Tour de Yorkshire 2017 team list revealed

Team Sky, Dimension Data and BMC Racing are among the 18 teams that will be taking part in the 2017 Tour de Yorkshire, taking place over April 28-30.

Orica-Scott, Team Sunweb, Katusha-Alpecin and LottoNL-Jumbo have also been confirmed.

Lining up alongside these seven WorldTour teams in the three-day race will be five UCI Professional Continental and five UCI Continental squads.

Included is the French Direct Energie team of defending champion Thomas Voeckler, who has said that he will return to the race prior to his retirement.

>>> Tour de Yorkshire times and where to watch

Six of the squads taking part are registered in Britain: Sky, Bike Channel Canyon, JLT Condor, Madison Genesis, One Pro Cycling and Raleigh GAC, plus a Great Britain national team. The race gives domestic riders a chance to battle their top-level WorldTour rivals on home roads.

The 18 teams taking part in the women's Tour de Yorkshire (April 29) have also been named, and the line-up includes an impressive line-up of the world's biggest squads.

Lizzie Deignan's Boels-Dolmans, Wiggle-High5, Canyon-SRAM and Sunweb are among those taking part.

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

“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," continued Verity.

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

>>> Tour de Yorkshire 2017: Latest news and race info

The 2017 Tour de Yorkshire starts in Bridlington on Friday April 28, and finishes in Sheffield on Sunday, April 30. The women's race takes part on day two of the men's race on the same route, taking place from Tadcaster to Harrogate on Saturday, April 29.

The race was originally conceived as a legacy event after the 2014 Tour de France's Grand Depart in the region.

Watch: Tour de Yorkshire 2017 route

Men's Tour de Yorkshire 2017 teams

BMC Racing Team (USA)

Orica–Scott (AUS)

Team Dimension Data (RSA)

Team Katusha Alpecin (SUI)

Team Lotto NL–Jumbo (NED)

Team Sky (GBR)

Team Sunweb (GER)

Aqua Blue Sport (IRL)

Cofidis, Solutions Credits (FRA)

Delko Marseille Provence KTM (FRA)

Direct Energie (FRA)

Roompot–Nederlandse Loterij (NED)

Bike Channel Canyon (GBR)

JLT Condor (GBR)

Madison Genesis (GBR)

One Pro Cycling (GBR)

Team Raleigh GAC (GBR)

Great Britain (GBR)

Women's Tour de Yorkshire 2017 teams

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)

Wiggle High5 Pro Cycling (GBR)