Tour de France Femmes stars Lorena Wiebes and Kim Le Court-Pienaar will be amongst some big names starting next week's Tour of Britain Women (August 19-23), the race organisers confirmed on Friday morning.
Le Court-Pienaar heads to Britain on the back of a stage victory at the recent Tour de France, the AG Insurance-Soudal rider sprinting from the breakaway to win stage 6, into Tournon-sur-Rhône.
SD Worx-Protime rider Wiebes was also successful in France, winning the two opening stages, wearing the yellow jersey for two days and winning the points classification green jersey. She will be joined by teammate and former double World Champion Lotte Kopecky who is sure to be looking for a second general classification win after taking the 2024 title.
Last year’s overall winner Ally Wollaston will also be present, the New Zealander leading a strong FDJ United-Suez squad, which includes their Scottish climber, Lauren Dickson among their number.
Wollaston is coming off the back of a strong performance on the track at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and will be a contender for the flatter stages.
Le Court-Pienaar won the opening stage of last year’s Tour of Britain, but was forced to abandon after crashing on stage 3 and has a score to settle with the race.
"I'm looking forward to racing the Tour of Britain again," she said. "Last year was a mix of emotions for me personally, so I'm looking forward to coming back and making this edition a good one from start to finish."
With the form she showed in France and her abilities on shorter punchy climbs, the Mauritian champion is certainly one of the favourites for the general classification.
The Tour of Britain Women begins in Cockermouth, Cumbria in England’s far north-west on Wednesday, August 19, and concludes in Royal Leamington Spa on Sunday, August 23.
After what’s likely to be a sprint day on the Lancashire coast, two stages in Wales are most likely to decide the general classification, with stage 3 finishing on the climb of The Great Orme, before tackling the hills of mid-Wales the following day.
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