Cycling Powerhouse: Tour of Britain Women Kicks Off with Record Field

The Tour of Britain Women will see 18 teams, including 12 UCI Women's WorldTour squads, race across northern England and Scotland. The historic event features top teams like Team SD Worx and Lidl-Trek, as well as last year's winner Lotte Kopecky. The race begins June 5 in Dalby Forest.

World champions and hometown heroes are set to clash in an unprecedented showdown as the Tour of Britain Women returns with 18 teams—the largest lineup in its history. Among the 108 riders are 12 UCI Women's WorldTour teams, featuring top squads like Team SD Worx—Protime with defending champion Lotte Kopecky, British champion Pfeiffer Georgi's Team Picnic PostNL, and Lidl-Trek with local favorite Anna Henderson.

Starting in North Yorkshire's Dalby Forest on June 5, the race will see 13 of the world's top 15-ranked teams join all five British UCI Continental outfits, bringing elite cycling action to communities across northern England and Scotland. According to Jonathan Day, Managing Director of British Cycling Events, this impressive field highlights the strong support the event enjoys from international teams. The allure of competing in front of enthusiastic British crowds remains a significant draw.

Last year's stage winner Ruby Roseman-Gannon (Liv AlUla Jayco) expressed her admiration for the race, calling it a favorite, while Isle of Man's Lizzie Holden (UAE Team ADQ) remarked on the challenging yet thrilling British conditions. For Scottish-based Handsling Alba, the event presents a unique home advantage as the sole WorldTour race on Scottish soil. The race will culminate in Glasgow on June 8 after notable stages in the North York Moors and Scottish Borders.

(With inputs from agencies.)