The Duchess of Edinburgh led a celebration at Edinburgh Castle after it was announced the UK will host the Grand Depart of both the 2027 Tour de France and Tour de France Femme.
The historic landmark was lit in yellow to mark the occasion, with pyrotechnics and smoke displays creating a dramatic backdrop to the official announcement that both races will be hosted in the UK.
🔥🔥🔥 You can feel the excitement of @MarkCavendish! It will be a great Grand Départ!
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) March 19, 2025
🔥🔥🔥 Le Grand Départ du #TDF2027 à Edimbourg sera un moment exceptionnel, c’est @MarkCavendish qui vous le dit ! pic.twitter.com/fuw6z8wwLT
Tour de France general director Christian Prudhomme, Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney, UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, British Cycling chief executive Jon Dutton and Tour de France star Sir Mark Cavendish were all present, alongside young cyclists, Scottish pipers and dignitaries from across England, Scotland and Wales.
The men’s Tour de France will begin in Edinburgh, with further route details for both the men’s and women’s events to be announced in the autumn.
Scotland, England and Wales will share six stages of the cycling event: three each for the men’s and women’s races.
The project involves a partnership between bodies such as British Cycling, UK Sport and the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments, all three of which have committed to making funds available to supplement private finance.
