Australian cyclist Maeve Plouffe has said she narrowly escaped being hit by a car during the opening stage of the Tour of Britain Women, an incident she described on social media after chasing back to the peloton following a puncture. The race continued into stage two on 20 August 2026, where the Netherlands' Lorena Wiebes defended her overall leader's green jersey with a dominant sprint finish into Blackpool.
Plouffe, 27, rides for the British continental team O'Shea Red Chilli Bikes. She said the near-miss happened on a roundabout while she was trying to rejoin the main group after her puncture, with the official race convoy still visible ahead of her.
While the race convoy was still in sight, and I was less than two minutes down, there were cars from the general public coming at me from all directions, including one that nearly hit me on a roundabout.
Later on, the moto escort was wonderful and I felt much safer. But considering the recent devastating events in our cycling community, it's scary to see situations like this, when we know that this can have horrific consequences, especially so soon after suffering such a tragedy.
Why is Plouffe's comment being linked to a recent tragedy?
Plouffe was referring to the death of 19-year-old Welsh rider Finlay Tarling, who was killed during a high-speed crash involving a van that had strayed onto the course during the eighth stage of the Volta a Portugal. As our earlier coverage of Tarling's death detailed, the race was neutralised and the podium ceremony was cancelled out of respect following the crash on 14 August 2026.
Before the Tour of Britain Women got underway, organisers held a tribute to Tarling, projecting his photograph onto a large screen while all 114 riders and spectators joined in a minute's applause. Wiebes went on to win that opening stage in Cockermouth, a result covered in our report on the tribute and stage-one victory, which also noted riders calling for safer racing conditions in the wake of Tarling's death.
Tarling's older brother, Josh Tarling, rides for Netcompany Ineos. The team confirmed on 20 August 2026 that Josh would race the Vuelta a España, a three-week Grand Tour beginning 22 August, just days after his brother's death — a decision detailed in our coverage of his selection for the Vuelta, in which the team said it was backing his choice to compete.
How have organisers responded to Plouffe's safety concerns?
Jonathan Day, events director of British Cycling Ventures — the commercial arm of British Cycling that organises the Tour of Britain Women — issued a statement addressing Plouffe's account.
We note Maeve Plouffe's comments about her experience during yesterday's race, and we're taking these extremely seriously.
Rider safety is paramount and will always be treated as a priority in our planning and how we operate any race.
We're reviewing what happened with Maeve and her team O'Shea Red Chilli Bikes with the seriousness and empathy these comments demand.
We recognise this comes at an especially difficult time for the cycling community, so we want to reassure all riders, teams and fans of the sport at this time of how serious we are treating these comments.
What happened during stage two of the race?
Stage two covered 110.5km from Clitheroe to Blackpool, a route that, according to a cycling industry publication's coverage of the route, front-loaded more than 1,000 metres of early climbing before flattening into the finish. Wet conditions added to the difficulty, and the peloton was forced to divert after lorries blocked part of the course. The stage was also halted temporarily so emergency service vehicles could respond to a separate road accident.
Numerous attacks broke up the race throughout the day, and a crash in the closing stages involved Britons Anna Morris and Katie Scott alongside Australia's Georgia Baker. All three riders were able to remount and continue.
Wiebes ultimately proved untouchable in the sprint, launching with 250 metres remaining and crossing the line several lengths clear of Canada's Maggie Coles-Lyster of Human Powered Health and Mauritius' Kim Le Court of AG Insurance-Soudal. Wiebes now holds a 14-second overall lead over Italy's Chiara Consonni of Canyon-Sram in the general classification.
Sprint finishes of this kind hinge on lead-out tactics, with teams of domestiques riding ahead of their sprinter to shield them from the wind, preserve energy and secure road position while blocking rival interference. Timing remains critical, however, and a mistimed lead-out can just as easily hand the advantage to a competing team's sprinter.
What happens next in the race?
Stage three was scheduled for Friday 21 August 2026, running 104.7km from Mold to a summit finish on the Great Orme in Llandudno, with a total of 1,927 metres of climbing across the route, according to the same route breakdown. The stage's decisive test comes on the final 2.5km climb, which averages a 6.1% gradient but steepens to roughly 15% at its toughest sections, per the report.
The stage marks the first time Mold has hosted a start for the Tour of Britain Women, according to a specialist cycling news outlet's coverage of the route announcement. Wales is set to host both stage three and stage four, with the latter running from Llanidloes to Hay-on-Wye on Saturday 22 August 2026, according to a local council's news release confirming the route.
Key Facts
- Maeve Plouffe says she was nearly hit by a car while chasing back to the peloton after a puncture during stage one.
- Lorena Wiebes won stage two into Blackpool and leads the general classification by 14 seconds over Chiara Consonni.
- Stage two was disrupted by lorries blocking the route and a temporary halt for an emergency vehicle response.
- British Cycling Ventures says it is reviewing Plouffe's account with her team, O'Shea Red Chilli Bikes.
- Stage three finishes atop the Great Orme on 21 August 2026, followed by stage four from Llanidloes to Hay-on-Wye on 22 August.
