Tour de Yorkshire: McLay leads Great Britain team

Image 1 of 5

Dan McLay will lead the Great Britain men’s team at next week's Tour de Yorkshire, British Cycling has announced. McLay, who rides for EF Education First, will race in national colours over the four-day event in England and will be joined a young squad that includes Jim Brown, Ethan Hayter, and Joe Nally.

British Cycling also announced their team for the Asda Tour de Yorkshire Women’s Race, which runs on May 3-4, with national road race champion Jess Roberts leading the line. 

"The Tour de Yorkshire and the Asda Tour de Yorkshire Women’s Race are both important races on our endurance squads’ calendars as it allows our senior academy riders to race alongside and against the world’s best which is essential for their development,” said British Cycling’s performance director Stephen Park.

"For the men, this year’s event coincides with L’Etoile d’Or round of the Nations’ Cup, in which Great Britain are currently third in the overall rankings, so the senior academy squad will split to contest both races. In Yorkshire, we will have Jim, Joe and Will with Matt Brammeier and Ben Greenwood in the directeur sportif roles. Joe rode at the Tour of Britain last year, so it’s an opportunity for him to build on that, while this will be Jim and Will’s first stage race at this level so there will be plenty for them to learn throughout the four days.

"I’m really pleased we’ll have Dan McLay racing for the team, his inclusion will allow the younger riders an opportunity to work for a world-class sprinter on the stages set to finish in a bunch sprint."

While McLay is undoubtedly the biggest name in the men’s team, the squad also includes Hayter, who, at just 20, is a world pursuit champion on the track. Two years ago, when just 18, he finished 30th in the Tour de Yorkshire. He was a junior winner of Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, while he was fifth in the Worlds U23 time trial in Austria last year, and rode as a stagiaire for Team Sky in the latter months of 2018.

“Ethan had a great season on the road last year, and it was a proud moment for his teammates and support staff to see him in Team Sky colours during his time as a stagiaire for them. The Tour de Yorkshire is a great opportunity for him to build on this progress," said Park.

"I’m delighted to see Sean Flynn from the mountain bike programme named on the team, as this high-level road race fits in nicely with his development plans and similarly it’s great to be able to give Yorkshireman Ben Turner an opportunity to race at this level on the road to support his development and cyclo-cross ambitions."

Roberts leads women's team

Jess Roberts will lead the line for the women’s team during the two-day Asda Tour de Yorkshire Women’s Race. The national road race champion will be joined by two other British Cycling Academy riders, Rhona Callander and Anna Docherty, while Dani Christmas, Lauren Dolan and Nikki Juniper join the team as guest riders.

"The senior academy women’s endurance squad are back from a 10-week block in Belgium in which they’ve enjoyed successes at local kermesse races. I’ll be looking for Rhona, Anna and Jess to take confidence from their performances out in Belgium and to apply what they’ve learned to this race," added Park.

"In a similar situation to the men’s team, it’s great to be able to have the experience of Dani and Nikki within the squad to provide developmental opportunities to our academy riders, and I’m delighted to be able to welcome Lauren Dolan back to the squad."

Great Britain Cycling Team for the Tour de Yorkshire: