CYCLING fans will be heading over the county border to Powys this Saturday to catch stage four of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women, which covers 138.3km from Llanidloes to Hay-on-Wye.

Starting at 11am, the route includes the race's toughest climbs and highest total ascent at 2,280m.

Stage 4 of the 2026 Lloyds Tour of Britain Women
Stage 4 of the 2026 Lloyds Tour of Britain Women (Lloyds Tour of Britain)

The route heads through Rhayader and the Elan Valley before tackling the day's biggest climb in the Cambrian Mountains.

Rolling roads continue through Nantmel, Crossgates, Bleddfa and Knighton before the finish in the famous literary town of Hay-on-Wye, which riders are expected to reach just before 3pm.

With relentless climbing throughout, this stage could prove decisive in the fight for the overall title.

It comes just a year after the men’s race circuited Monmouthshire in the penultimate stage, taking in Usk, Chepstow, Monmouth, Abergavenny and the Blorenge’s legendary Tumble, with Welsh 2018 Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas among the field in his last ever race.

Thomas was welcomed into his home city of Cardiff at the end of the final stage the following day by tens of thousands of fans.

Welsh riders in the women’s race this year will also be racing alongside some of the sports biggest names, who include Belgian 2024 winner and two-time world champion, Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx - Protime).

Locals include British champion Zoe Backstedt, 21, from Pontyclun, who has just finished the Tour de France (TdF) Femmes in her debut appearance, and her elder sister, Elynor Backstedt, with their father Magnus also taking on a sport director role for Human Powered Health.

And fresh from two Commonwealth Games gold medals for Wales in Glasgow, Cardiff-born Anna Morris will also be looking to make her mark, while Lucy Lee completes the Welsh contingent.

Kim Le Court of Mauritius won Friday’s 104km stage three from Mold to Llandudno’s Great Orme to take the overall leader's green jersey.

She finished 13 seconds ahead of Germany's Liane Lippert, who sits 26 seconds behind her in second overall, followed by the Netherlands' Lorena Wiebes in third, 35 seconds behind.