Eighteen teams will take to the start line of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women this June, as the largest field in the event’s history has today been announced.

Twelve UCI Women’s WorldTour teams headline the entry for the UCI Women’s WorldTour event, which gets underway from Dalby Forest in North Yorkshire on Thursday 5 June and will comprise a 108-rider field.

Defending champions and the world’s number one ranked squad Team SD Worx – Protime, who won the 2024 race with Lotte Kopecky, headline the entry list, alongside the Team Picnic PostNL team of British champion Pfeiffer Georgi, and the Lidl - Trek team of last year’s runner up Anna Henderson and former winner Lizzie Deignan.

In total thirteen of the world’s top fifteen ranked teams, according to the latest UCI world rankings (22nd April) will be participating, and racing through communities across the Tees Valley and North Yorkshire, the Scottish Borders, and Glasgow.

Home interest for fans will be provided by all five British registered UCI Continental teams, CJ O’Shea Racing; DAS – Hutchinson; Handsling Alba Development Road Team; Hess Cycling Team; and the Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team.

The EF Education – Oatly squad and AG Insurance – Soudal Team both make their debuts in the race, while for Team SD Worx – Protime and Liv AlUla Jayco they will continue their record of having competed in every edition of the race since 2014.

In total teams from ten different countries will take part in the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women. The full list of teams is:

UCI Women’s WorldTeams: AG Insurance – Soudal Team (Belgium); Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto (Germany); CERATIZIT Pro Cycling Team (Germany); FDJ – SUEZ (France); Lidl-Trek (USA); Liv AlUla Jayco (Australia); Movistar Team (Spain); Team Picnic PostNL (Netherlands); Team SD Worx - Protime (Netherlands); Team Visma | Lease a Bike (Netherlands); UAE Team ADQ (UAE); and Uno-X Mobility (Norway)

UCI Women’s ProTeams: EF Education – Oatly (USA);

UCI Continental Teams: CJ O’Shea Racing (Great Britain); DAS – Hutchinson (Great Britain); Handsling Alba Development Road Team (Great Britain); Hess Cycling Team (Great Britain); and Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team (Great Britain)

Commenting on the line-up of teams, Jonathan Day, Managing Director of British Cycling Events, said; “This year’s incredible line-up of teams is testament to the hard work that has gone into the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women over the past 18 months and shows the huge support that the race has from UCI teams outside of the UK.

“We are thrilled to have such a great line-up of UCI Women’s WorldTour teams coming to the event, showing the appeal of racing in Britain in front of the amazing crowds we attract, while at the same time it will be fantastic to once again see all our British registered women’s UCI Continental teams racing in a prestigious event on home roads.”

Speaking about their upcoming participation in the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women, 2024 final stage winner Ruby Roseman-Gannon, of the Liv AlUla Jayco team, said: "I’m really looking forward to returning to the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women this season. It was one of my favourite races last year, particularly because I won stage four – my first WorldTour win.

“It is one of the most well-respected races on the calendar due to its long-term support of women's cycling and our team has attended every edition since its inception in 2014. I'm super excited for this year's edition because I think it really suits our team attributes, the racing is exciting, and the roadside support is really impressive.”

Lizzie Holden of UAE Team ADQ, who hails from the Isle of Man, and has ridden the race on three previous occasions, said: "The Lloyds Tour of Britain Women is one of the races I look forward to the most. I haven’t raced at the Tour since 2022, so I’m looking forward to returning with UAE Team ADQ.

“It’s a chance to race in front of some of the most passionate crowds on almost “home” roads. British races are notoriously hard, with leg sapping road surfaces, undulating terrain and potentially terrible weather conditions, which is a perfect recipe for aggressive and exciting racing. I really enjoy this style of racing and I know as a team, we will show up with purpose, race aggressively and put on an amazing show for all the fans. We want to leave our mark and inspire the current and next generation of British cyclists."

Her Welsh UAE Team ADQ teammate Elynor Bäckstedt, who has raced in the past two editions, added; “I am super excited to be back racing in the UK. It is always one of the nicest races of the year, because my family can come and watch and the crowds are amazing. The UK crowds are incredible, seeing all the kids come out from schools to watch are so special.

“For us as a team it’ll be super important, the course is varied so there is an opportunity for everyone, and it will be a great race for us to do and showcase to the world what the UK has to offer.”

Lining up for their second Lloyds Tour of Britain Women, and providing the chance to race on home roads in Scotland, will be the Handsling Alba Development Road Team, with Team Manager Bob Lyons commenting; “The Lloyds Tour of Britain Women is an extremely important race for us, as it is the only WorldTour race on our calendar on home soil and the only chance to really showcase the team in the UK.  

“We spend an incredible amount of time overseas during the season, so it is a great opportunity for our UK based sponsors and supporters to be involved and see the team racing.  The race is even more special to us this year, given we are a Scottish based team, as we will have two stages in Scotland.  It is very exciting to be able to race in front of a home crowd on roads familiar to the team, riders and followers.”

The Lloyds Tour of Britain Women gets underway in the Tees Valley and North Yorkshire on Thursday 5 June, with a stage between Dalby Forest and Redcar across the North York Moors National Park, before the second stage from Hartlepool ends with an uphill finish at Saltburn-by-the-Sea.

The race concludes with a pair of stages in Scotland, the first in the Scottish Borders, starting and finishing in Kelso, before the final stage in Glasgow on Sunday 8 June.

Further announcements, including the detailed routes for the four stages, and the identities of competing riders in the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women, will be announced in the coming weeks in the build-up to the event.