Get your banners and cowbells ready – the world’s best cyclists are heading our way.
The full route for the 2026 Lloyds Tour of Britain Men has just been revealed, and North Yorkshire is officially set to host the toughest, most dramatic day of the entire race.
On Saturday, 5 September, the race will battle it out across 106 miles of punishing terrain, packing in 8,000 feet of climbing.
Organisers have tipped this North Yorkshire leg to be the pivotal day that decides the overall winner of the whole tour.
Where can you see the race?
The North Yorkshire stage (Stage Four) kicks off in Helmsley, right on the edge of the North York Moors.
From there, the riders will sprint through Easingwold and Boroughbridge, before flying through the cathedral city of Ripon.
Then, the real pain begins for the cyclists – and the best viewing starts for the fans. The route heads straight into the heart of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, tackling some legendary, leg-burning climbs:
- Greenhow Bank: A brutal 2.5 mile climb out of Pateley Bridge with a 7.2% average gradient.
- Kidstones: A spectacular climb that featured in the 2014 Tour de France, hitting maximum gradients of 12.6%.
- Greets Moss & Grinton Moor: Two rapid-fire climbs tackled in quick succession after the riders pass the iconic Aysgarth Falls.
The epic stage will come to a thrilling end in Leyburn, which is hosting a Tour of Britain finish line for the very first time.
‘A memorable spectacle’
The five-day race, which covers nearly 559 miles in total, starts in Lincolnshire on 2 September before moving up through Hull, East Yorkshire, and North Yorkshire, finally finishing in the Scottish Borders.
Because the Tour of Britain is completely free to watch, hundreds of thousands of fans are expected to line the streets up and down the county.
Jonathan Day, director of events for British Cycling Ventures, said: “It is always exciting to reveal the stage routes for the Lloyds Tour of Britain, it’s the news fans have been waiting for, so they can plan the best positions to watch the world’s best riders in the UK.
“The tours are one of the largest free to spectate events in Britain, so we are thrilled to be bringing the men’s route through East and North Yorkshire. The route brings unique challenges to the riders, while delivering a backdrop which shows the best of Britain.”
The race will face five stages in total, with the final crown being handed out in Earlston on Sunday, 6 September.
Organisers have promised that the routes for the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women will be announced very soon. To see the full maps and details of the men’s stages, head over to the official Tour of Britain website.
