CYCLING fever is set to hit the area once more as the 2017 Tour de Yorkshire gets underway.

This year's race, which includes a section that will see some of the world's finest riders pass through Wharfedale, runs from Friday, April 28 to Sunday, April 30.

Day 1 involves a 173km route from Bridlington to Scarborough but it is on Day 2, when Otley's Lizzie Deignan will be taking part in the Asda Women's Tour de Yorkshire, when local interest will really kick in.

The former World Champion and her fellow female riders will be taking on the same, 122.5km Tadcaster to Harrogate route as the men on Saturday, April 29.

Although not coming through Wharfedale itself, the route will pass close enough - taking in nearby towns like Wetherby and Pateley Bridge - to allow Lizzie's fans to find a spot to cheer her on.

Then on the final day the race will arrive in Wharfedale itself as the riders race through Menston, Burley-in-Wharfedale, Ilkley, Addingham and Bolton Abbey on the 194.5km, Bradford to Fox Valley, Sheffield route.

Organisers Welcome to Yorkshire and Amaury Sport Organisation have confirmed a number of big-name riders for the Men's race including Luke Rowe, Nacer Bouhanni and Caleb Ewan.

Welshman Rowe, part of the last two Tour de France wins, will be joined in a strong Team Sky line up by Olympic Gold Medallist Owain Doull and 2016 World Track Champion Jonathan Dibben.

Bouhanni, meanwhile - one of the world’s top sprinters who has five Grand Tour stage wins to his name and has already claimed the Nokere Koerse and Paris–Camembert titles this season - will head up the Cofidis Solutions Credits team.

And fellow star sprinter Caleb Ewan will lead the Orica-Scott charge in a squad that also includes 2016 Paris-Roubaix winner Mathew Hayman.

The women’s race line up looks just as strong and includes Olympic Road Race Champion Anna van der Breggen (Boels-Dolmans), two-time World Champion Giorgia Bronzini (Wiggle High5) and 2017 Tour of Flanders winner Coryn Rivera (Team Sunweb) .

Welcome to Yorkshire Chief Executive Sir Gary Verity said: "It is exciting to be able to unveil this first wave of big-name riders and the strength of the list demonstrates how highly the Tour de Yorkshire is regarded.

"The third edition will be the biggest and best one yet and with World Champions, Olympic Gold Medallists and Grand Tour stage winners on the start list we can guarantee three days of great racing.

"Yorkshire is gearing up to celebrate the race with banners, bunting and giant land art projects springing up right across the county, and we can’t wait to welcome everyone."

Two million people lined the route of the 2016 race which saw Otley, after being picked ass one of the race hubs, at the heart of the action.

Last year's event also generated £60 million for the Yorkshire economy.

For more details about this year's race visit letour.yorkshire.com .