The eleventh edition of the British stage race got underway with a 159-kilometer stage starting and finishing in Cockermouth. After a relatively flat opening section, a hilly finale awaited. Early in the race, Lieke Nooijen was involved in a crash. The Dutch national champion was forced to abandon the race and was taken to the hospital for further examination.  

An early solo move by Leila Gschwentner was quickly neutralized by the peloton. Not long afterward, Audrey De Keersmaeker tried to go clear on her own, but she was also caught. A complete peloton entered the hilly finale.  

Despite several attacks, no new breakaway was able to form. A significantly reduced peloton, with a strong De Vries and Oudeman, speeded toward the finish. Wiebes was clearly the strongest in the sprint, taking the first stage victory.  

“The stage started very hectic,” De Vries said afterward. “It was difficult to stay together as a team, but I was able to position myself well thanks to my teammates. In the finale, Maud and I were able to follow the accelerations well. It took me a while to find my rhythm in the race, but in the end, I’m definitely happy with how I started this race. I can head into the next stages with confidence.”