Free Tour of Britain Women racing arrives in Lancashire

demoduck.co.uk editorial team 2026-08-12 12:34 3 min read

A cyclist rides along a scenic winding road bordered by a dense pine forest.

The Lloyds Tour of Britain Women 2026 begins in Cockermouth on Wednesday 19 August and finishes in Royal Leamington Spa on Sunday 23 August. Spectating is free, and the five-stage race is aimed at cycling fans as well as families who want to catch elite riders on British roads.

Several leading British riders have been provisionally named for the event, although the final start list is due to be confirmed before racing begins. Zoe Backstedt, Alice Towers, Pfeiffer Georgi, Millie Couzens and Lauren Dickson are among those expected to line up.

For a closer look at the Cockermouth opening stage, see this Cockermouth race-day guide.

Five days of racing from Cockermouth to Royal Leamington Spa

The 2026 race will be contested over five stages, bringing the women’s event into line with the men’s race format. The route moves through England and Wales, with each day offering a different setting for spectators.

Date	Stage route	Spectator highlight
Wednesday 19 August	Cockermouth	Opening stage of the race
Thursday 20 August	Clitheroe to Blackpool	Lloyds Family Cycling Festival in Blackpool
Friday 21 August	Mold to The Great Orme	Uphill finish on The Great Orme
Saturday 22 August	Llanidloes to Hay-on-Wye	Second Welsh stage
Sunday 23 August	Royal Leamington Spa	General classification decided

The Blackpool stage is the clearest family-focused stop on the route. The free Lloyds Family Cycling Festival is planned during stage two and is open to people of all ages and abilities, with cycling-themed activities before riders compete on the same roads.

Riders to watch on the provisional start list

Zoe Backstedt is set to make her second Lloyds Tour of Britain appearance after a 2026 season that has included the Lloyds National Road Race Championship, a Tour de Suisse stage win and another Baloise Ladies’ Tour title. Her sister, Elynor Backstedt, is also provisionally listed, while their father Magnus is expected to work as sport director for Human Powered Health.

Former national road race champions Towers, Georgi and Couzens are also pencilled in after competing in the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. Georgi has previously recorded a top-five finish in the event, while Couzens has finished in the top 10. Flora Perkins, Couzens’ Fenix-Premier Tech teammate, is due to race after placing in the top 15 on her 2024 debut.

Dickson is scheduled to return from injury for what would be her second Tour of Britain Women. Anna Morris and Jess Roberts, both Great Britain Cycling Team riders and Commonwealth Games medallists on the track, are also provisionally named alongside Amalie Cooper, Rebecca Gardiner and Ruby Oakes.

Practical details for race-week spectators

The event runs from 19 to 23 August, across Cockermouth, Clitheroe, Blackpool, Mold, Llanidloes, Hay-on-Wye and Royal Leamington Spa. It is free to attend and no booking requirement is stated in the source.

No event times, venue addresses, transport arrangements or accessibility information have been provided. The final rider line-up remains subject to confirmation before the race starts, with further provisional announcements expected later in the week.

Source: Visit Lancashire Blog

Context & actions About this article

Source check Source check

Details were checked against the Visit Lancashire Blog event announcement, including the provisional rider list and five-stage route.

Checks

Race dates run from 19 to 23 August 2026.
The route starts in Cockermouth and ends in Royal Leamington Spa.
Stage two travels from Clitheroe to Blackpool and includes the free family cycling festiva...
Rider participation is provisional pending the final start-list confirmation.

Visit Lancashire Blog Check race updates