In Cockermouth in north-west England, which was the start and finish of Stage 1, the German WorldTeam Lidl-Trek in particular tried to prevent a bunch sprint, launching an attack with half their team over the final 20 kilometres in a bid to somehow avert the inevitable sprint finish – though to no avail.

At the end of the 159-kilometre stage, Wiebe’s team managed to fend off all the attacks, setting up the sprint they had been aiming for, which the 27-year-old team captain won by more than a bike’s length. It was already her 16th victory of the season.

With her sprint victory, Wiebes also takes the first leader’s jersey of the tour, four seconds ahead of Consonni.

2026 Tour of Britain Women – Stage 1 results

Here’s how the first stage of the 2026 Tour of Britain Women went

The Austrian Leila Gschwentner (Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team) was the first rider to make a breakaway of the day. Shortly after the start, she broke away on her own, but was reeled back in after around 20 kilometres.

For around 50 kilometres after the first intermediate sprint – which was won by Karlijn Swinkels (UAE Team L’IMAD) – the peloton stayed together without any further attacks. With 80 to go, the Belgian-British duo of Audrey De Keersmaeker (Team Picnic PostNL) and Arabella Rosalie Blackburn (Handsling Alba Development Road Team) went on the attack. The two women built up a lead of up to one and a half minutes.

Fierce Lidl attacks in the final

At the first mountain climb (2nd category), 63 kilometres from the finish, De Keersmaeker left her companion behind. However, by the second and final climb (2nd category), around 35 kilometres from the finish, she too had been caught by the peloton, from which another attack was launched. Around 20 women then formed a leading group, before 30 more caught up with them on the descent.

At the first intermediate sprint, Mischa Bredewold (SD Worx – Protime) secured three bonus seconds and points. On a slightly uphill section just over 20 kilometres from the finish, another attack was launched. Kim Le Court (AG Insurance – Soudal Team) went on the offensive and, with her attack, whittled the leading group back down to around 20 riders, who rode towards the finish in the rain.

The race remained frantic even after that. Alongside other riders, a large part of the Lidl-Trek team tried their luck with solo attacks – first Shirin van Anrooij, then Riejanne Markus, and later Margot Vanpachtenbeke– but SD Worx had everything under control and caught the final breakaway rider four kilometres from the finish, before beginning their sprint preparations for Wiebes. Led out by Lotte Kopecky, once again there was no stopping the ‘Sprint Queen’ on the home straight.