THE FULL route of the Warwickshire stage of the Women’s Lloyds Tour of Britain has been announced.
The elite race, which attracts top cyclists from around the world, starts and finishes in Leamington on Sunday August 23.
From the start in the town centre, the 77-mile (123.8km) route will head north to Kenilworth, before heading through Stoneleigh towards Princethorpe, where it will follow the Fosse Way southwards, passing over the M40 through Wellesbourne and Shipston, before turning north.
The peleton will then take in a succession of climbs, including Sun Rising Hill (900m at 10 per cent average gradient) and the ascent of Burton Dassett Hills Country Park (700m at nine per cent average gradient), which was a summit finish in last year’s men’s race. The race then heads to Southam before returning to Leamington via Radford Semele and the finish near Jephson Gardens.
This is the third time that Leamington has hosted the final stage of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women, having seen Chloe Hosking and Sarah Roy take the title in 2017 and 2018 respectively.
The four previous stages in 2026 are being held in Cockermouth (Cumbria), Lancashire, North Wales and South Wales.
Warwickshire County Council’s culture spokesperson Coun Darren Cheshire said: “We’re absolutely delighted that Warwickshire is hosting the final stage of the 2026 Lloyd’s Tour of Britain Women. It’s a fantastic opportunity to show off our towns, villages and countryside in Warwickshire to an international audience, as well as a great day out for families. There’s plenty of places along the route where you can watch the team cars and cyclists go past, so please put the date in your diaries and come out on the day to cheer on the riders and enjoy the celebrations.”
Jonathan Day, managing director for British Cycling Events, added; “Announcing the route is one of the key milestones in the build-up to the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women, as it gives riders, teams and fans their first real insight into how this year’s race could unfold. We have put together a course that provides opportunities for a range of different rider types to try and challenge for the title, ensuring every stage has the potential to shape the overall outcome.
“Beyond the sporting challenge, the route reflects our ambition to bring elite women’s cycling to the diverse communities across Britain. Each stage will showcase a different part of the country and provide fans with the chance to experience world-class racing on their doorstep. We are excited to see the race come to life and to welcome spectators to what promises to be a fantastic edition of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women.”
Visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/cycletour for more details.
