A first for Scotland, Wales, and England
The Tour de France has crossed the English Channel on several occasions since its first visit in 1974, but the 2027 edition promises to be the most expansive British journey yet. Edinburgh will set the stage for the initial pedal strokes of the race, marking the Tour’s first-ever visit to Scotland. The route will then weave through Wales before culminating in England, making this Grand Départ a true celebration of British cycling heritage.
This will be the second time the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift starts outside France, following its Grand Départ in the Netherlands in 2024. However, 2027 marks the first occasion where both the men’s and women’s races begin in the same foreign country, further underlining the growing global prestige of women’s cycling.
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Britain’s ongoing love affair with Le Tour
The Tour de France first made landfall in England in 1974 with a single-stage circuit in Plymouth. Two decades later, the 1994 edition celebrated the newly opened Channel Tunnel with two stages in Brighton and Portsmouth. More recently, Britain has played host to unforgettable Grands Départs: in London (2007) and in Yorkshire (2014), both of which drew immense crowds and enthusiastic support.
Now, in 2027, the race is set to elevate its relationship with Britain by incorporating three of the four Home Nations into its opening chapters. The Scottish capital, Edinburgh, will witness the peloton’s inaugural push before it ventures southward into Wales and England, offering fans across the UK a rare opportunity to see the world’s greatest cyclists in action.
A milestone for the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift
The 2027 edition of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will make history as it embarks on its first journey outside mainland Europe. While the women’s race will start on a different date from the men’s event, the shared Grand Départ in Britain symbolizes a significant step forward for the sport. It showcases a growing commitment to elevating women’s cycling and ensuring that the world’s premier races gain equal recognition and celebration.
As anticipation builds for this groundbreaking British trilogy, fans can look forward to a Tour de France that not only honors its rich history but also embraces the future of cycling on an international scale. The 2027 Grand Départ is set to be a spectacle like no other, uniting Scotland, Wales, and England in a celebration of the sport’s greatest race.
