Lorena Wiebes (Team SD Worx-Protime) won stages 1, 2, 4 and 5 of the Tour of Britain Women and finished second overall on Sunday, August 23, just 19 seconds behind Kim Le Court (AG Insurance-Soudal).
After her opening victory, Wiebes told us that SD Worx-Protime would take the race day by day: “We keep on racing, keep on trying, win stages, and then we see what we have in the end.” By the end, that approach had brought her four stage wins and an unexpectedly close challenge for the overall title.
Her four wins showed her continued dominance in the sprints but once again exposed tactical issues for her rivals. Several teams repeatedly helped close down breakaways and attacks, setting up sprints that Wiebes won every time and then celebrating second place like a victory.
The clearest example came on the final 123.8km stage around Royal Leamington Spa. A breakaway held an advantage of 2:03 over Burton Dassett with 30.6km remaining, but the sprint teams committed riders to the pursuit while SD Worx-Protime did comparatively little until later in the chase.
Results
Aug 23
| Pos | Rider | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 | Lorena Wiebes | TEAM SD WORX - PROTIMETEAM SD WORX - PROTIME | 3:02:29 |
| 🥈 | Lara Gillespie | UAE TEAM L'IMADUAE TEAM L'IMAD | +0:00 |
| 🥉 | Chiara Consonni | CANYON//SRAM CANYON//SRAM | +0:00 |
| 4 | Zoe Backstedt | CANYON//SRAM CANYON//SRAM | +0:00 |
| 5 | Pfeiffer Zara Georgi | TEAM PICNIC POSTNLTEAM PICNIC POSTNL | +0:00 |
| 6 | Nienke Veenhoven | TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKETEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE | +0:00 |
| 7 | Josie Nelson | TEAM PICNIC POSTNLTEAM PICNIC POSTNL | +0:00 |
| 8 | Caroline Andersson | LIV-ALULA-JAYCOLIV-ALULA-JAYCO | +0:00 |
| 9 | Millie Couzens | FENIX-PREMIER TECHFENIX-PREMIER TECH | +0:00 |
| 10 | Maggie Coles-Lyster | HUMAN POWERED HEALTHHUMAN POWERED HEALTH | +0:00 |
| 11 | Letizia Borghesi | AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAMAG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM | +0:00 |
| 12 | Fleur Moors | LIDL - TREKLIDL - TREK | +0:00 |
| 13 | Ally Marée Wollaston | FDJ UNITED - SUEZFDJ UNITED - SUEZ | +0:00 |
| 14 | Lucia Ruiz Perez | MOVISTAR TEAMMOVISTAR TEAM | +0:00 |
| 15 | Liane Lippert | MOVISTAR TEAMMOVISTAR TEAM | +0:00 |
| 16 | Julia Borgström | HITEC PRODUCTS-FLUID CONTROLHITEC PRODUCTS-FLUID CONTROL | +0:00 |
| 17 | Ingvild Gåskjenn | UNO-X MOBILITYUNO-X MOBILITY | +0:00 |
| 18 | Clara Copponi | LIDL - TREKLIDL - TREK | +0:00 |
| 19 | Noa Jansen | LIV-ALULA-JAYCOLIV-ALULA-JAYCO | +0:00 |
| 20 | Femke de Vries | TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKETEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE | +0:00 |
| 21 | Morven Yeoman | DAS-HUTCHINSONDAS-HUTCHINSON | +0:00 |
| 22 | Karlijn Swinkels | UAE TEAM L'IMADUAE TEAM L'IMAD | +0:00 |
| 23 | Marta Jaskulska | HUMAN POWERED HEALTHHUMAN POWERED HEALTH | +0:00 |
| 24 | Kate Courtney | FDJ UNITED - SUEZFDJ UNITED - SUEZ | +0:00 |
| 25 | Quinty Ton | LIV-ALULA-JAYCOLIV-ALULA-JAYCO | +0:00 |
| 26 | Mary Patricia Kimberley le Court de Billot - Pienaar | AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAMAG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM | +0:00 |
| 27 | Mischa Bredewold | TEAM SD WORX - PROTIMETEAM SD WORX - PROTIME | +0:00 |
| 28 | Anna Morris | -- | +0:00 |
| 29 | Eleonora Camilla Gasparrini | UAE TEAM L'IMADUAE TEAM L'IMAD | +0:00 |
| 30 | Imogen Wolff | TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKETEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE | +0:00 |
| 31 | Riejanne Markus | LIDL - TREKLIDL - TREK | +0:00 |
| 32 | Cecilie Ludwig | CANYON//SRAM CANYON//SRAM | +0:00 |
| 33 | Margaux Vigie | TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKETEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE | +0:00 |
| 34 | Alexandra Grace Manly | AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAMAG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM | +0:00 |
| 35 | Shirin van Anrooij | LIDL - TREKLIDL - TREK | +0:00 |
| 36 | Margot Vanpachtenbeke | LIDL - TREKLIDL - TREK | +0:00 |
| 37 | Juliana Londoño David | TEAM PICNIC POSTNLTEAM PICNIC POSTNL | +0:00 |
| 38 | Eva van Agt | FDJ UNITED - SUEZFDJ UNITED - SUEZ | +0:00 |
| 39 | Maud Oudeman | TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKETEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE | +0:00 |
| 40 | Marit Raaijmakers | HUMAN POWERED HEALTHHUMAN POWERED HEALTH | +0:00 |
| 41 | Oda Aune Gissinger | HITEC PRODUCTS-FLUID CONTROLHITEC PRODUCTS-FLUID CONTROL | +0:00 |
| 42 | Marte Berg Edseth | UNO-X MOBILITYUNO-X MOBILITY | +0:00 |
| 43 | Febe Jooris | UAE TEAM L'IMADUAE TEAM L'IMAD | +0:00 |
| 44 | Wilma Aintila | CANYON//SRAM CANYON//SRAM | +0:00 |
| 45 | Sara Martin Martin | MOVISTAR TEAMMOVISTAR TEAM | +0:00 |
| 46 | Ricarda Bauernfeind | LIDL - TREKLIDL - TREK | +0:00 |
| 47 | Magdalene Lind | HITEC PRODUCTS-FLUID CONTROLHITEC PRODUCTS-FLUID CONTROL | +0:00 |
| 48 | Noemie Thomson | DAS-HUTCHINSONDAS-HUTCHINSON | +0:00 |
| 49 | Alice Madeleine Towers | -- | +0:00 |
| 50 | Francesca Barale | MOVISTAR TEAMMOVISTAR TEAM | +0:00 |
| 51 | Erica Magnaldi | UAE TEAM L'IMADUAE TEAM L'IMAD | +0:00 |
| 52 | Claire Steels | MOVISTAR TEAMMOVISTAR TEAM | +0:00 |
| 53 | Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado | FENIX-PREMIER TECHFENIX-PREMIER TECH | +0:00 |
| 54 | Aude Biannic | MOVISTAR TEAMMOVISTAR TEAM | +0:00 |
| 55 | Marthe Truyen | FENIX-PREMIER TECHFENIX-PREMIER TECH | +0:00 |
| 56 | Flora Perkins | FENIX-PREMIER TECHFENIX-PREMIER TECH | +0:00 |
| 57 | Justyna Czapla | CANYON//SRAM CANYON//SRAM | +0:00 |
| 58 | Dilyxine Miermont | TEAM PICNIC POSTNLTEAM PICNIC POSTNL | +0:00 |
| 59 | Léa Curinier | FDJ UNITED - SUEZFDJ UNITED - SUEZ | +0:00 |
| 60 | Lauren Dickson | FDJ UNITED - SUEZFDJ UNITED - SUEZ | +0:00 |
| 61 | Petra Stiasny | HUMAN POWERED HEALTHHUMAN POWERED HEALTH | +0:00 |
| 62 | Josie Talbot | LIV-ALULA-JAYCOLIV-ALULA-JAYCO | +0:00 |
| 63 | Soraya Paladin | CANYON//SRAM CANYON//SRAM | +0:24 |
| 64 | Julia Kopecký | TEAM SD WORX - PROTIMETEAM SD WORX - PROTIME | +0:46 |
| 65 | Femke Gerritse | TEAM SD WORX - PROTIMETEAM SD WORX - PROTIME | +1:26 |
| 66 | Katrine Aalerud | UNO-X MOBILITYUNO-X MOBILITY | +1:41 |
| 67 | Amalie Cooper | -- | +1:41 |
| 68 | Stine-Marie Snortheim | HITEC PRODUCTS-FLUID CONTROLHITEC PRODUCTS-FLUID CONTROL | +1:41 |
| 69 | Teuntje Beekhuis | UNO-X MOBILITYUNO-X MOBILITY | +1:41 |
| 70 | Beth Morrow | HANDSLING ALBA DEVELOPMENT ROAD TEAMHANDSLING ALBA DEVELOPMENT ROAD TEAM | +1:41 |
| 71 | Fien van Eynde | FENIX-PREMIER TECHFENIX-PREMIER TECH | +1:41 |
| 72 | Alberte Greve | UNO-X MOBILITYUNO-X MOBILITY | +2:29 |
| 73 | Lucy Lee | DAS-HUTCHINSONDAS-HUTCHINSON | +2:57 |
| 74 | Ida Krickau Ketelsen | O'SHEA RED CHILLI BIKESO'SHEA RED CHILLI BIKES | +3:10 |
| 75 | Amandine Fouquenet | AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAMAG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM | +3:10 |
| 76 | Alessia Vigilia | UNO-X MOBILITYUNO-X MOBILITY | +3:34 |
| 77 | Aniek van Alphen | FENIX-PREMIER TECHFENIX-PREMIER TECH | +5:01 |
| 78 | Elynor Backstedt | UAE TEAM L'IMADUAE TEAM L'IMAD | +5:33 |
| 79 | Madelaine Leech | HANDSLING ALBA DEVELOPMENT ROAD TEAMHANDSLING ALBA DEVELOPMENT ROAD TEAM | +5:33 |
| 80 | Alma Rasmussen | HITEC PRODUCTS-FLUID CONTROLHITEC PRODUCTS-FLUID CONTROL | +7:48 |
| 81 | Tiffany Keep | DAS-HUTCHINSONDAS-HUTCHINSON | +7:48 |
| 82 | Anna Flynn | HANDSLING ALBA DEVELOPMENT ROAD TEAMHANDSLING ALBA DEVELOPMENT ROAD TEAM | +7:48 |
| 83 | Daniela Hezinová | TEAM PICNIC POSTNLTEAM PICNIC POSTNL | +9:26 |
| 84 | Marthe Goossens | AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAMAG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM | +9:26 |
| 85 | Amber Pate | LIV-ALULA-JAYCOLIV-ALULA-JAYCO | +9:26 |
| 86 | Audrey de Keersmaeker | TEAM PICNIC POSTNLTEAM PICNIC POSTNL | +9:26 |
| 87 | Arabella Blackburn | HANDSLING ALBA DEVELOPMENT ROAD TEAMHANDSLING ALBA DEVELOPMENT ROAD TEAM | +9:26 |
| 88 | Amelia Cebak | SMURFIT WESTROCK CYCLING TEAMSMURFIT WESTROCK CYCLING TEAM | +9:26 |
| 89 | Leila Gschwentner | SMURFIT WESTROCK CYCLING TEAMSMURFIT WESTROCK CYCLING TEAM | +9:26 |
| 90 | Teniel Campbell | SMURFIT WESTROCK CYCLING TEAMSMURFIT WESTROCK CYCLING TEAM | +9:26 |
UAE Team L’IMAD, Canyon//SRAM, Human Powered Health and Picnic PostNL all appeared at the front during the stage. AG Insurance-Soudal also had a reason to control the gap while defending Le Court-Pienaar’s green jersey.
The gap fell significantly in the final kilometres, and the break was caught with 1.3km to go. Canyon//SRAM’s Zoe Bäckstedt then set up Chiara Consonni, but Wiebes was locked onto her wheel. Wiebes launched after the final corner and opened a gap of almost 10 bike lengths, while Consonni lost second place to Lara Gillespie (UAE Team L’IMAD). Once again, Wiebes’ rivals were left sprinting for second.
A WorldTour podium or a chance to win
There is some logic behind the other teams’ tactics. A WorldTour podium carries value for teams, as well as prize money and potentially vital UCI points, with second place earning a rider 30 points. Attacking or forming breakaways did not guarantee success either. Wiebes is always willing to follow attacks, so they have to be coordinated.
Maggie Coles-Lyster (Human Powered Health) demonstrated that trade-off on stage 2 in Blackpool. Her team worked to position her on Wiebes’ wheel, and she converted that support into second place, her second WorldTour podium of 2026. She and her team celebrated as though it were a win, reflecting the pressure for for UCI points.
“Lorena’s a GOAT, of course. A win would’ve been great, but I’m really happy with second,” Coles-Lyster said after the stage in her team’s race report.
The result showed the limit of that strategy. Following Wiebes may be the safest route to a high finish, but it leaves the Dutch rider in control of the contest. On the final stage, Coles-Lyster finished 10th after an earlier crash, despite Human Powered Health contributing to another chase.
The one real time that SD Worx-Protime were forced to really control was stage one’s finale into Cockermouth where several teams tried stinging attacks into the finish with lots of the squads depleted after a tough day and less sprinters involved. However, Lotte Kopecky and Mischa Bredewold did a great job, and led Wiebes out to her first of four victories. Coming to stage 4 there were more GC moves as then second overall Lianne Lippert (Movistar) attacked on the final climbs with Le Court and other GC riders following. But Wiebes followed well and got back with the leaders before sprinting to victory again.
Le Court showed what was needed on stage 3 to beat Wiebes. The climb of The Great Orme didn’t suit the sprinting star but it wasn’t out of the question that she would be able to follow. Le Court attacked immediately at the bottom of the climb and left all her rivals behind. The chase’s pace was high, as we saw Wiebes gapped, finishing in 10th place at 37 seconds slipping to 35 seconds back on GC, a step too far to claw back time with bonus seconds. Le Court’s plan was complete and she just needed to follow her rivals in the final two stages. Wiebes did what she needed to and managed to finish second in GC on the final day in Royal Leamington Spa.
Riders could have forced SD Worx-Protime to close gaps more often and chase things while their rivals used more aggressive tactics but instead went for the formulaic tactic that has hardly ever worked against Wiebes.
Since the Tour de France Femmes in 2024 where Wiebes didn’t win a stage, she has only lost one sprint. That was earlier this year when she was boxed in at the Ronde Van Brugge, won by Carys Lloyd (Movistar).
She is beatable, but it requires teams to gamble.
