British cycling stars provisionally announced to compete at Lloyds Tour of Britain Women

Some of British cycling’s biggest stars are today provisionally announced to be racing in the 2026 Lloyds Tour of Britain Women, which gets underway on Wednesday 19 August. The final rider line up will be officially confirmed before the race starts next week.

The 2026 edition of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women will see riders take on five challenging stages, bringing the race on parity with the men’s.

Zoe Backstedt (Canyon // SRAM) is provisionally named to compete in her second Lloyds Tour of Britain. She will be looking to build upon an already successful 2026 season, including winning the Lloyds National Road Race Championship, a stage of the prestigious Tour de Suisse, and retaining her Baloise Ladies’ Tour title.

She is due to line-up alongside her sister Elynor Backstedt (UAE Team L’IMAD), making the Lloyds Tour of Britain a family affair as their father Magnus assumes the sport director role for Human Powered Health team.

Like Zoe Backstedt, former national road race champions Alice Towers (Great Britain Cycling Team), Pfeiffer Georgi (Team Picnic PostNL), and Millie Couzens (Fenix-Premier Tech) are pencilled in to start in Cockermouth on Wednesday 19 August after recently competing in the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. The trio have all previously competed in the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women, with Georgi and Couzens achieving top-five and top-ten finishes respectively in previous editions.

Couzens is also due to be joined by Fenix-Premier Tech teammate and fellow Brit, Flora Perkins, over the five stages. Perkins made the top-15 on her Lloyds Tour of Britain Women debut in 2024.

Lauren Dickson (FDJ-United SUEZ) is scheduled to make her return from injury and will look to build upon a successful start to the season prior to her crash in the Tour de Suisse. In her grand tour debut at this year’s Giro d’Italia Women, Dickson finished 11th in the general classification, marking an impressive rise within the sport of which she only started in 2024.

Fresh off the track at this year’s Commonwealth Games, three medallists are also scheduled to compete at this year’s landmark Lloyds Tour of Britain Women. Welsh women Anna Morrisand Jess Roberts (both Great Britain Cycling Team) won bronze in the team pursuit in Glasgow, with Morris also coming away with two golds, including in the points race where Roberts also won silver. Both will be looking to translate their track form onto the road.

They will be joined in the Great Britain Cycling Team by youngsters Amalie Cooper, Rebecca Gardiner, and Ruby Oakes, the latter of whom has been producing good results in the Lloyds National Road Series.

Zoe Backstedt commented on the chance to race on British roads again:

“After an extremely successful Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift last week with the team, I’m super excited to be heading to the start line of the Tour of Britain Women. It’s going to be a challenging course, but I’m looking forward to some stages finishing in Wales!”

Dickson reflected on the opportunity to line up in what will be her second Lloyds Tour of Britain, saying:

“The Women’s Tour of Britain is where I got my first taste of World Tour racing; I remember watching FDJ-United SUEZ’s GC battle with Ally (Wollaston) last year, where every second counted.

“Our roads are grippy and the course is undulating, making for tough and attritional racing with potential for different scenarios. Personally, I’m particularly excited for Stage three’s uphill finish - it’s a punchy, potentially GC day. We’re bringing a strong team with multiple options and I’m excited to race in front of home crowds.”

More riders will be provisionally announced later in the week.

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 decided 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.