The 2027 Tour de France will begin with six stages across the United Kingdom, including a men’s opening stage that runs from Edinburgh to Carlisle on 2 July. The race will pass the foot of Edinburgh Castle, making it the northernmost start in Tour history. This route features a challenging 2.2km climb up the Cote de Melrose, just miles from the hometown of Ineos contender Oscar Onley.
The men’s race continues with a 223km stage from Keswick in the Lake District to Liverpool, tackling five categorised climbs and 2,800 metres of elevation gain. The third and final British stage for the men is a 223km route from Welshpool to Cardiff on 4 July. It includes eight categorised hills and roughly 3,000 metres of climbing.
The women’s Tour de France Femmes starts later in July with a route from Leeds to Manchester on 30 July, covering 85.7km and featuring three climbs, including the 3.2km Cote de Meltham with an average gradient of 8.4%. The second stage runs from Manchester to Sheffield over 154.4km and crosses Winnats Pass in the Peak District, a steep 1.4km climb averaging 12.3%. The women’s opening section concludes with an 18km team time trial on London’s streets, beginning at Whitehall, passing Trafalgar Square and Tower Bridge, and finishing on The Mall.
This marks the first time both the men’s and women’s Tours will start in the same country outside France in the same year. The announcement came at a ceremony in Paris hosted by ASO, the Tour’s organiser. Christian Prudhomme, director of the men’s race, said, "Just a few weeks apart, the Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will each take their respective pelotons on a journey through the roads of the United Kingdom."
Prudhomme added that the UK offers a symbol that connects the two races, from Edinburgh’s historic castle to the London team time trial on 1 August. "Needless to say, there will be thousands of thrills and emotions."
The UK has hosted Tour stages before: London in 1974, 1994, and 2007, and the Yorkshire Grand Depart in 2014. That year attracted 2.5 million roadside fans and sparked a surge in cycling participation, though the subsequent Tour de Yorkshire race ended after the pandemic affected interest and British stars like Mark Cavendish and Chris Froome saw their dominance wane.
Paul Bush, managing director of Grand Depart GB 2027, described the routes as "an extraordinary, and historic moment" and highlighted the women’s team time trial through London as "such a memorable moment" and "the first of its kind in the modern history of the race."
UK Government sports minister Stephanie Peacock confirmed £32 million in funding for the races and a legacy programme. "Our £32m will fund the races and a lasting legacy, so the public feel the benefits long after the last rider crosses the line," she said.
The 2026 season saw a record 49 British riders competing across men’s and women’s World Tour events, with Matt Brennan securing five stage wins at the Vuelta a España in September.
The men’s race kicks off in Scotland, moves through England and Wales over three stages, while the women’s Tour de France Femmes opens in northern England and ends in London with the team time trial. The combination of terrain and urban circuits promises to test riders and engage fans across the UK.
According to BBC Sports.
