Stage Two hosts announced for Lloyds Tour of Britain Women 2026

Clitheroe and Blackpool will host the start and finish of stage two of the 2026 Lloyds Tour of Britain Women, which will pass through the region on Thursday 20 August 2026.

The 2026 edition, once again part of the UCI Women’s WorldTour, will mark a historic first for Lancashire as the women’s race visits its communities for the first time.

Clitheroe previously hosted the men’s race in 2015, staging the start of a stage that finished in Colne which was the last time the Tour visited Lancashire. The county will also host stages of the Tour de France next summer, when Britain welcomes the Grand Départ.

The promenade at Blackpool has seen some of the greats of cycling race to stunning victories including Sir Mark Cavendish who won the stage in 2012, wearing his rainbow stripes of world champion. Blackpool has hosted three starts and five finishes to the Tour in the modern day, so has a rich heritage in providing a spectacular backdrop to enthralling bike racing.

British Cycling research, delivered by GSIQ, showed the 2025 Lloyds Tours of Britain brought an overall cumulative economic impact of £62.3 million to the local areas which hosted the ten stages, bringing huge social impact to communities across the country as well.

The hosting of major cycling events such as the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women is part of partnership agreed between British Cycling, Lancashire County Council, Ribble Valley Borough Council and Blackpool Council to grow cycling and tourism links in the region.

The full list of stages is:

Stage 1: Cockermouth – Cockermouth

Stage 2: Clitheroe – Blackpool

Stage 3: Mold to The Great Orme, Llandudno

Stage 4: Llanidloes to Hay-on-Wye

Stage 5: Royal Leamington Spa – Royal Leamington Spa

Cockermouth will open the 2026 women’s race with a challenging route through western Cumbria, starting and finishing in the picturesque market town. Stage two will see the riders travel from Clitheroe, through the Ribble Valley to the iconic seaside resort of Blackpool. North and Mid Wales will then host two exciting stages on Friday and Saturday, from Mold to the Great Orme in Llandudno and from Llanidloes to Hay-on-Wye, before the General Classification is decided in Warwickshire, where Royal Leamington Spa will host the start and finish on Sunday 23 August.

British Cycling research, delivered by GSIQ, showed the 2025 Lloyds Tours of Britain brought an overall cumulative economic impact of £62.3 million to the local areas which hosted the ten stages, bringing huge social impact to communities across the country as well.

Further announcements, including the detailed routes for the five stages of the women’s and men’s race, will be announced in the coming weeks.

Interested in volunteering at the Lloyds Tour of Britain? You can register your interest here and play a part in the biggest free to spectate event in the UK.