Tour de France 2017: Simon Yates to contest race after missing 2016 event

Simon Yates claimed a stage victory en route to a top-10 finish at last month's Paris-Nice race

Simon Yates will contest the 2017 Tour de France after missing last year's race because of a failed drugs test.

The Briton served a four-month ban as a result of the failed test, which was blamed on an administrative error over his use of an asthma inhaler.

The 24-year-old was also expected to miss this year's race as his Orica-Scott team managed his workload, but that decision has been reversed.

He will instead join Esteban Chaves as the spearhead of the Orica-Scott team.

Colombian Chaves had been expected to carry the team's general classification hopes alone but a knee injury suffered earlier this year has prompted the team to bring Yates into the fold.

Yates' twin brother and team-mate Adam Yates, who finished fourth in last year's Tour, will still miss the race in France, which runs from 1 to 23 July, as previously announced.

He is leading the team's challenge at the 100th edition of the Giro d'Italia, which begins on 5 May.

"Simon will be given the opportunity to line up in his third Tour de France and the pressure on Esteban will be eased a bit as he prepares for his debut," Orica-Scott sport director Matt White said.

"Adam will continue in his preparations for the Giro in a few weeks' time."