JUST over six weeks before the 2018 Tour de Yorkshire, organisers Welcome to Yorkshire and Amaury Sport Organisation announced a record 40 teams will compete.

Welcome to Yorkshire Chief Executive Sir Gary Verity shared the news at Y18 – the UK’s largest tourism event – in Bradford, and revealed 20 men’s and women’s teams will be in action. That's up from 36 in 2017.

Of those, 10 teams will be taking part for the very first time.

The men’s race – which runs between May 3-6 – will include six UCI WorldTour teams, seven Pro Continental outfits and six British squads, plus the new Yorkshire-based (although Irish registered) Holdsworth Pro Racing making their debut alongside Astana, Euskadi Basque Country – Murias, Rally Cycling and Vital Concept.

The Asda Tour de Yorkshire Women’s Race on May 3-4 also boasts an expanded field.

Seven of the 12 top-ranked teams in the world will be in action along with five further European and eight British squads.

Of those, Boompods EDCo, Experza-Footlogix, Movistar Team, Parkhotel Valkenburg and Team OnForm are new additions for 2018.

Sir Gary remarked: "The demand from teams looking to compete in the Tour de Yorkshire is always high and that reflects the esteem in which our race is regarded.

"Reducing the number of riders per team from eight to seven in the men’s event meant we could invite more squads than ever before, and we also upped the number of women’s teams from 18 to 20 to ensure parity.

“Having the best teams in the business coming to Yorkshire is a massive coup and we’re delighted to have a record number of British-based teams pitting themselves against the world’s finest riders.

“Teams want to compete at the Tour de Yorkshire as they know they will be guaranteed massive crowds, exciting racing and an electric atmosphere.

“Last year 2.2 million spectators lined the route and the fourth edition promises to be the biggest and best one yet.”

The men’s and women’s team line-ups will be finalised in the fortnight before the race with a number of big-name attendees set to be unveiled in the coming weeks.

The full list of teams for the 2018 Tour de Yorkshire:

Six UCI WorldTour teams: Astana Pro Team (KAZ), BMC Racing Team (USA), Team Dimension Data (RSA), Team Katusha Alpecin (SUI), Team Sky (GBR) and Team Sunweb (GER).

Seven UCI Pro Continental teams: Aqua Blue Sport (IRE), Cofidis, Solutions Credits (FRA), Direct Energie (FRA), Euskadi Basque Country – Murias (ESP), Rally Cycling (USA), Roompot – Nederlandse Loterij (NED) and Vital Concept (FRA).

Six UCI Continental teams: Canyon Eisberg (GBR), Holdsworth Pro Racing (IRE), JLT Condor (GBR), Madison Genesis (GBR), One Pro Cycling (GBR) and Vitus Pro Cycling (GBR).

One national team: Team GB (GBR).

The full list of teams for the 2018 Asda Tour de Yorkshire Women’s Race:

Ale Cipollini (ITA), Bepink Cogeas (ITA), Boels Dolmans Cycling Team (NED), Boompods EDCo (GBR), Canyon Sram Racing (GER), Drops Cycling Team (GBR), Experza-Footlogix (BEL), FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope (FRA), Hitec Products (NOR), Doltcini – Van Eyck Sport (BEL), Movistar Team (ESP), NCC Group-Kuota-Torelli (GBR), Parkhotel Valkenburg (NED), Storey Racing (GBR), Team GB (GBR), Team OnForm (GBR), Team Jadan Weldtite (GBR), Team Sunweb (NED), Team WNT (GBR) and Wiggle High5 Pro Cycling (GBR).