'The grandest of Grand Départs': 2027 Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes coming to the UK

The 2027 Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will have their Grands Départ in the UK, it was announced on Wednesday.

The first three stages of the men’s French Grand Tour will take place in the UK, with stages announced in Scotland, England and Wales. It will be the first time that the Tour has come to Britain since 2014 when the Grand Départ took place in Yorkshire, and the third time that the race has begun in the UK, with London hosting in 2007. The 1994 Tour also visited England, for two stages mid-race and in 1974 Plymouth welcomed the race.

2027 will also see the Tour de France Femmes Avec Zwift come to the UK for the first time, with three stages as well; further details will be announced in the autumn.

The "geography of both races combined" will cover England, Wales, and Scotland, but only Edinburgh as the host of the start of the first men's stage was officially revealed this week.

The announcement took place in the Scottish capital, after an agreement was reached between the Tour’s organisers ASO, British Cycling, and UK Sport. The original plan was for the race to come to the UK in 2026, but that bid was abandoned.

Paul Bush, the bid's chair, revealed that the plan had taken a "long time" to come to fruition.

"The first discussion I had with Christian [Prudhomme, the Tour's director] and his team was actually in 2007, so it has had an 18-year gestation period," he said. "It has been about building confidence and a relationship. Christian challenged us. We suggested bringing the men’s and women’s races together, and he smiled… In 2027 we can build on the lessons of 2007 and 2014 and have the grandest of Grand Départs.

"This city [Edinburgh] is up there in terms of the backdrop it can provide, it’s probably one of the finest cities in Europe, if not the world. It will be the largest-ever free sporting event to come to Britain, and that’s pretty special."

Prudhomme echoed this: "Edinburgh and Scotland will offer a magnificent backdrop for the Tour de France. It’s the only sports event that’s made for people who don’t like sports, because there’s geography, culture…

"2014 was like a wall of people, with smiles on everyone’s faces. It was a corridor of noise for the riders, it was impossible for them to hear anything during the three stages."

Jon Dutton, the CEO of British Cycling, said: "Hosting both the men’s and women’s races together will be a first, and we believe it has the potential to inspire more people to discover the joy and benefits of cycling. This is not just about the race – it’s about creating a national moment that encourages healthier lifestyles, supports cycle tourism, and brings communities together."

"We think it's great for cycling, great for sport, and great for the UK," Dutton said.

Foreign Grands Départs have become more popular in Grand Tours, opening up the race to more cities with the necessary funds. Last year's event began in Florence, Italy, while the race started in Spain in 2023 and Denmark in 2022. It will start in Barcelona next year.

The Yorkshire Grand Départ cost around £27m, going hugely over budget and requiring additional funds from central government. None of the UK’s official sports bodies were involved with the bid. The two races' opening three stages could cost significantly more 13 years on.

Esther Britten, the head of events at UK Sport, would not be drawn on how much the Grands Départ would cost, but said that money would come from the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments, as well as the private sector.

She added: "I've been really struck by the commitment of those governments, particularly on the back of the success of 2014 - the return on investment, the opportunity that this event provides, uniquely to drive some of that social and societal change, and that community cohesion is just unsurpassed. Obviously, we want to minimise the level of public funding."

Both the Tour de France’s visit in 2014 and the Glasgow World Championships in 2023 brought millions of fans to the roadside. Crowds in 2014 totalled 4.8 million, with 3.5m individual spectators.