2025 Lloyds Tour of Britain Women: stage 3 report and results
Cat Ferguson has long looked like the future of British cycling. Today, on the rain-slicked cobbles of Kelso’s market square, the future arrived ahead of schedule. Still just 19 and in her first season with Movistar, the Yorkshire teenager coolly out-kicked Josie Nelson (Picnic-PostNL) and Ally Wollaston (FDJ–Suez) to claim her maiden Women’s WorldTour victory — and, by virtue of the 10-second bonus, the leader’s green jersey. Not since the race’s inception has a stage winner been so young.
Cat Ferguson has long looked like the future of British cycling. Today, on the rain-slicked cobbles of Kelso’s market square, the future arrived ahead of schedule. Still just 19 and in her first season with Movistar, the Yorkshire teenager coolly out-kicked Josie Nelson (Picnic-PostNL) and Ally Wollaston (FDJ–Suez) to claim her maiden Women’s WorldTour victory — and, by virtue of the 10-second bonus, the leader’s green jersey. Not since the race’s inception has a stage winner been so young.
Featured image: Olly Hassell/SWpix.com
Report
The stage around Kelso in the Scottish Borders served up horizontal rain and treacherous roads, turning an already undulating route into a lottery. Early on, Olympic champion Kristen Faulkner (EF Education-Oatly) somersaulted over damp tarmac, the first of three falls that would eventually prise the overall lead from her shoulders. FDJ-Suez, scenting opportunity, lit up the opening ascent of Scott’s View and shattered the peloton into fragments.
Image: Olly Hassell/SWpix.com
When Faulkner hit the deck again with 60 km remaining — this time entangled with Lorena Wiebes and stage 1 winner Kim Le Court (the latter forced to abandon) — the American faced a grim, wind-lashed chase that never truly ended. A third spill, 34 km from home, finally extinguished her hopes of retaining the jersey.
The decisive moment came on Dingleton Hill, a sharp little rise 25 km from Kelso. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Canyon–SRAM zondacrypto) launched with her trademark verve; Ferguson was the first to latch on, Nelson the next. Wollaston, plus UAE Team ADQ duo Karlijn Swinkels and Eleonora Gasparrini, ground their way across before the summit to form a sextet with just 30 seconds in hand.
Ally Wollaston (FDJ – SUEZ) takes maximum points at the intermediate sprint through Kelso. Image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
Disaster soon struck Uttrup Ludwig — a rear-wheel puncture on saturated roads — and suddenly five riders were left to forge a pact in the sheeting rain. Behind, a chase of 17 never synced smoothly enough to stem the flow; the gap stabilised, then inched out to 38 seconds.
Inside the final two kilometres Gasparrini briefly lost contact, Swinkels tried a speculative flyer. But Ferguson, gloves sodden, brain ice-cool, never strayed from her plan.
Cat Ferguson (Movistar Team) Wins Stage 3 in Kelso. Image: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
She hit the final left-hander second wheel, launched with 150 metres to go and, despite an almighty drift from Nelson, kept her momentum where it mattered most over an the rain-sodden cobbles.
Sunday’s criterium finale in Glasgow might be short and flat but includes crucial bonus seconds. With only three seconds between Ferguson and Wollaston, and Swinkels a further nine back, the overall remains wide open.
Cat Ferguson has long looked like the future of British cycling. Today, on the rain-slicked cobbles of Kelso’s market square, the future arrived ahead of schedule. Still just 19 and in her first season with Movistar, the Yorkshire teenager coolly out-kicked Josie Nelson (Picnic-PostNL) and Ally Wollaston (FDJ–Suez) to claim her maiden Women’s WorldTour victory — and, by virtue of the 10-second bonus, the leader’s green jersey. Not since the race’s inception has a stage winner been so young.
Featured image: Olly Hassell/SWpix.com
Report
The stage around Kelso in the Scottish Borders served up horizontal rain and treacherous roads, turning an already undulating route into a lottery. Early on, Olympic champion Kristen Faulkner (EF Education-Oatly) somersaulted over damp tarmac, the first of three falls that would eventually prise the overall lead from her shoulders. FDJ-Suez, scenting opportunity, lit up the opening ascent of Scott’s View and shattered the peloton into fragments.
When Faulkner hit the deck again with 60 km remaining — this time entangled with Lorena Wiebes and stage 1 winner Kim Le Court (the latter forced to abandon) — the American faced a grim, wind-lashed chase that never truly ended. A third spill, 34 km from home, finally extinguished her hopes of retaining the jersey.
The decisive moment came on Dingleton Hill, a sharp little rise 25 km from Kelso. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Canyon–SRAM zondacrypto) launched with her trademark verve; Ferguson was the first to latch on, Nelson the next. Wollaston, plus UAE Team ADQ duo Karlijn Swinkels and Eleonora Gasparrini, ground their way across before the summit to form a sextet with just 30 seconds in hand.
Disaster soon struck Uttrup Ludwig — a rear-wheel puncture on saturated roads — and suddenly five riders were left to forge a pact in the sheeting rain. Behind, a chase of 17 never synced smoothly enough to stem the flow; the gap stabilised, then inched out to 38 seconds.
Inside the final two kilometres Gasparrini briefly lost contact, Swinkels tried a speculative flyer. But Ferguson, gloves sodden, brain ice-cool, never strayed from her plan.
She hit the final left-hander second wheel, launched with 150 metres to go and, despite an almighty drift from Nelson, kept her momentum where it mattered most over an the rain-sodden cobbles.
Sunday’s criterium finale in Glasgow might be short and flat but includes crucial bonus seconds. With only three seconds between Ferguson and Wollaston, and Swinkels a further nine back, the overall remains wide open.
Results
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