Chris Froome plans to ride Tour de Yorkshire 2019

Team Sky’s Chris Froome plans to ride the 2019 Tour de Yorkshire, race organisers have confirmed.

Froome is due to line up at the four-day British stage race in May, the first time he has ridden there.

The news was announced by the Tour de Yorkshire race organisers shortly after Team Sky confirmed both Froome and Geraint Thomas will target the 2019 Tour de France.

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 like to get out there this year.”

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Froome will be targeting a fifth Tour de France victory this summer, which would grant access to an elite club of just four other riders who have achieved that feat.

He will be joined by 2018 Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas, who will be looking to defend his yellow jersey.

Both Froome and Thomas are looking ahead to the 2019 World Championships, which will be held in Yorkshire later this year.

Chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, Sir Gary Verity, 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.”

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The Tour de Yorkshire was first held in 2015 as the legacy of the 2014 Tour de France Grand Depart.

Around 2.6million people lined the streets to watch the 2018 edition, while 12.5million people tuned in from 190 countries.

Speaking about the 2019 Worlds, Thomas said: “Looking at the course for the Worlds in Yorkshire, I think the elite men’s 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.”