Lloyds Tour of Britain 2026: Route and favourites for the British stage race

Unlike the last two editions, it returns the 2026 Tour of Britain Women back to the five-stage format. This means that Britain’s most important women’s stage race will have an extra day of racing, which will make the general classification even more open and challenging.

At the same time, the race marks the return of the Women’s WorldTour calendar following the Tour de France Femmes. After the biggest stage race of the year, the riders have their first opportunity again to compete at the highest level for important victories and points. The significance of the race is further underlined by the fact that the Tour of Britain Women is already the third-last WorldTour race of the season. Following the cancellation of the Tour de Romandie Féminin and the Tour of Guangxi Women, there are only two further WorldTour races left on the calendar before the top-level season comes to an end.

The 11th edition of the tour starts on Wednesday in Cockermouth and finishes on Sunday in Royal Leamington Spa. With the addition of a fifth stage, there will also be more opportunities to make up or lose time. The general classification is therefore likely to remain open right up to the finale in Royal Leamington Spa, ensuring excitement right up to the last day, as the Tour of Britain is always decided by a matter of seconds.

Key points at a glance

• Date: 19 to 23 August
• Distance: 635.9 kilometres
• Start: Cockermouth, Objective: Royal Leamington Spa
• Profile: five undulating stages
• UCI category: WorldTour
• Premiere: 2014, 11th edition

The route of the 2026 Tour of Britain

A prologue like the one in the Tour of Germany? Not a chance! The Women’s Tour of Britain kicks off straight away with a really tough stage. At 158.9 kilometres and with over 1,900 metres of climbing, there’s definitely no easy start for the riders. This is particularly true because every second counts in this tour. Last year’s winner, Ally Wollaston, demonstrated this: although she didn’t win a single stage, she still finished right at the top of the general classification. Crosswinds could once again play a decisive role this year. The key climbs are to be tackled in the second half of the race, although the final kilometres to the finish line are mostly downhill.

Flat at first, then steep

With the Waddington Fell and Nick O’Pendle, the two climbs of the second stage await the riders right at the start of this significantly shorter leg of the tour. From kilometre 37 after the start, the route is almost completely flat. It’s clearly a day for the sprinters.

The third stage is also just under 105 kilometres long, but the final stretch is a real challenge. The last 2.5 kilometres are an uphill climb at an average gradient of 6.1 per cent, with short sections reaching up to 15 per cent. The tour could well be decided here.

The final!

Stage four also promises to be thrilling right up to the finish line. After a constant series of ups and downs, the riders will have to give it their all once more just 17 kilometres from the finish line. Although the riders only have to climb 700 metres up Clyro Hill, with a gradient of seven per cent, there’s no room for weakness here. After the descent, the route is flat all the way to the finish.

The final stage features significantly fewer metres of climbing. The short climbs halfway through the route are also unlikely to cause more than minimal changes to the overall standings.

These are the favourites for the Tour of Britain

​Defending champion Ally Wollaston is once again among the favourites this year. The FDJ United – Suez rider perfectly encapsulates the profile required for the Tour of Britain: strong on short climbs, resilient on classic terrain and fast in small-group sprints. Although the 2026 race has become slightly more demanding than last year’s, it is precisely this versatility that makes the New Zealander a serious contender for the general classification once again. However, she is not the absolute favourite.

Lotte Kopecky is the rider to beat. The Belgian from SD Worx – Protime has almost regained her usual form following a difficult spell and has achieved numerous top results this season. The Tour of Britain’s route, featuring cobbled sections, short climbs and explosive finishes, seems tailor-made for her. Consequently, Kopecky goes into the race as the rider to beat.

Just behind her, Kim Le Court Pienaar stands out in particular. The AG Insurance – Soudal rider has been in impressive form for months, tackling even the steepest climbs with ease whilst also possessing a strong sprint from within the peloton. Alongside Wollaston, she is one of Kopecky’s main challengers.

The wider group of favourites also includes Zoe Bäckstedt (Canyon//SRAM), Karelijn Swinkels (UAE Team ADQ) and the two Visma riders, Femke de Vries and Nienke Veenhoven. All four possess the qualities needed to tackle the varied course and could benefit from an open race.

By contrast, Letizia Borghesi and the German Liane Lippert have slightly slimmer chances. Both have the quality to make their mark on individual stages, but for an overall victory, a great many things would have to come together perfectly. This is particularly true given that Movistar will be without their classics specialist, Cat Ferguson. The British rider finished second in last year’s tour, However, following her serious crash on the first stage of the Giro d'Italia, she will not be on the starting line this time. Her absence means the race is missing another potential contender for victory.

Tour of Britain 2026: TV coverage & live stream

With one exception, the Tour of Britain will not be shown on TV in 2026. Parts of the first stage will be broadcast on Eurosport. However, the pay-to-view streaming service discovery+ will provide a live stream of every stage.