THE country’s premier road cycling event is coming to the Forest of Dean – and bringing the sport’s biggest names with it!

The likes of Sir Bradley Wiggins, Mark Cavendish and Chris Froome could appear in the area during stage five of the Tour of Britain, with race director Mick Bennett hoping to see the talismanic Wiggins return to the event after the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Bennett hopes that Wiggins can take part as a ’lap of honour’ with ’medals around his neck’.

The talismanic cyclist’s team has ’verbally committed’ to Bennett and the race, for which the route will go via the Wye Valley at Brockweir, St Briavels, Blakeney, Soudley, Cinderford and Littledean before heading onto the A48 and Gloucester.

The Forest is part of stage five of the event, held on Thursday September 8.

“The stage will pass though the beautiful Forest of Dean and Gloucester for the first time ever, while a number of communities like Cinderford can also look forward to welcoming Britain’s biggest professional cycle race,” Bennett said.

The teams and riders contesting this year’s Tour of Britain have yet top be announced, but at least nine UCI ranked continental teams are expected to line up in Glasgow for the start.

However Britain’s first ever Tour de France winner Wiggins has stated his intention of taking part.

Last year’s winner, Norwegian powerhouse, Edvald Boassen Hagen who also won in 2009, will be out to make it number three.

He has already shown early season signs of a return to top form, taking stages in this year’s Tour of Oman and Tour of Qatar, having also worn the leader’s jersey in both events.

And British star sprinter Cavendish, who crashed out last year, will probably be back looking for blood.