MATHIEU van der Poel, the world’s hottest cycling talent, will ride the OVO Energy Tour of Britain for the first time in September.

The 24-year-old Dutchman will lead his Corendon-Circus team at Britain’s most prestigious race (September 7-14), which will visit South Lakeland, as the final part of his key preparations for success at the UCI World Road Race Championships in the UK later the same month.

Van der Poel has been one of the standout names of the 2019 cycling season so far, taking five victories on the road, including the prestigious Amstel Gold Race in April, as well as becoming World, European and Dutch cyclo-cross champion.

It will be the debut of both van der Poel and his Belgian Corendon Circus UCI ProContinental team in the OVO Energy Tour of Britain.

“I’m happy to go to the Worlds and to have the occasion to get to know the OVO Energy Tour of Britain in the weeks before," said van der Poel, son of double Tour de France stage winner and 1996 World Cyclo-Cross Champion Adri. "I’m really happy that the organiser gives our team the chance to participate for the first time and at the same time helps me preparing for the Worlds in the best possible way.

“Of course, we’ll study the road book in order to decide in which stages we will try to go for a stage win.”

The OVO Energy Tour of Britain begins in Glasgow’s George Square on Saturday 7 September, finishing eight days later on Deansgate in the heart of Manchester city centre on Saturday 14 September.

The fourth 171.5 kilometre stage, from Gateshead, will finish on Beast Banks in Kendal after passing through Kirkby Stephen, Sedbergh and Kirkby Lonsdale.