Alice Wood and Jonny Clay have been named as the Race Directors for the Lloyds Tour of Britain women’s and men’s races, respectively.
The appointment of Alice Wood (née Barnes) marks a landmark moment for the event as she becomes the first female race director of the women’s race. A former professional cyclist, Alice Wood won national titles in the time trial and road race in 2019 and secured a gold medal at the 2018 UCI Road World Championships in the team time trial.
Since retiring at the end of the 2024 season, she has transitioned into event organisation and was part of the delivery team for both races in 2025.
Alice Wood said “It is an incredibly proud moment to be named as Race Director for such a prestigious event as the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women. To be the first female to hold this role is a huge honour, and I am excited to get to work with the incredible riders and teams. I was fortunate to compete in the race during my career, so I know the buzz you get when riding such a world-class race across Britain.”
Jonny Clay takes on the Race Director role for the men’s race. An Olympic bronze medallist from Sydney 2000, he has decades of experience as an event director for major UK cycling events, including the Lloyds National Road Racing Championships.
Jonny Clay said “To take on the Race Director role for the men’s race is a proud moment, and I am looking forward to working with the whole team to deliver an exceptional event in September, following on from what will be a brilliant women’s event a couple of weeks earlier.”
The women’s race, which is part of the UCI Women’s WorldTour, will take place between August 19–23, 2026. The men’s race, part of the UCI ProSeries, follows from September 2–6, 2026. Both events will consist of five stages.
Rod Ellingworth, who served as Race Director for the past two years, has stepped down from the role. Jonathan Day, Director of Events at British Cycling, thanked him for his work in growing the event during his tenure.
Jonathan Day said “We are really pleased to be welcoming both Alice and Jonny to the team as the Race Directors for the women’s and men’s races, respectively, this year. We have evolved the team over the past two years and have established a strong race unit built on experience, knowledge and a passion for the race.
“Alice is a highly passionate individual who has years of experience, and her enthusiasm for bike racing is clear for all to see. I am thrilled to see her stepping into this position, and inspiring women and girls across the world in the process. Jonny has an enormous amount of knowledge and experience, and I know that he is fiercely passionate about helping the race continue to grow in the future, so it is fantastic to have him on board.
“I extend my thanks to Rod for all his work over the last two years in growing the Lloyds Tour of Britain. Rod has been an exceptional force for the Tour over the first two years of us delivering the events, and all at British Cycling extend our thanks to him for his support.”
British Cycling is the national governing body for the sport in Great Britain, overseeing grassroots participation through to the elite Great Britain Cycling Team. The Lloyds Tour of Britain remains the largest free-to-spectate sporting event in the UK.
