Tour de Yorkshire Teams Unveiled

2017 Tour de Yorkshire pushes boundaries and sets new records

With just over a month to go until the 2017 Tour de Yorkshire, organisers have revealed a record 36 men’s and women’s teams will compete in the race, up from 33 in 2016.

For the first time the number of women’s and men’s teams taking part will be the same.

Welcome to Yorkshire Chief Executive Sir Gary Verity made the announcement at Y17 - the UK’s largest tourism conference - in York on Tuesday morning and confirmed that ten teams will be taking part for the very first time.

The men’s race – which takes place between 28-30 April – will include nine Tour de France teams from the seven UCI WorldTour teams, five Pro Continental outfits and six British-based squads competing. Aqua Blue Sport, Bike Channel Canyon and Delko Marseille Provence KTM making their debuts.

The Asda Women’s Tour de Yorkshire on Saturday 29 April also boasts a stellar field with a record number of 18 teams set to compete. 11 of the 14 top-ranked teams in the world will be in action alongside seven domestic squads.

Of those, Boels Dolmans Cycling Team, Bepink Cogeas, Canyon Sram Racing, Cervelo – Bigla Pro Cycling Team, FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope, NCC Group-Kuota-Torelli and the newly launched Storey Racing are new additions for 2017.

Welcome to Yorkshire Chief Executive Sir Gary Verity said: “This is the largest field we have ever assembled and the quality of it reflects the high esteem in which our race is held.

“Having the very best teams in the business coming to Yorkshire is a massive coup, but it is also important to us that British-based teams have the opportunity to pit themselves against the world’s finest riders.    

“Teams want to compete at the Tour de Yorkshire as they know they will be guaranteed massive crowds, exciting racing and an electric atmosphere. This year 49 teams applied to participate.

“Last year two million spectators lined the route and the third edition looks set to be the biggest and best one yet.”

Team line-ups will not be unveiled until mid-April, although Thomas Voeckler is back to defend his title and Lizzie Deignan (nee Armitstead) has also confirmed her attendance in her home county.

The full list of teams for the 2017 Tour de Yorkshire is as follows:

Seven UCI WorldTour teams:

BMC Racing Team (USA), Orica – Scott (AUS), Team Dimension Data (RSA), Team Katusha Alpecin (SUI), Team Lotto NL – Jumbo (NED), Team Sky (GBR) and Team Sunweb (GER).

Five UCI Pro Continental teams:

Aqua Blue Sport (IRE), Cofidis, Solutions Credits (FRA), Delko Marseille Provence KTM (FRA), Direct Energie (FRA) and Roompot – Nederlandse Loterij (NED).

Five UCI Continental teams:

Bike Channel Canyon (GBR), JLT Condor (GBR), Madison Genesis (GBR), One Pro Cycling (GBR) and Team Raleigh GAC (GBR).

One national team:

Team GB (GBR).

The full list of teams for the 2017 Asda Women’s Tour de Yorkshire is as follows:

Ale Cipollini (ITA), Bepink Cogeas (ITA), Boels Dolmans Cycling Team (NED), Canyon Sram Racing (GER), Cervelo – Bigla Pro Cycling Team (GER), Cylance Pro Cycling (USA), Drops Cycling Team (GBR), FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope (FRA), Fusion RT Fierlan (GBR), Hitec Products (NOR), Lares – Waowdeals Women Cycling Team (BEL), NCC Group-Kuota-Torelli (GBR), Storey Racing (GBR), Team Ford EcoBoost (GBR), Team Jadan Weldtite (GBR), Team Sunweb (NED), Team WNT (GBR) and Wiggle High5 Pro Cycling (GBR).

Women’s Sport Trust Awards:

It was also announced on Tuesday that the Asda Women’s Tour de Yorkshire has been shortlisted for the prestigious Women’s Sport Trust Awards in the Sponsor Partnership of the Year Award category.

The awards ceremony will take place at the Troxy venue in London on Thursday 11 May. Full details can be found at http://www.womenssporttrust.com/bagc2017.