Askey Leads Tour of Britain Into Yorkshire Stage 3

British rider Lewis Askey rolled out of Hull on Friday morning still wearing the green leader's jersey of the Tour of Britain, carrying home hopes into a demanding third stage that will test the peloton across the East Yorkshire coast and the rolling Yorkshire Wolds before finishing in Beverley.

How the race got here

Askey's grip on the overall lead traces back to a memorable opening stage in Lincoln on Wednesday. Riding in front of family who had travelled to watch, the NSN Cycling Team rider launched a decisive attack on the steep, cobbled Michaelgate climb inside the final kilometre, holding off Italian time-trial specialist Filippo Ganna and Belgian veteran Tim Wellens to claim victory in what turned into a classics-style contest rather than the straightforward sprint many had expected. It was only Askey's third professional win and his first since a stage victory at the Four Days of Dunkirk the previous year.

Thursday's second stage, a 181km run from Boston to Skegness across the flatlands of Lincolnshire, played out very differently. With crosswinds threatening to split the peloton along the North Sea coast, the bunch nonetheless stayed largely together, setting up a reduced sprint finish that Belgian fast man Tim Merlier duly won ahead of Olav Kooij and Sam Bennett. Crucially for the general classification, Askey navigated the stage safely within the peloton, preserving his overall advantage heading into the weekend's tougher terrain.

What to expect on stage three

Friday's 194.1km stage from Hull to Beverley promises a different kind of challenge again. After a family-friendly send-off from Hull's East Park, the route heads out along the Holderness coast through Withernsea, Hornsea and Skipsea before turning inland to tackle a series of climbs through the Yorkshire Wolds near Burton Agnes. The finale in Beverley features four passages of a 16km circuit, culminating in an uphill drag towards the finish line at Beverley Racecourse — a course that last hosted the race in 2023, when Dutch sprinter Olav Kooij took the win.

The uphill nature of the finish means the sprinters' teams may need to work harder than usual to keep the stage together, giving puncheurs and canny attackers a genuine chance to steal a march on the pure fast men. Askey's NSN team-mate Ethan Vernon, in particular, is seen as a rider capable of profiting from a similar finish if the race comes back together late on.

The bigger picture

This year's edition marks the first time the men's Tour of Britain has been run over five stages rather than the traditional six, bringing the men's race format closer in line with the women's event as part of British Cycling's push for greater parity between the two competitions. The race, now in its 22nd modern edition, has attracted a strong international field including Ganna's Netcompany-INEOS squad, Wellens' UAE Team Emirates-XRG outfit and Merlier's Soudal Quick-Step team.

A home victory would carry particular significance. No British rider has won the overall Tour of Britain since Steve Cummings claimed the title back in 2016, and with Askey nine seconds clear on general classification heading into Friday's stage, home fans will be hoping the current leader can maintain his advantage through the tougher stages still to come in North Yorkshire and the Scottish Borders.

Looking ahead

After Friday's test in East Yorkshire, the race continues on Saturday with a stage between Helmsley and Leyburn, before concluding on Sunday with a finale around Earlston in the Scottish Borders. Askey's team have been careful not to look too far ahead, insisting they will take the race day by day as they attempt to balance defending the leader's jersey with setting up stage-winning opportunities for their sprinters.

Whatever happens on the roads around Beverley, Friday's stage looks set to add another compelling chapter to what has already been one of the most closely fought editions of the Tour of Britain in recent memory.