Williams excited to return home for Tour de Yorkshire

Williams was born in Southport, but currently resides in Embsay, near Skipton. The 31-year-old has raced professionally since 2008, and has competed on the renowned Tour of Britain on nine separate occasions.

He has achieved 38 top-10 finishes in his career to date, but one of his finest moments came in the 2016 Tour de Yorkshire, where he won the King of the Mountains jersey on the first stage between Beverley and Settle.

Speaking to Nathan Atkinson, Williams discussed the growing popularity of the tour, which has been running since 2015, and what he expects himself and his team to achieve over the four-day competition.

How important do your think the tour has become? Do you think it's good preparation for the grand tours like the Giro D'italia and the Tour de France?

It is a big race now in its own right. You see the crowds at the side of the road and even the big races in Europe you struggle to get as much public support as you do here. It is a big race and that's why you get a lot of the big names coming. It's important to a lot of the teams and not just the British teams.

The 2019 Road Championships are in Yorkshire next year. Is that going to attract more riders as well?

Potentially, I don't know what the organisers would do but they may trial the course or a route and if they do that you're going to get a lot more of the favourites for the World Championships. They are probably going to come and test the course and see what it's like.

I think Yorkshire's a popular place for racing now and I think all the big teams want to come and bring marquee names to the race, so that's why you get to see some of the big superstars.

Looking at the course this year, what do you think will be your favourite stage and what would suit you best as a rider?

I'm a bit of an all-rounder but overall for me it's too much of an ask, with how hilly it is on certain days. But the last day it goes literally past the doorstep so I'd be up for doing a good ride on that day, whether it's in the breakaway or a result on the stage.

What impact do you think an extra stage is going to have? There has only been three up until this year?

It's an extra sprint day so I don't think it will change too much. It's not going to change the dynamics of the race massively. It's only one day and we're used to racing for that kind of period all the time. But it's another opportunity for sprinters, we've got a very good young sprinter in our team and this will give him another chance to pitch himself against the best in the world.

What do you think is the realistic goal for your team in this year's race?

Our team will be looking not just to make the numbers up, to show ourselves and show the jersey at the front of the race.

We've got it in us to pull off a bit of a shock and get a stage win. We'll certainly be aiming for a jersey at some point along the way.

You won a king of the mountains jersey on the first stage in 2016. Are you looking to achieve something similar again?

I'll definitely be trying to achieve something similar. To be at the front of the race on your own roads is pretty cool. I want to try and get something out of the race and not just be riding round.

Finally, how do the crowds compare with other events that you've competed in around the world? What's it like for you being a local rider?

You do get big races on the continent. It's mainly a mainland European sport where the big following is but it's grown massively. You can be going down random towns and little villages in the middle of the Moors and the whole village will turn out.

It's pretty nice that people want to come out and see what you're doing. It gets the communities together as well. You see in the weeks before it starts, you'll see things like "Come to the local cafe" or somewhere doing a special Tour de Yorkshire offer. People get out and about chatting on the roadside.

I think it's pretty special as a rider to experience the crowd and everyone shouting at you, when it can be grim weather as well.