ITV SPORT have confirmed the return of a major sporting event to free-to-air TV.
The broadcaster will be showing Britain’s biggest professional cycling race on September 2.
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The Lloyds Tour of Britain Men will have all six stages shown on ITV4 and ITVX until its conclusion on September 7.
The coverage will be presented by sports writer and TV host Ned Boulting.
The race will have some extra hype as it is Geraint Thomas‘ last ever time on the competitive saddle.
The Welsh cycling star won the Tour de France as well as the BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2018.
Thomas, 39, will be retiring after the race and is considered a legend of the sport.
The Lloyds Tour of Britain Men was broadcast for the first time on ITV in 2008.
However, it will be the last time for the foreseeable future that the race is shown on the channel.
In 2026, ITV will be pulling out of covering it, which means it will only be available on paid-for channels.
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Coverage will then only be shown on TNT Sports channels and the online streaming service Discovery+.
Last year it was announced that TNT would absorb all the cycling coverage that was shown on Eurosport.
Eurosport is set to disappear from channel lists in February.
Meanwhile, Thomas has spoken about his upcoming retirement
He told the BBC: “It’s been amazing.
“Looking back, I never thought I’d be doing 14 Tours and to win it was just bonkers. I can look back with fond memories.
“It was something I always dreamed of doing so to have just done it and be in Paris once is special you know. To do 14 is unreal really, one hell of a journey.
“I’m not one to be too sentimental and look back or whatever, you’re always sort of thinking of the next thing.
“But I guess when it comes to the end there’s nothing else to look forward to is there?”
