EIGHTEEN of the world’s leading teams, including home fan favourites INEOS Grenadiers, will compete in this year’s Tour of Britain.

They will be one of five UCI WorldTeams who will take the start in the 18th edition on the UK’s most prestigious race, which begins in Aberdeen on Sunday 4 September.

Wout van Aert will not defend his title, with his Lotto-Jumbo Visma team not featuring in the 2022 edition.

Dorset hosts the penultimate stage before the Tour culminates with what promises to be a spectacular finale on the Isle of Wight on Sunday, September 11.

READ MORE: Tour of Britain 2022 sprints, climbs and timings revealed

BORA – hansgrohe, Israel – Premier Tech, Movistar Team and Team DSM will join INEOS at the race six weeks on from competing in the Tour de France.

The second most successful team in modern race history, INEOS Grenadiers will look to go one better than the 2021 Tour, in which young British star Ethan Hayter placed second overall.

Mick Bennett, Tour of Britain race director, said: “As ever we’re excited to welcome those teams competing in the Tour of Britain to the UK’s biggest bike race. It’s great to see plenty of familiar faces mixed with a couple of debutants.

"But, perhaps most interestingly, (yesterday's) announcement further hints at what awaits in potentially the most open and unpredictable, but certainly the hardest, edition of the race to date!”

ITV4 will broadcast live flag-to-flag coverage of every stage and a nightly highlights show.

Tour of Britain 2022 teams: Bardiani CSF Faizanè (Italy); Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB (Belgium); BORA – hansgrohe (Germany); Caja Rural - Seguros RGA (Spain); Global 6 Cycling (New Zealand); Great Britain Cycling Team (Great Britain); Human Powered Health (USA); INEOS Grenadiers (Great Britain); Israel – Premier Tech (Israel); Movistar Team (Spain); Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling (Great Britain); Saint Piran (Great Britain); Sport Vlaanderen – Baloise (Belgium); Team DSM (Netherlands); Team Qhubeka (Italy); TRINITY Racing (Great Britain); Uno-X Pro Cycling Team (Norway); Wiv SunGod (Great Britain).