“I didn’t know how good Askey was because it’s not easy to drop somebody” - Tim Wellens seizes Tour of Britain lead with decisive Stage 4 attack
CyclingSaturday, 05 September 2026 at 20:00
Tim Wellens admitted he was unsure whether Lewis Askey could be dropped before launching the attack that transformed the Tour of Britain on Stage 4 and carried him into the overall race lead.
The UAE Team Emirates – XRG rider began the day 12 seconds behind Askey, but the hardest section between Helmsley and Leyburn completely changed the general classification.
After Felix Grossschartner and Benoit Cosnefroy drove the pace, Wellens attacked on the Redmire climb with around 42 kilometres remaining.
He bridged across to Cees Bol, who had survived from the day’s original breakaway, and the pair stayed clear all the way to Leyburn. Bol won the stage in the two-up sprint, with Wellens three seconds behind, while Askey reached the finish 30 seconds after the winner.
“I didn’t know how good Askey was”
Wellens said his own sensations gave him the confidence to attack, although he did not know beforehand whether Askey would be vulnerable when the pressure increased.
“I said at the beginning of the stage that I felt super good, so I had confidence on the climb, but I didn’t know how good Askey was because it’s not easy to drop somebody,” Wellens explained afterwards. “The team went all out when Felix [Grossschartner] and Benoit [Cosnefroy] started pulling.”
The gap Wellens opened on Redmire ultimately proved enough to overturn the GC. His second place also brought six bonus seconds, leaving him firmly in control heading into the final stage.
Wellens wary of hectic final day
Attention now turns to Stage 5 around Earlston, where Wellens will start with a 21-second advantage over Askey. “I’m feeling really good but tomorrow can be hectic,” he said. “Hopefully there are some climbs and maybe in the beginning some rain, I hope the advantage will be enough to keep the green jersey until the end.”
Matteo Trentin remains third overall at 40 seconds, with Jasper Stuyven and Daan Hoole at 42 seconds. The final stage contains rolling terrain but no major late climb, leaving Wellens with a substantial advantage to defend as he targets overall Tour of Britain victory.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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