Michael Matthews confirmed for RideLondon-Surrey Classic

Freshly-crowned Tour de France green jersey winner Michael Matthews will take part in the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic road race on Sunday, July 30.

Double Tour stage winner Matthews will lead Team Sunweb at the annual event that takes in a 200km route based on the road race from the 2012 London Olympic Games.

“Prudential RideLondon is a race that I am looking forward to, the crowds are always incredible which makes for a great racing atmosphere," said Australian Matthews.

“There's a lot going on with various other events on the same day so there's always a great turn out and that extra bit of encouragement at the side of the road makes all the difference."

Matthews will join a start list that boasts fellow Tour riders André Greipel (Lotto-Soudal), Ben Swift (UAE Team Emirates) and Mathew Hayman (Orica-Scott), plus Elia Viviani (Team Sky), Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe), Sep Vanmarcke (Cannondale-Drapac) and 2015 RideLondon winner Jempy Drucker (BMC).

Last year's winner, Tom Boonen, will be absent as he retired from professional cycling in the spring.

>>> RideLondon-Surrey Classic: Latest news, route info and more

Race director Mick Bennett commented: "We have assembled the strongest ever field for this year’s Classic which reflects the race’s new status in the UCI WorldTour.

"Everyone who has been enthralled by the racing at the Tour de France over the past three weeks now has the opportunity to see the very same teams light up the streets of London and Surrey.

“Team Sky will be coming back to Britain still on a high after winning yet another Tour de France and with Michael Matthews racing it means, for the  first time ever, the Classic will have the Tour’s Green Jersey winner among its starters."

Watch: Highlights of stage 21 of the 2017 Tour de France

The RideLondon-Surrey Classic was awarded WorldTour status by the sport's governing body, the UCI, for 2017, making it Britain's first WorldTour-level event. It is also being billed as the 'richest one-day race' in the world. Both should be factors that ensure a world-class list of starters.

The full official start list is due to be released by the end of the week.

The 22 teams will taking part in the 2017 event are: Ag2r La Mondiale, BMC Racing Team, Bora-Hansgrohe, Cannondale-Drapac, Lotto-Soudal, Orica-Scott, Quick-Step Floors, Dimension Data, Team Katusha-Alpecin, LottoNL-Jumbo, Team Sky, Team Sunweb, Trek-Segafredo, UAE Team Emirates, Wanty-Groupe Gobert, Androni-Sidermec-Bottechia, Aqua Blue Sport, Caja Rural-Seguros, CCC Sprandi-Polkowice, Israel Cycling Academy, Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise and Wilier Triestina-Selle Italia.