SIX BRITISH RIDERS IN TOUR OF ITALY

Six British riders will take to the start line of the Tour of Italy in Palermo, Sicily on May 10.

Although last minute changes can be made by the squads in case of injury or illness, each of the teams have submitted their chosen nine. The British riders competing are:

Mark Cavendish (Team High Road)

Stephen Cummings (Barloworld)

David Millar (Slipstream)

Geraint Thomas (Barloworld)

Charley Wegelius (Liquigas)

Bradley Wiggins (Team High Road)

The six represent the biggest British contingent in the race in living memory, and there is also a real chance of a British stage win. Mark Cavendish has already taken four wins this season (two stages at the Three Days of De Panne, the Scheldeprijs, Tour of Romandy prologue) and will go head to head with Alessandro Petacchi for the first time in his career.

David Millar will also be looking for a win in one of three time trial stages. Millar has been coming back in to form through the spring after picking up a bug in Paris-Nice, and he often improves throughout a three-week tour. If he were to win a stage of the Giro he would become the first British rider since his namesake Robert to win stages in all three grand tours.

Wiggins could also be a contender in the time trials as he builds his base form for Beijing. Follow the Giro d'Italia here on www.cyclingweekly.com.