Petter Nordhaug in 2015, it was Europcar's Thomas Voeckler who sealed the overall victory last year after what had been a dramatic final stage to an entertaining weekend of racing on the lumpy, grippy roads of Yorkshire.
This year the race kicks off in the coastal town of Bridlington, before heading inland and tackling three categorised climbs on the way to the finish on Scarborough seafront. Such a course fits somewhere in the middle of a hilly stage and a sprint stage, and so the outcome - whether its a bunch sprint or a breakaway that succeeds - will likely depend on how the race unfolds on the day.
Stage two from Tadcaster to Harrogate is a relatively flat affair and features just one climb, the Cote de Lofthouse, so a bunch sprint can be expected to close the day.
The final stage, stage three, from Bradford to Fox Valley, Sheffield, is the real queen stage, and will be where the overall race is decided. Even if time gaps appeared between riders on stage one, it will be on this 194km stage that the real battle is fought, with eight climbs on the route and a lethal finishing circuit to finish proceedings.
The Tour de Yorkshire Women's Race will be held on the same day as the men's stage two, covering the same route from Tadcaster to Harrogate. The women's race starts at 09:10am, before the men follow on later at 14:00.
Britains Lizzie Deignan is set to be among the starters in the women's field, coming off the back of three 2nd places in a row at the Ardennes Classics. With the lumps in the route profile preceding a possible sprint finish, the women's race course could suit the local Yorkshirewoman well, too.
Riders to watch
The relentlessness of Yorkshire's roads should provide a worthy winner, and the nature of the course will also mean that the list of riders that could do well is a big one, making it impossible to pick 'favourites', as such.
A total of seven WorldTour teams and five ProContinental teams are on the startlist, and these will be joined by five UK domestic Continental teams, plus a Great Britain national team, to make a modest, but very competitive, field.
There are however some riders who can be expected to be animating proceedings, in a field that includes some big-name riders from some of the world's top teams.
Samuel Sanchez (BMC) and Steven Kruijswijk (LottoNL-Jumbo) join both previous winners, Petter-Nordhaug (now with Aqua Blue Sport) and Voeckler, on the startlist, all of whom could post a threat in the GC, while the likes of Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis), Caleb Ewan (Orica-Scott) and Adam Blythe (Aqua Blue Sport) will be contesting the sprints.
Live TV schedule
Both ITV and Eurosport are providing live coverage from each stage, as well as a highlights package in the evening.
Friday, April 28 12.30-17.15, Tour de Yorkshire stage one, ITV4 (Live)
12.45-17.00, Tour de Yorkshire stage one, Eurosport 2 (Live)
19.00-20.00, highlights Tour de Yorkshire stage one, ITV4
22.00-23.00, highlights Tour de Yorkshire stage one, Eurosport 2
Saturday, April 29 08.30-12.00, Tour de Yorkshire women’s race, Eurosport 2 (Live)
09.00-12.45, Tour de Yorkshire women’s race, ITV4 (Live)
14.00-17.15, Tour de Yorkshire stage two, ITV4 (Live)
14.10-17.45, Tour de Yorkshire stage two, Eurosport 2 (Live)
19.00-20.00, highlights Tour de Yorkshire stage two, ITV4
20.15-21.45, highlights Tour de Yorkshire stage two, Eurosport 2
Sunday, April 30 12.30-17.30, Tour de Yorkshire stage three, ITV4 (Live)
16.00-17.00, Tour de Yorkshire stage three, Eurosport 2 (Live)
19.00-20.00, highlights Tour de Yorkshire stage three, ITV4
22.00-23.00, highlights Tour de Yorkshire stage three, Eurosport 2
Competing teams
Men's
BMC
Orica-Scott
Dimension Data
Team Sunweb
Katusha-Alpecin
LottoNL-Jumbo
Team Sky
Aqua Blue Sport
Cofidis
Direct Energie
Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij
Delko Marseille Provence
Team Raleigh GAC
One Pro Cycling
JLT Condor
Madison Genesis
Bike Channel Canyon
Great Britain
Women's
Boels - Dolmans Cycling Team
Bepink Cogeas
Wiggle High5
Canyon SRAM Racing
Cylance Pro Cycling
Lares-Waowdeals Women Cycling team
Drops
Team Sunweb
Sunsport Velo WRT
Alé Cipollini
Hitec Products
FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope
Team WNT Pro Cycling
Team Ford Ecoboost
Fusion Rt Fierlan
Storey Racing
Ncc Group-kuota-torelli
Team Jadan Weldtite