Uncage the colours, unfurl the flag. That’s right, it’s time to get the bunting out, hang the Union Jacks and saltires, and prepare for the Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift coming to Britain for a historic visit in 2027. It’ll be the third time the men’s race has started in the UK, the first-ever time for the women, and the first-ever time that both races have shared a foreign country for their Grands Départs.
I am, genuinely, very excited about it. Who wouldn’t be? The world’s biggest bike race, on our doorstep? This year’s men’s Tour might be the most accessible to British fans in years, with so many stages in the northwest of France, but to have it in our country is a whole different thing. It’s a chance for British fans to show that they can be the most enthusiastic in the world, and to see the stars of the peloton race on streets that we too may very well have ridden on. Yorkshire in 2014 was great for this, as was the Glasgow World Championships in 2023. We might not have the grand mountain ranges of Italy, France, or Spain, but we do have lots of annoying little climbs, and a lot of enthusiasm for bike racing.
Wherever the Tour de France or Tour de France Femmes end up going, the action will be a train ride rather than a flight away, opening up the thrill of the event to millions of people across the UK. Whether it’s a die-hard cycling obsessive or just someone intrigued by what’s happening at the end of the road, people will turn out in droves.
It’s the kind of thing that could introduce the sport to many. In a decade’s time, there will be someone stood on the start line of the 2037 Tour de France or Tour de France Femmes saying that it was these Grand Départs that ignited their passion, in the same way that riders of today speak about London 2012 and Yorkshire 2014 as the events that lit the touchpaper.
However, those inspired to race will be the exception, not the rule. A bike race coming to the UK - even the Tour de France - will not automatically result in boon years for British cycling. As recent years have shown, there might be more British pros than ever in the WorldTour, but the domestic racing scene is suffering, and British success seems to have come despite, not because of, a flourishing ecosystem.
If the Tours de France are really going to have an impact, to inspire new cyclists to have a “national moment that encourages healthier lifestyles, supports cycle tourism and brings communities together” in the words of British Cycling CEO, Jon Dutton, then there is work to be done. This may sound obvious, but as much as bringing the Grands Départs to the UK should be a moment of celebration, there is a lot of effort to be put in to get people on two wheels.
I’m sure British Cycling - the governing body in the UK - is very aware of this already, and the launch of its new four-year plan last week comes with excellent timing, but platitudes won’t cut it. Money needs to be invested at all levels, from government, through governing bodies, to local authorities, to continue any good work that the Tours coming to Britain will unlock. We still exist in a situation where - yes - £291 million is being invested in active travel in the UK, but this pales into insignificance when compared to the £1.3 billion being spent on one A-road in Essex’s Chelmsford, and the bill of £16.8 billion it would cost to fix the UK’s potholes, over 12 years.
BC has a chance to continue its good work in turning around previously declining membership numbers and finances through these marquee events; London 2012 helped create a whole new energy behind cycling in this country, but it was not sustained. Lasting change could happen with the right investment in the right places.
The Yorkshire Grand Départ in 2014 came with the opening of new closed-road circuits across the country, creating the opportunity for lasting engagement. However, the organisers - Welcome to Yorkshire - also lost £1 million, predominantly through unsold merchandise. This time, thought needs to be put in now about how to give money to the right places to reignite a moribund domestic road racing scene. It hardly needs saying, but there are no men’s Continental British squads right now, evidence of the decline. It would be great if 2027 was a renaissance of all of this, a world that can’t be forgotten amid the glitz of the Tours coming here. The energy of the Tour de France should also be put into the men’s and women’s Tours of Britain, organised by British Cycling, and the National Road Series, but also the levels below that - there is no success without a strong base.
The events could also be used as an opportunity for the government to advance its active travel strategy, to get people on bikes. The benefits of cycling are endless, and the biggest bike races in the world visiting is an opportunity to promote it more than ever; just imagine if this kickstarted a major cycling infrastructure boom, or encouraged local authorities to prioritise cycling, whether they’re on the route or not.
Millions of pounds will be spent by various bodies on the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes coming to the UK in 2027. The news is exciting, but the foundations of the sport and activity of cycling should not be forgotten. The opportunity for a better two-wheeled future is there - that’s what will really get me flying my flag.
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If you want to get in touch with Adam, email adam.becket@futurenet.com, or comment below.
