BRITISH cycling royalty will race through the winding streets and hills of Stroud next month.

Olympic gold medallist Sir Bradley Wiggins will be taking part in the 2016 Tour of Britain, organisers have confirmed.

He will be joined by Olympic team pursuit partner Owain Doull for the country-wide event in September.

Both Wiggins, winner of the 2013 Tour of Britain, and Doull have recently returned from Rio de Janeiro where they took the gold medal for Great Britain in the team pursuit alongside Ed Clancy and Steven Burke.

Stroud residents will get a chance to see the pair, as well as others like Mark Cavendish, when they whizz through the Five Valleys on Thursday, September 8.

Thousands are expected to line the streets with signs and flags to catch a glimpse of around 120 of the world’s top cycling athletes as they race across Gloucestershire on their way from Wales to Bath.

The route will pass through the Forest of Dean, past Gloucester and through Tuffley before it reaches the Stroud District.

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As it crosses the border it will wind its way down through Edge to Pitchcombe just before 2pm before joining Painswick Road into Stroud.

From there it will pass local landmarks in Beeches Green, Merrywalks and Cainscross roundabout before passing along Cainscross Road to Dudbridge.

Turning left towards Selsley the cyclists will speed past Sainsbury’s before beginning the gruelling ascent of Selsley Hill.

Passing the amazing views from the common they will then race along the wooded section of the B4066 past Coalley Peak at around 2.15pm.

From here they will be treated to views out over the Severn and beyond to the Forest where they began the race hours before.

After that the route begins its descent through Uley before passing Dursley and on towards Yate before finishing in Bath by 3.30pm.

Three hours of the race will be broadcast live on ITV4.

“We are delighted to be welcoming two of our Olympic Champions to the Tour of Britain just three weeks after their success in Rio,” said race director Mick Bennett.

“As a former winner of the Tour of Britain it is always a pleasure to welcome Sir Bradley Wiggins back to Britain’s biggest race, while Owain Doull was the star of the 2015 Tour, showing he has a very bright future ahead of him.”

Big name stars like André Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) and Steve Cummings (Dimension Data) have all confirmed their attendance at the British race.