Nearly 250,000 people tuned into the official YouTube channel for the 2026 Lloyds Tour of Britain Women, representing a fivefold increase compared to the 2025 edition.
The five-stage race, which forms part of the UCI Women’s WorldTour calendar, featured nine of the world’s top ten ranked teams. Running from Cockermouth to Royal Leamington Spa, the event saw Kim Le Court-Pienaar secure her first stage race victory, becoming the first African rider to win the event. The 2026 edition marked the first time the women’s race achieved parity with the men’s event in terms of the number of stages.
Darren Henry, Managing Director at British Cycling Ventures said “At such an exciting time for women’s sport, it was fantastic to see some of the best riders in the world racing on British roads. It was equally encouraging to see the audience for the race continue to grow, with our live YouTube viewership more than five times higher than last year.
“Reinforced through the coverage across our broadcast partners ITV and TNT Sports, and through our growing network of international broadcast partners, the 2026 edition has taken the Tour to fans around the world. When we took on the Tour in 2023, we had a clear ambition to grow the women’s race and ensure parity with the men’s event.
“Expanding from four to five days this year means both races will now take place over five stages, an important milestone for the Tour and one we’re really proud to have achieved.”
Following the conclusion of the women’s event, organiser British Cycling will host the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men starting on September 2, 2026 in Lincoln. Additional fan participation activities include the Ride the Route sportive in North Yorkshire on August 30, 2026, alongside the Lloyds Tour of Britain Family Cycling Festival at East Park in Hull on September 4, 2026.
www.britishcycling.org.uk/tourofbritain
