Top world cyclists will race through the area

Ten of the world’s top level WorldTour cycling teams will be racing through part of the area in September as part of the Tour of Britain, it has been confirmed.

While The Tour will not pass through Newtown this time, it will head through Llanidloes as it weaves from Machynlleth and past Llyn Clywedog on 7 September during one of its longest stages from North Wales to Builth Wells.

Among those teams will be Team Dimension Data, who won the 2015 Tour of Britain with Edvald Boasson Hagen and now also boast Mark Cavendish.

They will be joined by the likes of regular Tour of Britain participants Team Sky, Movistar Team, BMC Racing Team and Cannondale Drapac, while Team Giant Alpecin, Orica BikeExchange and Trek Segafredo return having not competed in 2015.

Team WIGGINS will also race, with Sir Bradley Wiggins having already publically stated that he intends to ride the Tour of Britain following his bid for Gold at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

Two UCI ProContinental teams will be making their Tour of Britain debuts – the Spanish Caja Rural – Serguros RGA team, from whom Preston's Hugh Carthy rides, and the Belgian Wanty – Groupe Gobert team, who include former SKODA King of the Mountains Mark McNally.

Having won both the Yodel Sprints and SKODA King of the Mountains jerseys with Peter Williams in 2015, ONE Pro Cycling return for their second Tour of Britain, their first as a UCI ProContinental team.

The cyclists will head down from Llyn Clywedog and into Llanidloes over the bridge across the River Severn before heading through the town.

Commenting on the line-up, Tour of Britain Race Director Mick Bennett said; "This is a world-class line-up of teams entirely befitting of the Tour of Britain's continuing growth in stature and importance on the global cycling calendar.

"Half of the teams selected are currently racing in the Tour de France, giving British fans a taste of the high-level of competition which they can look forward to watching this September.”

It will be the largest number of UCI WorldTour teams to compete in Britain at any point since the Tour de France Grand Depart in 2014.

In total 20 teams will participate in the 2016 Tour of Britain.  The final three British UCI Continental teams will be confirmed on Monday 1 August following the Prudential RideLondon event.  Team WIGGINS were selected by virtue of their third overall with Owain Doull in the 2015 Tour of Britain.

JLT Condor presented by Mavic, Madison Genesis, NFTO, Pedal Heaven and Team Raleigh GAC are vying for the final three spots, with their selection based upon performances in major domestic events and UCI level races in the UK.

The Tour of Britain is British Cycling's premier road cycling event giving cycling fans the opportunity to see the world's best teams and riders competing on their door step.

Photo: Mark Cavendish at The Tour of Britain when it was in Newtown two years ago (©Owain Betts)