CYCLING enthusiasts will have two opportunities to see some of the biggest names in professional cycling perform in the region in 2019.

Team Sky has announced four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome has his sights set on riding this year’s Tour de Yorkshire.

And 2018 Sports Personality of the Year and reining Tour de France champion Geraint Thomas hopes to compete in the UCI Road World Championship in Yorkshire.

Six-time Grand Tour champion Chris Froome, who is eyeing a fifth Tour de France title, has announced his race calendar for the year and high on his agenda is a return to Yorkshire.

Froome, 33, said: "Yorkshire hosted the start of the Tour de France a few years ago and the atmosphere was just incredible. The Tour de Yorkshire has been growing year on year and I’d love to get out there this year."

The team also revealed Froome hopes to be a part of the UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire in September where he will race for Great Britain along with the reigning Tour de France champion Geraint Thomas.

Sir Gary Verity DL, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire said: "Both Chris and Geraint raced in Yorkshire when we hosted the Grand Depart of the Tour de France in 2014 so have first-hand experience of the incredible crowds and carnival atmosphere here in Yorkshire. They will be guaranteed a huge Yorkshire welcome for the Tour de Yorkshire and the UCI Road World Championships and we can’t wait to see them race on our county’s roads."