Full Breakdown
Lorena Wiebes Claims Third Stage Victory as Kim Le Court Holds Tour Lead
8/22/2026, 9:54:19 PM
Stage Four: Sprint Finish in Hay-on-Wye
On the fourth day of the 2026 Lloyd’s Tour of Britain Women, a 138-km route from Llanidloes to Hay-on-Wye featured two climbs in the final 30 km, a crash on the penultimate ascent, and a flat run-in to the finish. Dutch rider Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-ProTime) won the sprint in 3 h 41 min 13 s, edging out Liane Lippert (Movistar) and race-leader Kim Le Court-Pienaar (AG Insurance-Soudal). The result leaves Le Court-Pienaar in the overall lead with one stage remaining.
Background: Lead Changes Over the First Three Stages
Wiebes won the first two stages and wore the green points jersey. Stage 3’s hill-top finish on the Great Orme saw Kim Le Court-Pienaar attack on the final climb, finishing 13 s ahead of Lippert and taking the GC lead from Wiebes, with a 26-second advantage over Lippert and 35 seconds over Wiebes. The stage also saw a provisional suspension for South African rider S’annara Grove after an adverse analytical finding on a sample collected on July 28.
Data & Statistics
- Stage 4 distance: 138 km.
- Winning time: 3 h 41 min 13 s (Wiebes).
- Time gaps at the line: Lippert + 4 s, Le Court-Pienaar + 8 s.
- GC after Stage 4: Le Court-Pienaar leads Lippert by 26 s and Wiebes by 35 s.
- Queen of the Mountains leader: Lauren Dickson (FDJ United-SUEZ).
Official Statements & Responses
Le Court-Pienaar emphasized caution after her stage-three victory, noting past crashes had taught her to keep a level head. Wiebes described her Stage 4 win as a continuation of a “successful Tour of Britain” and said she still needed a few more seconds to stay in GC contention. Team director Christian Kos praised the coordinated effort of the SD Worx squad, calling the performance “perfect teamwork.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “You can never be too confident,” — Le Court
- “Lotte [Kopecky] brought Mischa [Bredewold] and me perfectly into the final corner with around 500 metres to go,” — Lorena Wiebes
- “ Her sports director Christian Kos said: "Perfect teamwork today, and we’re very happy with the result.” — Christian Kos
Impact and What’s Next
Le Court-Pienaar enters the final day in Royal Leamington Spa with a modest lead, but the flat 123.8-km finale offers Wiebes a chance to close the gap in a sprint. The last stage will decide the overall winner and finalize the points, young rider and mountains classifications.
