Free Lloyds Tour of Britain brings local rider home to Lincolnshire

The Lloyds Tour of Britain Men will open in Lincolnshire on Wednesday 2 September 2026, followed by a second county stage on Thursday 3 September. Lincoln, Boston and Skegness are the key locations, and the free-to-attend spectator event is open to the general public.

Lincolnshire County Council confirmed the dates and routes in an event preview published on 27 August. The opening stages will carry added local interest because Stamford rider Jacob Bush, 21, is making his Tour of Britain debut with the six-rider Great Britain Cycling Team.

Two stages connect Lincoln, Boston and Skegness

Bush expects both stages to present distinct challenges. Michaelgate has long featured in domestic cycling, while he believes the opening section of the Boston-to-Skegness stage could be difficult because riders cannot underestimate the Lincolnshire Wolds.

The Lincolnshire stages begin a five-stage race. The Tour will subsequently travel from Hull to Beverley and from Helmsley to Leyburn before a final stage that starts and finishes in Earlston in the Scottish Borders.

People following the wider British racing calendar can also look back at the free Tour of Britain Women stage in Lancashire, another 2026 event built around public roadside viewing.

Jacob Bush joins an experienced British squad

Bush enters his home race after taking silver at the 2026 national criterium championships and placing in the top five at the under-23 national road race championships. He usually competes for the development team of WorldTour outfit Picnic PostNL.

His Great Britain teammates include Commonwealth Games champion Matt Bostock and Olympic medallist Ollie Wood, alongside Ben Wiggins, Elliot Rowe and William Smith. The field will also contain established international professionals, including Tour de France stage winners Olav Kooij and Tim Merlier.

The selection gives Bush an opportunity to race in front of family, friends and local cycling supporters on the roads where the first two stages matter most to him. It will be his first Tour of Britain appearance, although he previously represented the Great Britain Cycling Team at the 2023 UCI Junior World Championships.

Check route and travel updates before setting out

The confirmed spectator price is free, but the supplied event information does not specify start or finish times, exact venue addresses, a booking requirement or accessibility arrangements. Spectators should therefore check the county’s Tour of Britain information page before travelling rather than relying on an assumed arrival time or viewing point.

That official event page is the stated source for route maps, road closures, travel information, spectator advice and subsequent updates for both Lincolnshire stages.

Source: Lincolnshire County Council