Bradley Wiggins to return to action in the Tour of Britain

Four-time Olympic gold medallist Bradley Wiggins will return to competitive action in the Tour of Britain next month.

The 32-year-old Olympic time trial and Tour de France champion has been rested by Team Sky following his cycling heroics of the summer.

The eight-stage Tour of Britain starts in Ipswich on 9 September.

The star's involvement in the race was confirmed as he hosted a "Ride with Brad Sportive" in Lancashire on Sunday.

Wiggins said: "I'm doing the Tour of Britain.

"It'll be nice. I'll try to stay fit between now and then so I don't embarrass myself. It'll be good."

Wiggins had originally been earmarked for a return to racing in next week's Tour of Denmark but was given extra time off by Sky.

He is also missing the Vuelta a Espana, which got under way on Saturday.

However he is expected to compete in the road race World Championships in the Netherlands following the Tour of Britain.

Last year's Tour of Britain was won by Lars Boom of the Netherlands, while Britain's Mark Cavendish - now a Sky team-mate of Wiggins - won two stages with his former HTC outfit.

Wiggins did not compete in the 2011 tour following surgery on a broken collarbone he suffered when crashing out of last year's Tour de France.