RACE PREVIEW TOUR OF BRITAIN

Your essential guide to the UK's biggest men's stage race

- Tom Thewlis, Chris Marshall-Bell

The UK's premier elite men's race returns in a new format this September, now run by British Cycling. The Tour of Britain Men T looked like it could be in doubt at times over the past year, but it is now back, with news sponsorship too, from Lloyds Bank.

A familiar, tough route, which takes place over six stages from Kelso in Scotland to Felixstowe in Suffolk, beginning on 3 September, will see riders tackle a variety of terrain, from lumpy courses in the opening days, to a final fast sprint stage, all on Britain's grippy roads.

The race has lost two stages, and is now a six-day affair, to make it equal with the Tour of Britain Women, which was held in June.

Four major World Tour teams are set to be on the start line in Scotland, including Ineos Grenadiers with their star Olympian Tom Pidcock, and Soudal-Quick Step with their own star Olympian in Remco Evenepoel, winner of the road race and time trial in Paris. Being a former Vuelta a España winner, Evenepoel will surely be the favourite, but in his own team he will face competition from a former ToB winner, Julian Alaphilippe. The other two World Tour teams will be Bahrain Victorious and DSM-Firmenich-PostNL. However, Visma-Lease a Bike, the team of last year's race winner Wout van Aert, have opted to sit out the race this year. In Pidcock, Alaphilippe and Evenepoel, the Tour of Britain boasts a stellar line-up at its top end.

The WorldTour lot will be joined by three Pro Teams - Uno-X Mobility, Israel-Premier Tech and Q36.5- and 11 Continental teams, plus a Great Britain national team. Being the only two British Continental teams left, Saint Piran and Trinity will both be hoping to make an impact on their home race.