Results Tour of Britain Women 2026 Stage 2 - Lorena Wiebes goes back-to-back in Blackpool after car accident stoppage and torrential rain
CyclingThursday, 20 August 2026 at 16:49
Lorena Wiebes powered to her second victory in as many days at the 2026 Tour of Britain Women, winning a rain-soaked sprint in Blackpool after stage 2 had earlier been brought to a complete standstill by a car accident ahead of the race.
The SD Worx-Protime sprinter launched inside the final 100 metres and beat Maggie Coles-Lyster into second place, with Kim Le Court-Pienaar completing the podium. Wiebes also retained and strengthened her position at the top of the general classification following another complicated day in Lancashire.
Car accident brings race to a standstill
The 110.5km stage from Clitheroe began with the classified ascents of Waddington Fell and Nick o’ Pendle before a considerably flatter second half towards the Blackpool seafront.
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Katrine Aalerud made the first significant attack and established an advantage of approximately 30 seconds, but the race was then interrupted when officials stopped both the Norwegian and the peloton.
Race communications reported that a car accident had occurred further along the course. There was no indication that any riders, team vehicles or members of the race convoy were involved, while no further information about the circumstances of the collision was immediately available.
The stoppage left the riders standing in cold and persistent rain before racing was eventually allowed to resume. Aalerud initially continued ahead of the peloton, but her slender advantage was soon erased once the pursuit restarted.
Several further attacks followed as teams attempted to disrupt the expected sprint, although none succeeded in creating lasting separation on the increasingly flat roads towards Blackpool.
Gissinger caught before Wiebes delivers again
Oda Aune Gissinger launched the most dangerous late move with approximately 27km remaining. The 19-year-old opened a small advantage as an intense localised shower poured down on the race, bringing the heaviest rain of an already cold and uncomfortable afternoon.
Daniela Hezinova briefly chased alone between Gissinger and the peloton, but the Team Picnic PostNL rider was caught with 11km remaining. Gissinger continued her effort at the head of the race as Human Powered Health contributed to the pursuit behind.
Her resistance finally ended with approximately 4.5km to go. UAE Team L'IMAD then helped drive the peloton towards Blackpool before Lotte Kopecky moved to the front for SD Worx-Protime just outside the final kilometre.
FDJ United-Suez also contributed to the pace as the sprint trains fought for position, but Wiebes remained protected for the decisive moment. The race leader waited until inside the final 100 metres before accelerating clear to secure the 135th victory of her career.
Coles-Lyster produced an impressive sprint to take second for Human Powered Health, while Le Court-Pienaar claimed third for AG Insurance-Soudal.
Wiebes had started the day four seconds clear in the general classification after defeating Chiara Consonni and Josie Nelson from a reduced 32-rider group in Cockermouth. Her second consecutive stage victory ensured she would carry an increased advantage into Friday’s much hillier stage from Mold to Llandudno.
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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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