Near-Miss on the Opening Stage of the Tour of Britain Women Raises Safety Concerns

Australian rider Maeve Plouffe (27), racing for the British continental team O’Shea Red Chilli Bikes, reported that she was almost struck by a car while chasing back to the peloton after a puncture on the opening stage of the Tour of Britain Women. The incident occurred on a roundabout in Cumbria while the race convoy was still in sight and Plouffe was less than two minutes behind the main field. She did not finish the stage.

Tour of Britain Women rider almost hit by motorist on race route, claiming “there were cars coming at me from all directions” BBC NewsThe GuardianStage neutralised at Tour of Britain Women due to road traffic accident on route

The near-miss comes only weeks after the death of 19-year-old British rider Finlay Tarling during the eighth stage of the Volta a Portugal, when a van entered the race route and collided with him on a descent. A tribute to Tarling—including a projected photograph and a minute’s applause—was held before the start of the Tour of Britain Women, which featured 114 riders. The tragedy has intensified scrutiny of rider safety on open-road races.

Tour of Britain Women rider almost hit by motorist on race route, claiming “there were cars coming at me from all directions”

• 114 riders participated in the opening stage.

Stage neutralised at Tour of Britain Women due to road traffic accident on route

• Plouffe was less than two minutes behind the peloton when the car approached.

Tour of Britain Women rider almost hit by motorist on race route, claiming “there were cars coming at me from all directions”

• The stage began and ended in Cockermouth; the second stage was later neutralised for about an hour due to an unrelated road-traffic accident.

Stage neutralised at Tour of Britain Women due to road traffic accident on route

• He added that the incident is being reviewed with “seriousness and empathy.”

Tour of Britain Women rider almost hit by motorist on race route, claiming “there were cars coming at me from all directions”

• The race’s organising body issued a statement after the second-stage interruption:

Stage neutralised at Tour of Britain Women due to road traffic accident on route

> “A road traffic accident which happened ahead of the convoy has led to the race [being] neutralised. As a result, the second Queen of the Mountain climb has been cancelled.” — Lloyds Tour of Britain Women “A road traffic accident which happened ahead of the convoy has led to the race [being] neutralised. As a result, the second Queen of the Mountain climb has been cancelled.” — Lloyds Tour, of Britain Women

Stage neutralised at Tour of Britain Women due to road traffic accident on route

• Jonathan Vaughters, general manager of EF Education-EasyPost, criticised comments from Adam Hansen, president of the CPA (the union of professional riders), who suggested that helmet standards needed urgent improvement.

Tour of Britain Women rider almost hit by motorist on race route, claiming “there were cars coming at me from all directions”

Sources agree that a car entered the race route at the roundabout, but it is unclear whether the location was supposed to be blocked by police motorbikes or if the driver ignored signage, as was alleged in the earlier Portuguese incident. No definitive explanation of the road-closure protocol for that specific roundabout has been provided.

Tour of Britain Women rider almost hit by motorist on race route, claiming “there were cars coming at me from all directions”

The incident underscores ongoing safety challenges for professional cycling events that rely on rolling road blocks rather than full road closures. With recent fatalities and near-misses, riders, teams, and governing bodies face pressure to reassess traffic-control measures to prevent further accidents.

Tour of Britain Women rider almost hit by motorist on race route, claiming “there were cars coming at me from all directions”