Champions and stage winners headline latest provisional Lloyds Tour of Britain Women rider announcement
Two previous champions, two stage winners, and a five-time Commonwealth gold medallist are today provisionally announced to race in the 2026 Lloyds Tour of Britain Women, which gets underway in less than a week on Wednesday 19 August. The final rider lineup will be officially confirmed before the race starts next week.
Reigning champion Ally Wollaston (FDJ United-SUEZ) is due to line-up at stage one in Cockermouth alongside 2024 champion Lotte Kopecky (Team SD Worx – Protime). Kopecky will head to Britain after a fine Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, while Wollaston returns to defend her title off the back of a stunning silver medal in the team pursuit in Glasgow at the Commonwealth Games.
Wollaston was defeated in the team pursuit final by a strong Australian team, led by Georgia Baker (Liv AlUla Jayco), who is pencilled in to race at this year’s Lloyds Tour of Britain Women. Baker also won gold in the scratch race in Glasgow, taking her overall Commonwealth Games gold medal tally to five and cementing her status as one of the greatest Australian cyclists.
The Aussie superstar will be looking to replicate her track form on the British roads when the race gets underway next week. They are scheduled to be joined by former stage winners Lorena Wiebes (Team SD Worx-Protime) and Kim Le Court Pienaar (AG Insurance – Soudal Team), both of whom have also returned from the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift with stage wins, and Wiebes with the coveted green points classification jersey. Wiebes will be looking to claim another green jersey, this time in the form of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women general classification jersey, after sprinting to victory in last year’s final stage on the challenging streets of Glasgow.
Likewise, Le Court Pienaar will look to build on her victory from the opening stage of last year’s race in the northeast of England, which saw her claim the green jersey momentarily.
Race Director of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women, Alice Wood, commented on the provisional announcement: “We are absolutely delighted more world-class cyclists are on the provisional rider lineup for the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women 2026. Their presence underlines the growing stature of the race in the global cycling calendar and guarantees fans the opportunity to see some of the biggest names in the world competing on British roads.
“These riders have achieved success at the very highest level of our sport, including previous Lloyds Tour of Britain champions and stage winners. We look forward to giving them, alongside the rest of the peloton, a world-class sporting stage and a fantastic welcome from fans across our country”
The Lloyds Tour of Britain Women starts in Cockermouth on Wednesday 19 August. The second stage will see the peloton travel from Clitheroe to Blackpool on Thursday 20 August, before the third stage heads to Wales on Friday 21 August, as riders will depart from Mold and finish with a demanding ascent of The Great Orme. The teams will stay in Wales for stage four on Saturday 22 August, starting in Llanidloes and ending in Hay-on-Wye. The general classification will then be crowned in Royal Leamington Spa during stage five on Sunday 23 August.
Crowds can also enjoy an afternoon of cycling fun at the Lloyds Family Cycling Festival during stage two in Blackpool. The free-to-attend festival allows people of all ages and abilities the chance to enjoy cycling-themed activities, before watching world-class riders battle for victory on the same roads. More information can be found here.
Find out more about the Lloyds Tour of Britain here.