The Lloyds Tour of Britain Men is by some distance the biggest bike race in the UK for male cyclists and is well respected on the world stage too. As such, it is always able to attract a field with at least a smattering of big-name riders, with many warming up for the World Championships.
This year does not buck that trend; in fact, with Geraint Thomas riding his last ever pro race, his presence alone is likely to bring out huge numbers of fans to the roadside. But there is also double Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel, former world champ Julian Alaphilippe and more. You can discover the whole start list here, as well as our guide to the race route.
Geraint Thomas
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Ineos Grenadiers, GBr, 39
Previous ToB starts: 9
It will not be news to many British bike racing fans that Geraint Thomas has had a long (and illustrious) career. But what might raise eyebrows is the fact that he first rode the Tour of Britain a full 20 years ago, back in 2005.
Aged just 19 at that point, he would have scarcely been able to imagine the career that lay ahead, complete with Olympic golds and a Tour de France victory.
Now 39, Thomas can still turn in a handy ride, but is more likely to be riding in service of a teammate for this edition, which will nevertheless honour his career on the final stage, with a start at the velodrome named after him in Newport and a finish in his home city of Cardiff.
That day will mark his final race as a pro and Cardiff will effectively see him retire. The dry eyes will be in the minority that day.
Remco Evenepoel
Soudal Quick-Step, Bel, 25
Previous ToB starts: 1
In his first ToB participation last year Remco Evenepoel was one of the most feted riders on the start list. All eyes were on him as he suffered through the British weather to finish a disappointed 28th on GC and without a sniff of success in his post Olympic hangover.
Once again he is likely to be one of the most anticipated riders at the British tour; less might be expected of him this year though, given his season so far has been far from the glory-fest of summer 2024, where he was third at the Tour de France and scored an Olympic double.
However, the Belgian will still theoretically be one of the strongest riders, and having pulled out of the Tour will be keen to get some preparation in for the Kigali Worlds at the end of September.
It will also likely be one of the final times he races in a Soudal Quick-Step jersey, before departing for Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe next season.
Oscar Onley
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Picnic PostNL, GBr, 22
Previous ToB starts: 2
How else do you mark fourth place at the Tour de France? That’s right, by racing across England and Wales at the Tour of Britain. Oscar Onley became just the second Scot to finish in the top five overall at the Tour last month, after Philippa York, and will surely be greeted by an appreciative public over the six days of this race.
However, he won’t just be here on some kind of parade, as the man from Kelso finished second last year behind Stevie Williams, and could very well put in that kind of performance again this year, especially with The Tumble coming into play on stage five.
Onley is yet to win a professional stage race overall, so this could very well be his chance, even if he will be well-marked now that the peloton knows he can keep up with Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard. The home favourite.
Julian Alaphilippe
Julian Alaphilippe riding Liege-Bastogne-Liege earlier this year
(Image credit: Zac Williams / SWPix.com)
Tudor Pro Cycling, Fra, 33
Previous ToB starts: 3
The French puncheur returns to the race he once won – back in 2018, when he took a stage win in Bristol and two second places on his way to overall victory.
He also rode in 2021 (he was third overall) and he came back last year too, taking a second place on the hilly stage two, behind eventual winner Stevie Williams.
This year, with new team Tudor Pro Cycling, Alaphilippe says he has “rediscovered the joy of racing” that always seemed to mark him out in his best years.
He has been relatively quiet this year, but in the low-pressure environment of the Tour of Britain – and one that he knows well – perhaps we will see him show that spark again, he is after all, only 33. A stage win is certainly not beyond his reach, with The Tumble finish on the penultimate day likely to offer a potential opportunity.
Olav Kooij
Visma-Lease a Bike, Ned, 23
Previous ToB starts: 1
Olav Kooij is a sprinter, so you would expect him to be counted out of a list of overall contenders for the Tour of Britain. Last time he was at the race, however, he won half the stages – four of eight back then. He might still have finished 48th overall, but on that kind of record, he can’t be counted against.
There will be at least three sprint stages on the road from Suffolk to Cardiff, and expect Kooij to be in the conversation for every single one of them. The 23-year-old has won six times this season, including twice at the Giro d’Italia, and has the speed and the nous to dominate at a race of the Tour of Britain’s level. He’s expected to leave Visma-Lease a Bike for Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale at the end of the year, so think of this as a last hurrah for Kooij at the Dutch team, on roads where he has been successful before.
Tom Donnenwirth
Groupama-FDJ, Fra, 27
Previous ToB starts: 1
A late bloomer, the not-very-French-sounding Tom Donnenwirth joined the WorldTour with Groupama-FDJ this season, aged 27. His signing wouldn’t have been wholly based on his performances at last year’s Tour of Britain, when he was racing for Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Development, but it won’t have hurt that he finished eighth overall.
The man from Aurillac has history at this race, then, and is also in form, taking his first ever professional victory at the Tour de l’Ain in early August, leading home his teammate David Gaudu and Andrea Vendrame of Decathlon in a small bunch sprint. Perhaps Donnenwirth is a Tour of Britain specialist – this year will improve on a small sample size so far.
Other than the Tour de l’Ain, though, this year hasn’t been a barnstorming step up, with top fives at the Muscat Classic and a stage of the Route d’Occitanie the only other notable results.
Others to watch
Tao Geoghegan Hart | Lidl-Trek | GBr | 30
Previous ToB starts: 4
One of two British Grand Tour winners on the start line, alongside Geraint Thomas, Tao Geoghegan Hart hasn’t ridden the Tour of Britain since Team Sky existed. Similar to Thomas, it would be a surprise if the Londoner challenged for the overall, but his climbing skills are well known.
Mark Donovan | Q36.5 Pro Cycling | GBr |26
Previous ToB starts: 4
Fourth last year at the Tour of Britain, Mark Donovan returns to try and go at least one better. He has finished in the top 10 three times, so is a safe bet to do so again in 2025. The man from the Lake District hasn’t won a race this year, but did finish second at Coppi e Bartali.
Andrea Vendrame | Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale | Ita | 31
Previous ToB starts: 0
Andrea Vendrame has never raced the Tour of Britain before, but he is a two-time Giro d’Italia stage winner, so has the ability to perform at the highest level. The Italian won a stage of Tirreno-Adriatico earlier this year, out-sprinting Tom Pidcock in Colfiorito, and he is one to watch on stage four in Warwickshire.
Fred Wright | Bahrain Victorious | GBr | 26
Previous ToB starts: 1
A late announcement for the Tour of Britain, the former British national champion comes to the Tour of Britain after fourth place at the Renewi Tour, a not dissimilar race across Belgium, and is looking to test his late-season legs on home roads.
British riders to watch
(Image credit: Getty Images)
As the only British WorldTour team, Ineos Grenadiers come replete with British talent, beyond Geraint Thomas. There is national champion Sam Watson, who will be seeking to replicate the form he had in Wales in June, as he comes off the back of a first Tour de France. He was a late replacement in the eight-man squad in France for Ben Swift, who will be making his 11th appearance at the Tour of Britain, but has only won a stage once.
The Great Britain squad is replete with up-and-coming talent, including Ben Wiggins and Joshua Golliker, both of whom finished on the podium of the under-23 race at the National Championships in June. Josh Charlton will also ride, primarily a track cyclist, but using the ToB as an opportunity to see how he goes on the road. Matt Bostock, an ever-present rider at domestic road races and crits will relish the chance to sprint against WorldTour opposition. Harrison Wood, previously of Cofidis, now rides for Portuguese team Anicolor-Tien21, and will hope to impress at his home race.
Matthew Brennan of Visma-Lease a Bike is probably the best British rider this year, and could add to his 11 pro wins this season in his own country.
