The 2027 Tour de France will begin in Edinburgh, marking the first time the prestigious race has started in Scotland. The first three stages will take place in Scotland, England, and Wales, as announced by race organisers Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) during a ceremony in the Scottish capital on Wednesday.

Additionally, the 2027 Women’s Tour de France will also commence in the United Kingdom, though the exact starting location is yet to be confirmed.

This will be the third time the Grand Départ has been held in the UK, following previous starts in London (2007) and Yorkshire (2014). However, this will be the first-ever Tour de France stages in Scotland and Wales.

A Historic Return to the UK

The 2007 Tour de France opened with two stages in London, while Yorkshire hosted the start of the 2014 edition. The latter was a resounding success, drawing 3.5 million spectators to the roadside across three British stages, with the final leg taking place between Cambridge and London.

“The popular success was absolutely phenomenal,” said Tour director Christian Prudhomme in an interview with AFP.

“We were faced with walls of people, an incredible mass of spectators.”

Prudhomme revealed that hosting a Grand Départ in Edinburgh had been a long-term ambition, but Scotland’s geographical remoteness had previously been a limiting factor.

“Scotland was a candidate against Yorkshire for 2014, but one of the key differences at the time was its distance from France,” he explained.

However, updated UCI regulations now allow the Tour to start on a Friday rather than the traditional Saturday, once every four years. This rule was first applied in 2022, allowing Copenhagen to host the Grand Départ. The 2027 Tour will also begin on a Friday (2nd July 2027), granting three full stages on British soil before the race transfers to France.

While the exact locations of each stage are yet to be confirmed, organisers have revealed that after Stage 1 in Scotland, the peloton will move straight to England for Stage 2.

Wales to Host Its First Tour de France Stage

On Sunday, 4th July, the third stage will take place in Wales, marking the first time the Tour has visited the country. According to Prudhomme, the stage will take full advantage of Wales’ hilly terrain and steep gradients, creating an early test for the general classification contenders.

The race will then pause on Monday for a rest day, allowing teams and organisers to transfer to France for the remainder of the competition.

With the 2025 Tour de France set to begin in Lille, Edinburgh’s selection marks the fifth foreign Grand Départ in six years, following Copenhagen (2022), Bilbao (2023), Florence (2024), and Barcelona (2026).

Prudhomme is a strong advocate of international race starts, believing they help to promote the Tour and generate significant revenue. He cited Bilbao (2023) and Florence (2024) as examples, which each brought in around €6 million (£5.1 million) for ASO.

A Boost for British Cycling Amid Decline

The Scottish Grand Départ is expected to reinvigorate British cycling, which has experienced a downturn after two decades of dominance that saw British riders Sir Bradley Wiggins, Chris Froome, and Geraint Thomas all claim Tour de France victories.

British team Ineos Grenadiers has also struggled in recent seasons, further compounded by the departure of star rider Tom Pidcock in December.

Adding to the concerns, from 2026, British audiences will no longer have access to free-to-air television coverage of the Tour de France, raising fears about the sport’s future visibility in the UK.

Women’s Tour de France to Follow in the UK

As part of the effort to maintain interest in cycling, the 2027 Women’s Tour de France will also be hosted in the United Kingdom. The race will commence the weekend after the conclusion of the men’s event, although exact locations and dates have yet to be finalised.

This move aims to bolster British cycling’s profile and ensure continued engagement with the sport across the UK.