Gold medal winning London 2012 cyclists Laura Trott, Joanna Rowsell and Dani King will be racing in Suffolk and Essex this May as part of a star studded field for the inaugural Women’s Tour.

Stage three of the race passes through Felixstowe to Clacton on May 9, with the final leg heading from Harwich to Bury St Edmunds two days later.

Organisers have today revealed that 11 of the world’s top 14 professional women’s teams will be taking part in the event, which starts in Oundle on May 7.

Joining the already confirmed Marianne Vos and her Rabo Liv team will be the likes of Orica – AIS, Boels Dolmans, Specialized Lululemon and Wiggle Honda, team of British Olympians Laura Trott, Joanna Rowsell and Dani King.

Alongside them will be the national side of the world’s number one ranked nation, the Netherlands, plus a Great Britain national team led by Leicestershire’s Lucy Garner.

British domestic team Matrix Fitness – Vulpine also earn an invite for the first ever UCI level stage race for women to take place in the UK, organised by SweetSpot Group, while UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling’s participation will mean Hannah Barnes racing in her home county of Northamptonshire on the opening day of the Women’s Tour.

Mark Platt, Tendring District Council’s cabinet member for tourism, events and leisure services, said the Women’s Tour promises to be one of - if not the - biggest sporting event ever to take place in Tendring.

“We truly will have the very cream of the world’s premier women cyclists competing against each other on the roads around our district,” he said.

“It really is something special for our residents to look forward to – as well as the many spectators from outside of Tendring who will be coming to watch.”

Guy Elliott, from organisers SweetSpot Group, said they are thrilled to be able to bring such a world-class field of teams to ride in the first ever Women’s Tour.

“The race has attracted a wonderful field of elite riders from all over the world, which will be one of the strongest fields ever assembled for an elite women’s international race, and a route which will feature some of the most beautiful roads, villages, towns and countryside in Great Britain,” he added.

The Women’s Tour will take place over five stages between Wednesday, May 7 and Sunday, May 11.

Leicestershire, Bedfordshire, Essex and Hertfordshire will all host subsequent stages in the event, before the final stage finish in Bury St Edmunds, with highlights of every stage shown on ITV4.