Welsh rider Stephen Williams clinched the Tour of Britain title, becoming the first homegrown champion since 2016. Williams, riding for Israel-Premier Tech, secured the overall victory with a total time of 21 hours, 25 minutes, and 14 seconds, finishing 16 seconds ahead of Scotland’s Oscar Onley.
Williams’s impressive performance throughout the week, including wins in the second and third stages, set him up perfectly to seal his victory. This win marks Williams’s third title in the past 13 months, highlighting his strong form and consistency.
The final stage, a 158.4 km race from Lowestoft to Felixstowe, was won by Bahrain Victorious’s Matevz Govekar, who excelled in a sprint finish. The Slovenian crossed the line ahead of Denmark’s Rasmus Sojberg Pedersen and Britain’s Ben Swift.
France’s Paul Magnier, who had been aiming to equal the record for winning four individual stages in a single Tour of Britain campaign, saw his ambitions dashed when he crashed with 35 km remaining in the final stage.
Final Stage 6 Results:
1. Matevz Govekar (SLO/TBV) 3h 22min 18sec
2. Rasmus Sojberg Pedersen (DEN/DAT) s.t.
3. Ben Swift (GBR/IGD) s.t.
4. Ethan Vernon (GBR/IPT) s.t.
5. Erlend Blikra (NOR/UXM) s.t.
Overall Standings:
1. Stephen Williams (GBR/IPT) 21h 25min 14sec
2. Oscar Onley (GBR/DFP) +16sec
3. Tom Donnenwirth (FRA/DAT) +36sec
4. Mark Donovan (GBR/Q36) +40sec
5. Joe Blackmore (GBR/IPT) +41sec
Williams’s triumph adds to his growing list of accomplishments and marks a significant moment for British cycling, with fans celebrating the end of the eight-year wait for a home champion in the prestigious race.
