Adam Yates looking forward to Tour de France challenge

The 25-year-old has two top ten finishes in Grand Tours to his name, following his fourth place at the 2016 Tour with ninth in this year's Giro d'Italia.

And after tackling both the Giro and Vuelta a Espana in 2017 – while twin brother Simon finished seventh at Le Tour – he will return to France in 2018 for a crack at the podium.

"It feels good to be going back to the Tour de France and I am very excited about the challenges it will bring," said the 2016 White Jersey winner.

"The Tour will always be a special race for me having watched it growing up through to getting the opportunity to race it for the first time in 2015.

"I am still developing as a rider and, as always, do not feel pressure after my result in 2016, I will do my best and we will see how it goes.

"It was good to try a different race programme last year but there is no denying that I am looking forward to lining up in Vendee next July."

Simon raced both the Tour and Vuelta last season, and also has two Grand Tour top ten finishes to his name – adding seventh in France this year to a sixth in Spain the season before.

But without a start in the Giro to date, he will make his debut there in May and again attack La Vuelta in August, looking to improve on his 2016 result.

"To keep progressing as a rider I think you need to challenge yourself in different ways, and riding the Giro instead of the Tour de France is one of these ways," said the 2017 Tour de France White Jersey winner.

"It will be an extremely difficult race and I look forward to the new challenge."

Sportsbeat 2017