SIR Bradley Wiggins, the 2012 Tour de France champion who recently won his eighth Olympic medal, taking Gold in the Team Pursuit in Rio for Great Britain - and setting a new world record - alongside Owain Doull, will ride in Britain’s biggest professional cycle race for his own Team WIGGINS, which will pass through Crediton on September 9.

Crowds of people are expected to line Crediton High Street to watch the world’s top cycling teams and riders race from Sidmouth on the East Devon coast to the summit of Haytor on Dartmoor in Stage Six of the race.

Crediton will host one of three designated Yodel Sprints.

The Sprint will take place in Crediton High Street.

The three sprints as well as three designated King of the Mountain challenges, are hotly-contested.

On each of these special stages, riders can pick up points which accumulate towards different jerseys and financial bonuses within the overall race.

British Cycling’s premier road cycling event will go from Sidmouth to Ottery St Mary, Honiton and Willand, then Tiverton and along the A3072 from Bickleigh to Crediton, up Crediton High Street and through Copplestone and Bow to de Bathe Cross, near North Tawton and Whiddon Down to Moretonhampstead, Haldon Forest, and Chudleigh before climbing from Bovey Tracey to the only summit finish of The Tour at Haytor.

Team WIGGINS, which includes Doull and Jonathan Dibben, will join the likes of Mark Cavendish, Andre Greipel and Steve Cummings for the race which begins in George Square in Glasgow on Sunday, September 4.

Doull finished third overall in the Tour of Britain in 2015 and won the Chain Reaction Cycles Points Jersey.  The 23-year-old Welshman put in a stunningly consistent performance last September to finish in the top 10 on all bar one stage, helping him to an overall podium and top Brit.

Joining Wiggins and Doull will be 22-year-old Jonathan Dibben who will be riding his third Tour of Britain.  The remaining three riders in the Team WIGGINS line-up will be confirmed closer to the race.

This year, 2016, will be the ninth edition of the modern Tour of Britain ridden by Sir Bradley Wiggins, with the five times Olympic Champion having ridden in the past four editions.

The World Hour Record holder won the 2013 Tour of Britain overall, and finished third in 2014 when he won the final stage time trial in central London.

Rio silver medallist Mark Cavendish will race this year’s Tour of Britain, in what will be his first race after the Olympics.

Stage Six of this year’s Tour of Britain, on September 9, is being hosted by Devon County Council and partners East Devon District Council, Teignbridge District Council, Dartmoor National Park and Sidmouth Town Council.

Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Highways, said: “It’s fantastic news that this Tour of Britain will see the biggest names in cycling in Greipel, Cavendish and now gold medallists Bradley Wiggins and Owain Doull. 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 see Sir Bradley return for what will be one of his last competitive races of his glittering career and what might be the last time we will see him racing in our county.

“I look forward to welcoming him to Devon,  he is always a big draw and to have him 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.

“We have more of the top teams competing in the race than ever before so it should be an exciting race.”

Tour of Britain Race Director Mick Bennett said: “We are delighted to be welcoming two of our Olympic Champions to the Tour of Britain just three weeks after their success in Rio. As a former winner of the Tour of Britain it is always a pleasure to welcome Sir Bradley Wiggins back to Britain’s biggest race, while Owain Doull was the star of the 2015 Tour, showing he has a very bright future ahead of him.”

Councillor George Gribble, Teignbridge District Council’s Deputy Leader and Executive Spokesman for Recreation and Leisure said: “It’s a huge honour and great privilege to have Sir Bradley Wiggins joining the Tour and fresh from his gold winning Olympic success. This is a special opportunity for supporters to line the spectacular Devon route and cheer on one of the world’s greatest cyclists and Olympians.

“With such a fine gathering of international cyclists and teams taking part in the Tour, it’s great news that Team WIGGINS have returned to showcase the emerging British talent coming up through the ranks.”

Three-hours of live coverage will be broadcast from each stage of the Tour of Britain, with both ITV4 and the BIKE Channel UK showing the race live, while ITV4 will also air a one-hour highlights programme each day.

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.

A summary of the Devon stage can be viewed at: http://www.tourofbritain.co.uk/stages/stage6/index.php#.Vx9tcz_NUys .

Follow the Tour at: https://twitter.com/swtourofbritain or go to the website: www.devontourofbritain.co.uk for the latest information.

Alan Quick