Tim Wellens conquers the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men 2026

Tim Wellens takes the overall title at the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men 2026Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates XRG) has won the final general classification of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men 2026, which concluded today with the final stage in Glasgow. The Belgian, who started the day in the leader's jersey after Sunday's queen stage, controlled the attacks of his chasers without any trouble, crossing the line in the main group and preserving a margin of 42 seconds over Lewis Askey (NSN Cycling Team).The British race, eight days long and characterised by a nervous route with constant ups and downs, rewarded Wellens' consistency, as he did not win any stage but managed to accumulate precious seconds in the hilly stages and reduced bunch sprints. The 35-year-old from Hasselt, already a stage winner at the Giro and the Vuelta, built his victory in the third stage with a finish in Barnsley, where he attacked 15 km from the line to gain 20 seconds on his main rivals, and in the fifth stage raced in wind and rain, where he finished third behind Askey and Stuyven.The final classification saw Askey confirmed in second place at 42 seconds, thanks to a generous performance and two top placings. Third place went to Jasper Stuyven (Soudal Quick-Step) at 1:03, who tried on several occasions to reopen the race but never found the necessary support. Fourth was Daan Hoole (Decathlon Cma Cgm Team) at 1:03, fifth Rick Pluimers (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) at 1:15.For UAE Team Emirates XRG this is an important success in a season already rich in results, confirming the depth of the roster even in one-week races. Wellens said at the end of the stage: "We knew the team was strong, we controlled the race intelligently. Every day there was a risk, but the guys did a perfect job. This victory means a lot to me and to the team."The British race thus confirms itself as an ideal testing ground for experienced and complete riders, capable of handling the pitfalls of the course and the variable weather conditions. Wellens' next appointment will be the Giro di Lombardia, where he will try to complete an already high-level season.