Cockermouth is set to play host to the opening stage of the 2026 Lloyds Tour of Britain Women.
The five-stage race will begin on Wednesday 19 August 2026 in the town.
The 2026 edition, once again part of the UCI Women’s WorldTour, will make a first visit to the region, departing from Cockermouth before heading out to the west towards Whitehaven, Workington and Maryport, before returning to the market town for the finish.
Cumbria as a county has a vast history of hosting major bike racing, bringing 12 previous stages of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men in previous years, the last occasion in 2021.
The county will also host stages of the Tour de France Grand Départ next summer.
The town of Cockermouth has experienced the buzz of race day twice before, hosting the men’s race in 2015 and 2018, the latter of which was a team time trial.
British Cycling research, delivered by GSIQ, found that 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.
The hosting of major cycling events such as the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women is part of partnership agreed between British Cycling and Cumberland Council to grow cycling and tourism links in the region.
Jonathan Day, director of events for British Cycling Ventures, said: “We are excited to be bringing the prestigious Lloyds Tour of Britain Women to these fantastic locations in August.
“For the first time, there is parity in the number of stages with the men’s race a few weeks later, so it is a huge opportunity to create a real festival of cycling, with the women’s race kick-starting a brilliant few weeks of elite racing.
“We are bringing new hosts and stages in Mold, Llanidloes, and Hay-on-Wye, and it is fantastic to return to previous hosts of the Tour in Cockermouth, Clitheroe, Blackpool, Llandudno and Leamington Spa, bringing real variety to the courses as we head across England and Wales.
“On behalf of British Cycling Ventures, I would like to say a huge thank you to our partners across the five stages for supporting the hosting and delivery of this August’s landmark race.
“And enabling us to bring a memorable and action packed five days of world class racing to their communities, spreading the joy of cycling along the route, and inspiring more people to get on a bike and live healthier lives.”
Leader of Cumberland Council, Cllr Mark Fryer, said: “Once again, we will be in the global spotlight.
“This is great news for Cumberland and following on from the announcement that we will stage a finish and a start of the Tour de France next year; this is proof that our area is a prime location for international events.
“We look forward to working with Cumbria Combined Authority and other partners to support the 2026 Lloyds Tour of Britain Women event this summer.
“This is a massive opportunity to showcase our west coast and inspire our communities to get active and see a world class event on their doorstep.”
The full list of stages is as follows:
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 market town.
Stage two will see the riders travel from Clitheroe, through 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 Llanidloes to Hay-on-Wye, before the General Classification is decided in Warwickshire.
Royal Leamington Spa will host the start and finish on Sunday 23 August.
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.
