British Women’s Team Cup confirms five-round National B calendar for 2026
As the domestic women’s calendar continues to evolve, the British Women’s Team Cup returns for 2026 with a tighter, five-round National B series — reaffirming the value of team racing, repetition and collective development.
The British Women’s Team Cup will return in 2026 with a streamlined five-round calendar, with all races again contested at National B level.
Details of the 2026 season were confirmed in a launch release this week, which describes the Team Cup as “the premier platform for trying out team-based women’s racing in England,” designed to showcase “the tactical depth, grit, and rising talent of domestic women’s cycling”.
Organisers say the National B status of the series allows riders to “adapt to riding in larger fields at a faster pace in a supportive and fun team environment”, while maintaining the competition’s long-standing focus on collective performance rather than individual results.
Image: Mark James
Five rounds, familiar terrain
The 2026 season will “traverse the heart of England”, featuring five established National B road races that organisers say will “test endurance, race craft and above all teamwork”.
The series opens on Sunday 19 April with the Florrie Newbery Classic in West Hanningfield, Essex, before moving to the Banbury Star Women’s Road Race on 17 May. After a mid-season pause, the Cup resumes at Inkberrow on 5 July, followed by the Duncan Murray Wines Road Race at Naseby on 2 August, before concluding with the Maria Thompson Memorial at Handcross on 30 August.
2026 British Women’s Team Cup calendar
Round
Date
Race
Location
1
Sunday 19 April
Florrie Newbery Classic
West Hanningfield, Essex
2
Sunday 17 May
Banbury Star Women’s Road Race
Banbury, Oxfordshire
3
Sunday 5 July
Inkberrow Women’s Road Race
Inkberrow, West Midlands
4
Sunday 2 August
Duncan Murray Wines Road Race
Naseby, East Midlands
5
Sunday 30 August
Maria Thompson Memorial
Handcross, West Sussex
Compared with 2025, the calendar contracts from six rounds to five, with the removal of the Ronde Van Wymeswold, the two-day stage race that formed a key leg of last season’s series. Its absence in 2026 sees the competition return to a fully single-day road race format.
All five of the 2026 events featured in last year’s series, with the Florrie Newbery Classic returning for a second successive season after stepping up to Team Cup status in 2025.
Building on 2025
The 2026 series follows what organisers describe as “a five-round battle that tested team depth and tactical ingenuity across the country” last season. The overall title in 2025 was claimed by Brother UK – On Form, who finished ahead of FTP – Fulfil The Potential Racing, with London Academy completing the podium. Organisers say those results “demonstrated the exact blend of teamwork and consistency that the series was founded to foster”.
Why the British Women’s Team Cup matters The British Women’s Team Cup occupies a quietly important place in the domestic racing ecosystem — not because of scale or spectacle, but because of what it enables.
At its core, the series prioritises team racing at a level where many riders are still learning how to race collectively. Points are earned through consistency and depth, rewarding squads that can place multiple riders across a season rather than relying on a single standout result. That emphasis shapes behaviour in the bunch: riders learn to protect teammates, manage race situations, and think beyond individual outcomes.
Operating at National B level, the Team Cup also functions as a bridge. It sits above regional racing in terms of pace, field size and complexity, but remains more accessible than National A competition. For developing riders, it offers exposure to faster, more tactical racing; for teams, it provides a structured objective that encourages continuity rather than one-off appearances.
Founded at a time when national-level women’s racing in Britain was in decline, the Team Cup has played a sustained role in supporting the formation and survival of domestic women’s teams. Its value lies not in providing shortcuts to the top, but in offering repetition, learning and progression over time — allowing riders and teams to build experience incrementally.
‘It’s about how a team works together’
Organisers are keen to stress that the Team Cup’s distinguishing feature remains its emphasis on collective racing across a season.
“The Team Cup isn’t just about who crosses the line first – it’s about how a team works together to earn team points and climb up the Team Cup Competition standings,” says organiser Lisa West. “In 2026, we look forward to seeing more hard and fast racing and to continue providing an environment where the next generation of stars can find their wings.”
Founded in 1999, the series was created to support women’s road racing during a period of decline. Organisers point to the Team Cup’s long-standing role in rider development, noting that riders such as Lizzie Deignan, Laura Kenny and Anna Henderson all “cut their teeth” in the series before progressing to success on the international stage.
Image: Mark James
Support and recognition
The 2026 season will again include a Combativity Award, introduced to recognise riders who “take tactical risks and animate the race”.
The Rider Support Fund has also been renamed the Jon Miles Rider Support Fund, following the death of one of the series’ founders last year. Organisers say the fund reflects Miles’ belief in “creating opportunities for women to race whilst encouraging women to enjoy racing as a team”, with the aim of ensuring that “talent – not just budget – determines the outcome on the road”. The fund is available to support riders who may not be able to afford all the races they want to participate in. If a rider in a BWTC registered team is in this situation, BWTC will offer to cover their race fees to ensure they can race in the BWTC competition.
Team registration for the 2026 British Women’s Team Cup is now open. A £40 registration fee contributes to website costs and end-of-season prizes for the top six teams.
The British Women’s Team Cup will return in 2026 with a streamlined five-round calendar, with all races again contested at National B level.
Details of the 2026 season were confirmed in a launch release this week, which describes the Team Cup as “the premier platform for trying out team-based women’s racing in England,” designed to showcase “the tactical depth, grit, and rising talent of domestic women’s cycling”.
Organisers say the National B status of the series allows riders to “adapt to riding in larger fields at a faster pace in a supportive and fun team environment”, while maintaining the competition’s long-standing focus on collective performance rather than individual results.
Five rounds, familiar terrain
The 2026 season will “traverse the heart of England”, featuring five established National B road races that organisers say will “test endurance, race craft and above all teamwork”.
The series opens on Sunday 19 April with the Florrie Newbery Classic in West Hanningfield, Essex, before moving to the Banbury Star Women’s Road Race on 17 May. After a mid-season pause, the Cup resumes at Inkberrow on 5 July, followed by the Duncan Murray Wines Road Race at Naseby on 2 August, before concluding with the Maria Thompson Memorial at Handcross on 30 August.
2026 British Women’s Team Cup calendar
Compared with 2025, the calendar contracts from six rounds to five, with the removal of the Ronde Van Wymeswold, the two-day stage race that formed a key leg of last season’s series. Its absence in 2026 sees the competition return to a fully single-day road race format.
All five of the 2026 events featured in last year’s series, with the Florrie Newbery Classic returning for a second successive season after stepping up to Team Cup status in 2025.
Building on 2025
The 2026 series follows what organisers describe as “a five-round battle that tested team depth and tactical ingenuity across the country” last season. The overall title in 2025 was claimed by Brother UK – On Form, who finished ahead of FTP – Fulfil The Potential Racing, with London Academy completing the podium. Organisers say those results “demonstrated the exact blend of teamwork and consistency that the series was founded to foster”.
The British Women’s Team Cup occupies a quietly important place in the domestic racing ecosystem — not because of scale or spectacle, but because of what it enables.
At its core, the series prioritises team racing at a level where many riders are still learning how to race collectively. Points are earned through consistency and depth, rewarding squads that can place multiple riders across a season rather than relying on a single standout result. That emphasis shapes behaviour in the bunch: riders learn to protect teammates, manage race situations, and think beyond individual outcomes.
Operating at National B level, the Team Cup also functions as a bridge. It sits above regional racing in terms of pace, field size and complexity, but remains more accessible than National A competition. For developing riders, it offers exposure to faster, more tactical racing; for teams, it provides a structured objective that encourages continuity rather than one-off appearances.
Founded at a time when national-level women’s racing in Britain was in decline, the Team Cup has played a sustained role in supporting the formation and survival of domestic women’s teams. Its value lies not in providing shortcuts to the top, but in offering repetition, learning and progression over time — allowing riders and teams to build experience incrementally.
‘It’s about how a team works together’
Organisers are keen to stress that the Team Cup’s distinguishing feature remains its emphasis on collective racing across a season.
“The Team Cup isn’t just about who crosses the line first – it’s about how a team works together to earn team points and climb up the Team Cup Competition standings,” says organiser Lisa West. “In 2026, we look forward to seeing more hard and fast racing and to continue providing an environment where the next generation of stars can find their wings.”
Founded in 1999, the series was created to support women’s road racing during a period of decline. Organisers point to the Team Cup’s long-standing role in rider development, noting that riders such as Lizzie Deignan, Laura Kenny and Anna Henderson all “cut their teeth” in the series before progressing to success on the international stage.
Support and recognition
The 2026 season will again include a Combativity Award, introduced to recognise riders who “take tactical risks and animate the race”.
The Rider Support Fund has also been renamed the Jon Miles Rider Support Fund, following the death of one of the series’ founders last year. Organisers say the fund reflects Miles’ belief in “creating opportunities for women to race whilst encouraging women to enjoy racing as a team”, with the aim of ensuring that “talent – not just budget – determines the outcome on the road”. The fund is available to support riders who may not be able to afford all the races they want to participate in. If a rider in a BWTC registered team is in this situation, BWTC will offer to cover their race fees to ensure they can race in the BWTC competition.
Team registration for the 2026 British Women’s Team Cup is now open. A £40 registration fee contributes to website costs and end-of-season prizes for the top six teams.
More information is available at britishteamcup.co.uk.
Featured image: Mark James
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