THE 2026 Lloyds Tour of Britain gets underway this week, bringing a world-class peloton right to our doorsteps.
From lightning-fast seaside sprints to punishing climbs through the Yorkshire Dales, the five-day spectacle promises high-speed drama across every stage.
With homegrown Olympic heroes like Tom Pidcock leading the pack, thousands are expected to line the streets as the race winds its way through Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, and the Scottish Borders.
Here’s everything you need to know, whether you’re planning to grab a prime roadside spot or want to know when to tune in from home.
When is the 2026 Tour of Britain?
The Lloyds Tour of Britain Men’s race runs from Wednesday, September 2 to Sunday, September 6.
108 competitors across 18 teams will ride a total of 565 miles (909 km) across Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, and the Scottish Borders during the five-day event.
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- Stage 1 (Wed, Sept 2): Lincoln > Lincoln (187.6 km) – Features five laps of the Michaelgate cobbled climb
- Stage 2 (Thu, Sept 3): Boston > Skegness (185.2 km) – Flat coastal sprint finish on Grand Parade
- Stage 3 (Fri, Sept 4): Hull > Beverley (200.6 km) – Exposed coastal roads with an uphill finish at Beverley Racecourse
- Stage 4 (Sat, Sept 5): Helmsley > Leyburn (170.5 km) – Queen stage featuring Kidstones Pass and Greenhow Bank
- Stage 5 (Sun, Sept 6): Earlston > Earlston (166.4 km) – Scottish Borders circuit through the Lammermuir Hills
How to watch the Tour of Britain for free
You can watch this year’s edition of Britain’s biggest professional cycle race completely free, whether you are lining the streets or tuning in from home.
ITV4 will be covering each stage of the race live, along with an hour-long highlights show every evening.
Only Stages 1-4 will be shown live on ITV4, though real-time coverage of the final stage will be available to stream through ITVX on Sunday, September 6.
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Timings for each live broadcast vary slightly each day depending on the stage, but start around 10.15am and finish at roughly 4pm.
The highlights show will run between 8pm and 9pm each night on ITV4.
The riders to look out for
This year’s peloton boasts a stacked lineup of Olympic champions, Grand Tour stars, and sprint heavyweights.
Home favourite and Olympic gold medallist Tom Pidcock leads the charge for the overall title, with his explosive climbing style making him the top contender for the red jersey.
Standing in his way are time trialist Filippo Ganna and Belgian veteran Tim Wellens, whose massive power could threaten Pidcock on the rolling terrain.
For the flat finishes into Skegness and Beverley, expect high-speed sprint showdowns between Dutchman Olav Kooij and Belgian powerhouse Tim Merlier.
Meanwhile, keep an eye on riders like Ilan van Wilder, Felix Großschartner, and Aurelien Paret-Peintre, who could shake up the general classification during Stage 4’s mountain climbs.
When is the women’s race?
The 11th edition of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women was moved to a late-summer slot this year.
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It has already taken place ahead of the men’s race, and ran from August 19 to August 23.
It was won by Kim Le Court-Pienaar, who secured the biggest victory of her career and became the first African rider to win the race.