There are prone to be no British Continental groups on the Tour of Britain Ladies subsequent 12 months, on account of a UCI rule modification that successfully stops them from competing within the occasion.
Introduced in July, and taking impact right this moment, the rule prevents Continental groups from participating in WorldTour occasions. As an alternative, solely the highest two tiers – WorldTeams and ProTeams – are in a position to compete, in addition to one nationwide group from the nation of the organiser, on this case the Nice Britain nationwide group.
Chatting with Biking Weekly, Alba group boss Bob Lyons mentioned it’s “very disappointing” the groups will now not be capable of participate within the race.
“I absolutely perceive and get the rationale for the change in laws from a UCI perspective; it brings parity with the lads, and there’s the introduction of the ProTeams which makes a degree enjoying subject,” he mentioned, however added: “[The Tour of Britain] is the one UCI girls’s race within the UK, and it’s an incredible alternative to be within the store window to showcase our capabilities towards one of the best on the planet on dwelling soil. That’s essential.”
This sense was echoed by Smurfit boss Rick Lister, who fears not competing will make it more durable to enchantment to potential sponsors. “It’s the largest race we did this 12 months and final 12 months,” he mentioned. “That’s the one race within the UK that’s televised now.
“[Without us being there] there’s no incentive for British corporations to leap on the sponsorship bandwagon.”
The possibility of this taking place is slim; nevertheless, as each Lyons and Lister level out, the Tour of Britain Ladies has by no means had a full subject. Various WorldTour groups have skipped the race lately, citing post-Brexit problems in travelling to the UK. This June’s version had 19 groups out of a most of 24.
Robyn Clay (left) will be a part of Picnic PostNL in 2026.
(Picture credit score: Olly Hassell/SWpix)
For the Continental-level riders, races just like the Tour of Britain present a uncommon probability to problem themselves towards the WorldTour squads. This 12 months, 20 British riders from throughout the 5 Continental groups began the race. Two of them have since gone on to signal WorldTour contracts for 2026: Alba’s Lauren Dickson, who’s becoming a member of FDJ-SUEZ, and DAS-Hutchinson’s Robyn Clay, who’s sure for Picnic PostNL.
“I actually liked it this 12 months,” Clay instructed Biking Weekly when requested about her Tour of Britain debut. “I feel I did a good trip there, and that was in all probability one of many issues that helped me get this professional contract, as a result of I may present that I used to be in a position to be up there.”
Chatting with Biking Weekly earlier this 12 months, Clay’s DAS-Hutchinson sports activities director Olly Moors mentioned exposing riders to the highest degree “is what improvement’s about”. It was largely for that reason that the group accepted invites to race the Tour of Flanders, Amstel Gold Race and the Tour de Suisse this 12 months, unaware that their riders won’t be able to do the WorldTour occasions subsequent season.
Now, with no promise of UCI-level racing within the UK, British groups want to occasions elsewhere. Smurfit boss Lister defined he’s within the strategy of renting a home in Belgium so his group can increase their calendar throughout mainland Europe subsequent season. Alba did greater than 70 race days exterior of the UK this 12 months, and plan to do related going forwards.
One choice the groups may pursue to return to the Tour of Britain sooner or later is stepping up a tier to ProTeam standing. Alba hope to do that by 2027, with the principle impediment being the rise in price range necessities. “You’re taking a look at greater than £1.5m, for those who’re going to do it correctly,” mentioned Lyons – greater than seven occasions his group’s present price range.
Lister mentioned Smurfit is “nowhere close to” having the funds to step up.
Smurfit Westrock raced aggressively in breakaways on the 2025 Tour of Britain Ladies.
(Picture credit score: Olly Hassell/SWpix)
Alternatively, race organiser British Biking may drop the occasion down a tier from WorldTour to ProTour, bringing it degree with the Tour of Britain Males, and loosening the entry standards.
Contacted by Biking Weekly about this prospect, a British Biking spokesperson mentioned: “Our dedication is to proceed to develop and develop the Lloyds Tour of Britain, so a downgrade from UCI Ladies’s WorldTour standing shouldn’t be one thing we’re at the moment contemplating, nevertheless we’ll proceed to debate these regulation adjustments and their affect with the UCI to discover how we are able to proceed to assist British riders going forwards.”
And so, for the primary time for the reason that race’s inception because the Ladies’s Tour in 2014, there are prone to be no home groups on the Tour of Britain Ladies in August subsequent 12 months.
“It’s completely ludicrous,” mentioned Lyons. “You take a look at the opposite Conti groups within the UK, maybe not fairly all of them, all of us assist the British biking scene. All of us fly the British flag in what we do, and it’s a little bit of a kick within the tooth to not be capable of trip in that race. Completely, there’s no query about that.”
Nonetheless, he added: “Our calendar doesn’t revolve across the girls’s Tour of Britain… Life goes on, we simply get on and do what we do.”
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