Askey's Aggressive Racing Pays Off on Michaelgate
Lewis Askey of NSN Cycling Team claimed victory on stage one of the Lloyds Tour of Britain in Lincoln on Wednesday, producing a decisive attack on the race's iconic cobbled climb to take the stage win and the green leader's jersey.
The 25-year-old, who had finished fourth on stage 17 of the Tour de France and second at the British Road Nationals earlier this year, was part of an 11-strong lead group that formed through four laps of the short, steep Michaelgate ascent. On the final climb, Askey burst away to cross the line with his arms outstretched, winning by two seconds from Filippo Ganna of Netcompany-Ineos.
“I've been pretty close quite a few times this year, like at Nationals,” Askey said. “I've had a couple of seconds, a couple of thirds. So to come away with a win and put my hands up in the air, I think that's why I ride my bike. I'm so happy to be able to do that again this year.”
Askey's win was the third of his career, with his previous victory coming at the 4 Jours de Dunkerque over a year ago. His recent form had hinted at a breakthrough, with two top-10 finishes at Paris-Nice and third place at Tro Bro Léon.
The rider's aggressive racing proved decisive. According to Cyclingnews, Askey attacked on the second ascent of Michaelgate to create the winning move, then caught Florian Vermeersch (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) on the final climb when the Belgian appeared poised for victory. Alone over the top with 400 metres remaining, Askey held off the challenges of Ganna and Tim Wellens (UAE) to take the win.
The late breakaway included representatives of all five WorldTour teams, leading to significant time gaps behind the leaders, with 12th place finishing 2:19 down and 16th a further 3:30 back.
Home Crowds and Family Support
Askey, whose family hail from Cumbernauld in Scotland, had the support of home crowds as he took on the notoriously steep Michaelgate climb, which features in the British national championships and is the iconic climb of the Lincoln GP. Unlike some of his rivals in the lead group, including Ganna and Matteo Trentin, Askey had no team support on the cobbled climbs, relying instead on the encouragement of the roadside crowds.
“It was a really good atmosphere on the climbing. I knew it was an effort that suits me perfectly,” Askey reflected. “I came here with quite a lot of confidence. I really believed that I had the legs to do well, I just knew that I needed to execute.”
The victory was made more special by the presence of his grandparents, who were watching at the finish line. “It feels amazing, especially to have my grandparents there at the finish line. It was super special,” Askey said.
Askey had earlier described his mindset going into the race: “I've been pretty close. I've had plenty of second places again. If I can do a year where I turn those seconds into firsts, then it will change quite a lot for me.”
Race Context and Next Stages
Askey's win also gave him the green jersey as the race's overall leader. He now sits nine seconds ahead in the general classification, a lead that could be tested in the coming stages. The tour finishes in Earlston, and with several stages expected to favour sprinters, Askey will look to defend his advantage.
Among the other notable performances in the stage, Elliot Rowe of the Great Britain Cycling Team joined the lead group and now holds the young rider's jersey. The 20-year-old, from Banchory, rides for the Great Britain team that features Olympic medallist Ollie Wood.
Askey also celebrated his victory with a Gangnam Style dance, a tribute based on a bet with his girlfriend, as reported by Cyclingnews.
Having represented Team Scotland at the Commonwealth Games in July, Askey's win on home roads marks a significant moment in his career. As he noted, “I didn't really believe over the last two laps because I knew there were teams with multiple riders which is a really hard situation to manage.”