Great Britain will stage the opening chapters of both the men’s and women’s Tour de France in 2027, in a landmark moment for world cycling that organisers say will deliver the most accessible major sporting spectacle ever held in the UK.
Britain to Host Historic Dual Tour de France Grand Départs in 2027
For the first time, the men’s Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes will both begin in the same country outside France. It will also mark the first occasion the women’s race has ever started beyond mainland Europe, underlining the growing prominence of women’s cycling on the global stage.
The men’s race, the 114th edition of the Tour de France, will begin in Edinburgh on 2 July with a largely flat opening stage to Carlisle. Stage two will take the peloton from Keswick through the Lake District before finishing in Liverpool, while stage three heads south from Welshpool to Cardiff, navigating the rolling terrain of the Welsh Valleys. After three days on British roads, the race will cross the Channel to continue its traditional journey through France.
Four weeks later, the spotlight will return to Britain as the Tour de France Femmes gets under way in Leeds on 30 July. The opening stage will head west to Manchester, followed by a challenging second stage through the Peak District and over Snake Pass to Sheffield. The final UK stage will be a showcase event in central London on 1 August, before the race moves on to France.
Organisers estimate that the combined routes will pass within an hour’s drive of around 60 per cent of the UK population, with more than 900 kilometres of public roads offering free roadside viewing. British Cycling believes as many as 10 million spectators could line the routes over the six days of racing, dwarfing even the vast crowds seen when the Tour last visited Britain in 2014.
The economic impact is forecast to be significant. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has projected a £150 million boost to the UK economy, supported by £32 million of government funding to help stage the Grand Départs and deliver a long-term legacy. British Cycling is also seeking to recruit more than 7,000 volunteers to support route operations, spectator engagement and community initiatives.
Beyond the numbers, the ambition is to use the Tours as a catalyst for participation and pride. British Cycling chief executive Jon Dutton described the double Grand Départ as a “once-in-a-generation chance” to inspire healthier, more active communities across the country, particularly at a time when the organisation has seen a recent decline in membership.
Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme said Britain had always welcomed the race “with passion and pride”, adding that the 2027 routes reflect “the beauty and diversity of Britain’s terrain”. From Edinburgh Castle and the Lake District to the Welsh Valleys and the streets of London, the stages are designed to showcase iconic landscapes as well as challenging racing.
Former world champion Lizzie Deignan, one of Britain’s most successful riders, hailed the arrival of the Tour de France Femmes as a defining moment. “This is a huge opportunity to inspire countless women and girls to get on their bikes,” she said, noting the symbolic importance of the race visiting her home roads in Yorkshire.
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Britain has a strong history with the Tour de France, having previously hosted Grand Départs in London in 2007 and Leeds in 2014. Those visits drew millions of spectators and left a lasting imprint on the nation’s cycling culture. In 2027, with men’s and women’s racing sharing the spotlight, organisers hope the impact will be even greater.
As the peloton prepares to roll through Scotland, England and Wales, the 2027 Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes promise not just elite sporting drama, but a celebration of cycling that aims to unite communities, inspire future generations and put Britain firmly at the heart of the global sporting calendar.
