Leeds renews cycling's French connection with Grand Départ host city role

The first ever visit to Britain by the world’s biggest women’s professional cycle race will get under way in the city on July 30 next year, organisers revealed tonight (Thursday, January 15).

It will see Leeds making history as the first place outside mainland Europe to host the start of stage one of a Grand Départ for both the men’s Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.

And, underlining the city’s status as a champion for cycling and sport in general, it had the honour this evening of staging a spectacular announcement event that kicked off the countdown to 2027.

Around 150 guests – including Leeds City Council leader Councillor James Lewis and the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Dan Cohen – gathered at Leeds City Museum to hear details of the various UK start and finish locations for the women’s race.

The route for the 2027 men’s Grand Départ – which, like the women’s version, is taking place in Britain – was also announced to the museum audience.

Speakers included Sports Minister Stephanie Peacock MP, Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift director Marion Rousse and Lizzie Deignan, the Otley-born road and track cyclist who won Team GB’s first medal at the London 2012 Olympics.

Outside, the front of Leeds Civic Hall was lit up by a dazzling visual projection that celebrated previous British Grand Départs and showcased the plans for 2027.

At the same time, beams of light – in the famous Tour de France yellow – illuminated the night sky above Millennium Square and the rest of the city centre.

Also announced at this evening’s event were details of Joy, a social impact programme that will run in tandem with the 2027 Grand Départs with the aim of tackling inactivity, improving mental wellbeing and supporting communities.

Stage one of the 2027 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will see the riders heading from Leeds over the Pennines to Manchester.

The second stage, on July 31, will take them from Manchester to Sheffield via the climbs of the Peak District, before a London leg is held on August 1.

Full details of the route the cyclists will follow through Leeds are due to be announced in spring this year.

Their setting off point, though, will be the Headrow, which will stir memories for many local residents of the remarkable scenes as Leeds hosted the start of the first stage of the Grand Départ of the Tour de France in 2014.

Around 230,000 people packed into the city centre to cheer the riders on their way, with another two million spectators lining the rest of the event’s Yorkshire route.

A report by Leeds City Council and UK Sport showed the 2014 Grand Départ boosted the county’s economy by more than £100m, with further long-term benefits predicted as a result of increased tourism, profile and trade deals.

Other major sporting occasions hosted by the city in recent years include IRONMAN Leeds as well as fixtures during 2019's ICC Cricket World Cup and 2022’s Rugby League World Cup. That success story will continue in 2026, with Headingley Stadium set to stage five cricket fixtures as part of this summer’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.

Councillor James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council, said:

“I’m absolutely delighted that Leeds has been chosen as a host location for the Grand Départ of 2027’s Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.

“No one who was present at the 2014 Tour de France Grand Départ here will ever forget the incredible atmosphere and sights that day, and I’m sure next year’s event will deliver a whole new set of brilliant memories.

“This is the kind of occasion that can showcase the very best of our city to the watching world while giving an important boost to the local economy.

“We were also pleased to have the opportunity to host this evening’s announcement event, with Leeds City Museum, Leeds Civic Hall and Millennium Square providing a suitably impressive setting for it.

“The council will now be working closely with the race organisers and a wide range of other partners and stakeholders as we prepare for what promises to be a really special day.

“We can assure local communities that we will be engaging with them in the coming months as further details about the Grand Départ, including route information, are released.”

Lizzie Deignan, recently-retired cycling star, Olympic medallist and former road racing world champion, said:

"I am so happy that Leeds is a host city for the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift Grand Départ.

"This is something that I could only have dreamed about as a girl. There wasn't even a Tour de France for women when I first started cycling, so I am incredibly proud that this is happening.

"I think it's reflective of the city that Leeds is. We are a sporting community, we've had some incredible athletes come through this city over the years and it's really exciting that we get to be on the world stage."

For more information about the 2027 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift Grand Départ, visit the letourgb.com website.

The Grand Départ of the men’s 2027 Tour de France will run from July 2 to 4, with riders setting out from Edinburgh and visiting cities such as Carlisle, Liverpool and Cardiff.

As part of tonight’s announcement celebrations, the ‘yellow beam’ light show seen in Leeds was due to be replicated in the nine other locations that will be acting as start and finish points during next year’s Grand Départs.

The display – dubbed the Tour de Skies – was designed to create a nationwide ‘moment of anticipation’ for the excitement to come in 2027.

Details of volunteering opportunities for both Grand Départs – in areas such as route operations and spectator support – are set to be announced this spring.

The Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift are organised by French company ASO, with delivery of the 2027 Grand Départs being led by Grand Départ GB and British Cycling.

ENDS