It’s an historic week for cycling as Britain’s prepares to put on its first-ever UCI level stage-race for women while the latest edition of the Giro d’Italia gets underway in Northern Ireland.
The inaugural Women’s Tour will begin in Oundle in Northamptonshire on Wednesday and work its way through a host of counties before settling in Bury St Edmunds on Sunday for the finish.
Despite Joanna Rowsell’s late withdrawal, a host of British Olympic stars are set to take part including double London 2012 gold medallist Laura Trott and Lizzie Armitstead.
There will also be up-and-coming British talent on show in the form of two-time world junior road champion Lucy Garner and the latest global team pursuit gold medallist Katie Archibald.
Meanwhile, the 2014 edition of the Giro d’Italia begins in Belfast in Northern Ireland – Friday’s opening stage a team time trial while the second stage takes in the city.
The peloton will then begin in Armagh on Sunday and head to Dublin before landing back in Italy for the fourth stage onwards.
Elsewhere the curtain is raised on the 2014 outdoor athletics season with the first of 14 Diamond League meetings in Doha with 400m hurdler Eilidh Child among the Brits set to compete.
And finally the Badminton Horse Trials, the second of the three Grand Slam of Eventing meetings, takes place with William Fox-Pitt looking for successive victories after his win in Kentucky.
Athletics
Diamond League, Doha, May 9
Equestrian
Badminton Horse Trials, May 8-11
Cycling
Giro d’Italia, May 9-ongoing
Women’s Tour, May 7-11
© Sportsbeat 2014