FOUR-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome has his sights set on riding this year’s Tour de Yorkshire, which will pass through Craven and Keighley districts in May.

Team Sky have announced the six-time Grand Tour Champion, 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."

Stage four of the race will go through Craven and Keighley on Sunday May 5, with riders due to take in Haworth, Oakworth and the classified climb of 'Cote de Goose Eye', before going through Sutton, Glusburn, Cross Hills, Farnhill and into Skipton.

Team Sky have also revealed Froome hopes to be a part of the UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire in September, where he’ll race for Great Britain along with reigning Tour de France Champion Geraint Thomas.

Thomas, who is 32, said: "I certainly want to be there because the support in Yorkshire is unbelievable. I think it’s going to be a massive World Championships and I want to be a part of it."

Sir Gary Verity, 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'll be guaranteed the biggest of Yorkshire welcomes 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."