Yorkshireman Ben Swift has been checking out the route for stage one of the inaugural Tour de Yorkshire as he prepares to lead Team Sky’s charge in his home county.

Swift won a stage and finished second overall at the Coppi e Bartali earlier this year and will be keen to impress in front of his home fans after missing out on Tour de France selection last year, when the race started in Yorkshire.

Swift joined Team Sky performance manager Rod Ellingworth to check out Dalby Forest and the Cote de Rosedale Abbey, part of stage one from Bridlington to Scarborough, which will take place on Saturday (May 1).

Check out Swift in action in the photo gallery below, courtesy of Simon Wilkinson at www.swpix.com.