A pair of star cyclists will compete in the Tour of Britain in just two weeks time.

Geraint Thomas, MBE who recently won the 2018 Tour de France will ride in Britain’s biggest professional cycle race for Team Sky. Alongside Geraint will be Chris Froome, OBE, who is the reigning Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España champion and four time Tour de France winner.

Chris is considered the leading Grand Tour rider of his generation and the first rider to have held all three Grand Tour winners’ jerseys at the same time since Bernard Hinault in the 1980s.

Stage Two of this year’s Tour of Britain starts in Cranbrook and covers 108 miles) of countryside across East Devon, Mid Devon and North Devon before finishing in Barnstaple.

Taking place on Monday, September 3, the stage is being held two years after the Tour of Britain delighted crowds of spectators across the county.

The Tour of Britain is hosted by Devon County Council and supported by East Devon District Council, North Devon Council and working with Cranbrook Town Council and Barnstaple Town Council.

Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, said: “It’s fantastic news that this Tour of Britain will see the biggest names in cycling like Froome and Thomas compete. The fact that the Tour regularly attracts the biggest names in world cycling demonstrates the global stature of the competition.

“I’m sure everyone will be delighted to welcome Chris and Geraint to Devon. With both of them racing through our county we can expect plenty of visitors and an excellent turnout right across Devon again – which is great news for the local economy.”

Councillor Tom Wright, East Devon District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Environment added: “This stage of the Tour of Britain shows what is great about Devon, starting in the country’s newest town at Cranbrook, travelling through our outstanding countryside and finishing in one of our wonderful historic towns.

“We’re very much looking forward to it.

“In view of Geraint Thomas’s outstanding win of ‘Le Tour’ and that Chris Froome is going to be racing, the stage will have special significance.”