Wiggins and Cavendish to lead Team Sky

Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins and world road race champion Mark Cavendish will spearhead Team Sky's line-up for next month's Tour of Britain.

Less than a month after adding Olympic gold to his historic yellow jersey win, Wiggins has been named in the squad for the race which begins in Ipswich on Sunday 9 September.

He is joined by Cavendish, a two-stage winner in the race last year and the first British rider to win the green jersey in the Tour de France.

As well of taking Olympic time trial and Tour glory, Wiggins has also had success in Paris Nice, the Tour de Romandie and the Criterium Dauphine stage races.

Dream come true for organisers

With reigning road race king Cavendish also confirming his participation, the event organisers are naturally looking forward to its commencement, with director Mick Bennett saying: "To have the reigning Tour de France and Olympic time trial champion, and the current world champion competing in The Tour of Britain is a dream for us.

"That both riders are British and such great champions means that there is now unprecedented interest in the event.

"We are delighted that The Tour of Britain will be the first chance for many British fans to see Bradley Wiggins since his Tour de France and Olympic successes.

"We are also very pleased that Mark Cavendish will do the race again so he can show off the rainbow stripes in front of home fans."

Team Sky have also confirmed Jeremy Hunt in their line-up, along with Bernhard Eisel, Christian Knees and Thomas Lofkvist.

The race, which was reprised in 2004, starts in Ipswich on September 9 and takes in Norfolk, Nottingham, Knowsley, Jedburgh, Dumfries, Carlisle, Blackpool, Stoke, Welshpool, Caerphilly, Barnstaple, Dartmouth and Reigate before ending in Guildford on September 16.