Find the answers to your frequently asked questions regarding the Lloyds Tour of Britain here.
What is the Lloyds Tour of Britain?
The Lloyds Tour of Britain is the largest free-to-attend sporting spectacle in the UK and Britain’s most prestigious bike races, delivered under the mantel of two races, one Tour of Britain.
Both races attract the world’s top teams and riders to race in Britain, such as thoseyou’d expect to see competing in the Tour de France or Tour de France Femmes.
When is it taking place?
The Lloyds Tour of Britain Women takes place annually in June. In 2025 the race will be between Thursday 5 and Sunday 8 June.
The Lloyds Tour of Britain Men takes place every year in September. In 2025 the race will be between Tuesday 2 and Sunday 7 September.
What can I expect?
An incredible spectacle, one that mixes fast-paced action with a family friendly atmosphere, not to mention over 100 of the world’s best riders thrown in for good measure! Expect to see fierce competition as the coveted leaders’ jersey is fought for across multiple days of action-packed racing in each event.
How much does it cost to watch?
Nothing - it’s absolutely free! From start to finish the route is completely free of charge for spectators wishing to see the world’s best cyclists in action racing through the best scenery in Britain.
Will the route be the same every year?
No. As the races between them are only ten days long currently, we endeavour to visit as much of Great Britain as we possibly can. This is also why we attempt to take the race into new towns, cities and areas each year, while at the same time returning to certain areas that have previously welcomed the event enthusiastically.
What time does each stage start and finish?
The start time for each stage differs but traditionally they begin between 10 and 11am, and finish mid-afternoon (often between 2 and 3pm).
Exact start and approximate finish times for each stage will be listed on each day’s timetable, located on the relevant stage page of the website and available closer to the event.
How will I know when the race is passing through?
Although there is no way of guaranteeing when the race will be passing a particular point we do produce a place-by-place guide of where the riders are likely to be along each stage according to a slow, normal and fast pace. This is just an estimation and can be thrown off by extreme weather conditions or a crash, for example. As the race approaches the ETAs will be published on each individual stage page.
Where is the best place to watch the race?
There are a host of places along each day’s route that offer a great spot to watch the race from, as the cities, towns or villages the riders pass through get into the spirit of the event.
Particularly good vantage points are the categorised Mountains locations and intermediate Sprints, as crowds line the roads to see the riders race to the line to pick up invaluable points as they go in search of one of the race’s jerseys. All the designated Mountains and Sprints are clearly marked on each stage map.
Any spectator making their way to the start or finish of any stage will have the chance to get up close and personal with some of the biggest stars the sport has to offer – we’d recommend bringing a pen or two for autographs!
Who will be riding?
The Lloyds Tour of Britain attracts the world’s top teams and riders, with World, Olympic and Commonwealth champions lining up alongside Tour de France or Tour de France Femmes winners and the sport’s biggest names.
Recent winners of the Lloyds Tour of Britain include Wout van Aert, Mathieu van der Poel, Julian Alaphilippe, Lotte Kopecky, Demi Vollering, and Lizzie Deignan, showing the top-class riders you can expect to see racing.
The full rider line-up will be announced a few weeks before race begins, following which we will take an in-depth look at each squad on our dedicated team’s page.
For the very latest team and rider news, follow the Lloyds Tour of Britain on Instagram, X and Facebook.
Can I meet the riders?
Absolutely! Visiting the start of any stage will present an opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the biggest stars the sport has to offer. The paddock of team buses allows access that no other sport offers, enabling fans to collect autographs as the riders warm up. This experience gives supporters a great insight into the life of a professional athlete, in particular the level of preparation that goes into their sport. There’s no better way to cap a great day of sporting action!
What entertainment can be found at a stage start or finish?
Our Fan Zone be found at the finish of each stage, allowing fans to meet all the Lloyds Tour of Britain’s partners, plus many more from our host venues. In addition to interactive experiences, there will be plenty of goodies and freebies given out, as well as great competitions offering some stunning prizes! It’s a great way of keeping entertained while you wait for the riders to start or arrive.
Each finish Tour Village also features a big screen, allowing fans to keep up-to-date with all the race action as the peloton makes its way to the line.
Will there be a big screen?
Yes. Where possible, our stage finishes will have a big screen showing live coverage of the race in the Fan Zone. However, this is subject to change depending on the nature of the finish location.
Can I watch on television?
Yes. Both races are broadcast live. Please check the latest news as the event approaches for full details, including where and when to watch the Lloyds Tour of Britain.
How can I get involved?
There are plenty of ways to get involved in Britain’s premier cycling race! We organise our own team of dedicated volunteers who are crucial to the smooth running of the Lloyds Tour of Britain and become the eyes and ears of the race organisers. Find out more information and register your interest by clicking here.
Alternatively, get in touch with your local council to speak to them directly about the range of events that will be going on around the race. To keep up-to-date with all the activity around the Lloyds Tour of Britain sign up to our newsletter here.
What are the benefits of the Lloyds Tour of Britain?
In 2024, the Lloyds Tour of Britain delivered a £33.3 million net economic benefit to the UK economy across the ten stages of racing, with most of that impact being in the local areas hosting the race.
Significantly, only spending by attendees from outside the host economy that can be directly attributed to the event was accounted for in the analysis (i.e. those coming to the area specifically for the event) Spending by locals was excluded and therefore figures may underplay the true impact of the races.
For both Tours, more than 85% of respondents said the race shone a positive light on their local area, with 97% of respondents saying they would attend a road cycling event again, citing the superb access of the events, the incredible atmosphere they experienced on the ground across the stages, and the high quality of racing across the Tours.
For a worldwide audience, the picture-postcard effect of the television coverage of the race helps promote the venues hosting the Lloyds Tour of Britain, encouraging inbound tourism.
Will there be road closures?
There will be a small number of road closures involving the surrounding areas of each start and finish location. These closures will be finalised well in advance of the race taking place and published on the stage pages of the website, including how long the roads will be closed for.
In relation to the route between each stage start and finish we operate a ‘rolling road closure’ system. This is where the race route, and junctions with access roads onto the route, are closed while the race passes through. The length of closure of the rolling road block depends upon how dispersed the riders are.
Typically, the lead motorcycle instigating the closure is 15 minutes ahead of the lead rider. The closure then remains in place until all riders and race cars have passed through. The simplest advice is to look at the route of the race and avoid that road for about one hour either side of the predicted time of the race passing through.
Why will roads be closed?
In order to safely deliver a world-class sporting event, we must secure the route and make sure parked vehicles are kept to a minimum. This protects the riders and spectators alike, and will involve road closures and parking restrictions in affected areas.
Road closures are necessary to install equipment such as the finish gantry, protective barriers, deploy stewards and volunteer marshals along the route and to allow for some minor highway works to be carried out – all crucial for the race to take place.
I live on the race route, what can I do to help?
First, it would be fantastic to see you out supporting the race – after all, how many sporting events of this stature and importance go past your front door?
Second, please help us make the Lloyds Tour of Britain as safe as possible for the riders by avoiding parking along the course on the day of the race. Should you have anything of note relating to one of our stages that you wish to inform us of, please get in touch with us.
What arrangements have been made for blue light and critical services vehicles to access roads that are closed?
Planning for the events involves the Police, Fire, Rescue and Ambulance Services and other critical services. Our aim is that any emergency situation will be dealt with quickly and safely; emergencies will be treated in the usual way, and the safety of residents and visitors will be considered a priority.
What access will there be for local businesses and/or people working in the start or finish venues?
Because of the large footfall at start and finish locations, together with our local authority partners we do our utmost to ensure that local businesses can continue trading as usual and capitalise on the interest in the race. In particular, those business who proactively welcome the race’s visit to their local area experience the best trade.
How do I find my local cycling group?
British Cycling’s Let’s Ride is a great way of finding a local ride that suits your ability, confidence and fitness level. Find out more by visiting letsride.co.uk.
