British Cycling today announced that all six British UCI Continental teams have been confirmed for the inaugural Tour of Britain Women, set to take place from Thursday, 6th June to Sunday, 9th June. The tour will begin in Welshpool, Wales and conclude in Leigh, Greater Manchester.
The line-up of British UCI Continental teams includes Alba Development Road Team, DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK, Doltcini-O’Shea, Hess Cycling Team, Lifeplus-Wahoo, and Pro-Noctis – 200ยฐ Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting. Jonathan Day, Managing Director of British Cycling Events, shared his enthusiasm, stating, โWe are delighted to be able to announce that all six British UCI Continental teams are the first to be confirmed for the 2024 Tour of Britain Women. Itโs great that the British-based UCI Continental teams have got the opportunity to race in such a prestigious event on home soil.โ
Lifeplus-Wahoo, Doltcini-O’Shea, and DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK are returning to the Tour of Britain Women, with a history of strong performances. Alice Barnes (now Alice Wood), a British rider for Lifeplus Wahoo, finished sixth in the General Classification of the 2017 Women’s Tour. Beckie Storrie from DAS-Hutchinson-Brother secured a podium finish as the Best British Rider in the 2022 Women’s Tour before moving to WorldTour Team DSM Firmenich PostNL.
Both Alba Road Development Team and Pro-Noctis – 200ยฐ Coffee – Hargreaves Contracting have transitioned to UCI Continental status this season, further enriching the competitive field. Hess Cycling Team, now holding a British UCI Continental licence, will also join the ranks of talented teams in the 2024 domestic circuit.
Lifeplus Wahoo has shown dominance in the National Road Series, winning both the CiCLE Classic and the Rapha Lincoln Grand Prix. Alba Development Road Team achieved second-place finishes at both the CiCLE Classic and the Women’s East Cleveland Classic, with Hess securing third in East Cleveland.
The 2024 Tour of Britain Women will feature four stages:
- Stage 1 (Thursday 6 June 2024): Welshpool to Llandudno
- Stage 2 (Friday 7 June 2024): Wrexham
- Stage 3 (Saturday 8 June 2024): Warrington
- Stage 4 (Sunday 9 June 2024): Greater Manchester: National Cycling Centre to Leigh
The routes for all four stages have been released now, and further team announcements will be made in due course. Jonathan Day expressed his confidence in the excitement these teams will bring, adding, “Weโve seen first-hand how exciting these teams are to watch and know that fans can expect a real spectacle next month.โ
Main photo credit: Phil Metcalfe