The Tour de France will return to British roads in 2027 for the first time in 13 years alongside a debut appearance in these shores for the women’s Tour de Frances Femmes.
In what is a first for the event, organisers will stage the men’s and women’s races in the same year outside of France for what is promised to be the largest ever free sporting spectacle in Britain.
Tour organisers also plan talks with Warner Bros. Discovery to ensure that stages will be available to fans on a free-to-air basis in the UK, despite their exclusive rights to the event on TNT Sports from 2026.
The Grand Depart of the 2027 men’s race will be hosted in Edinburgh, with six stages of the two races to be held across Scotland, England and Wales. Exact routes will be revealed later this year but organisers are promising to blend iconic landmarks and major cities with rural communities that would never otherwise host a major sporting event.
The last British Grand Depart, when the first two stages were held in Yorkshire, attracted crowds well into the millions and was estimated to have boosted the local economy by some £131 million. The Tour de France also previously came to Britain in 2007, when the prologue time-trial took place in the centre of London before a 126-mile stage to Canterbury.
Sir Mark Cavendish, who holds the all-time record for Tour de France stage wins, says that they are regarded as perhaps the greatest two Grand Departs in recent history because of the size and enthusiasm of the crowds. Now retired after heading up a golden generation of British cyclists, Cavendish said that he would be roadside in 2027 with his wife and children to watch what he called “the greatest sight in sport”.
Cavendish added: “It is only going to inspire. You see a race of this magnitude and you can’t help but want to ride your bike. Cycling has exploded in this country, not just as a competitive thing, but as a pastime, a way to keep fit and healthy and as a mode of transport.”
Asked what he most remembered about the two recent British Grand Departs, he said: “The crowds. I always remember the riders applauding the spectators. It was like a wall of people – it was massive, all with smiles on their faces.”
Christian Prudhomme, the general director of Tour organisers ASO, said that it was “huge” to have the men’s and women’s races outside France together for the first time. He also confirmed that he expected free-to-air broadcast coverage across Britain.
“There will discussions of course - I do hope and I do believe that the stages will be live and free-to-air in the UK,” said Prudhomme. Warner Bros. Discovery has exclusive Tour de France rights from 2026, ending terrestrial coverage on Channel 4 and ITV which dates back to the 1980s.
“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,” said Jon Dutton, the chief executive of British Cycling.
