In 2027, the prestigious Tour de France will kick off in Edinburgh for the very first time, with the opening three stages set to unfold across Scotland, England, and Wales.

The 2027 edition of the Tour de France will kick off in Edinburgh, marking the first time the race begins in the Scottish capital. The opening three stages will cover Scotland, England, and Wales, as announced by the organisers, ASO, during a ceremony in Edinburgh on March 19. Additionally, the women’s Tour de France will also begin in Britain in 2027, though the exact location has yet to be disclosed.

This will be the third time the men’s Tour starts in the United Kingdom. Previous Grand Depart events took place in England—London hosted the start of the 2007 edition, and Yorkshire was the starting point in 2014. The 2027 event will introduce stages in Scotland and Wales for the first time ever.

Tour de France 2027 to begin in Edinburgh: Key details to know.

In 2022, the ASO organizers made use of an exemption to hold the Tour de France start in Copenhagen on a day other than Saturday. They will apply this same exemption in 2027, setting the race’s start date for Friday, July 2, 2027, to accommodate three full stages in the United Kingdom.

Although the specific cities have not yet been announced, it is confirmed that the race will quickly move into England for the second stage.

Monday will serve as a rest day, allowing the peloton to travel to France for the next phase of the race.

While the 2025 Tour de France is set to begin in Lille, the 2027 edition’s start in Edinburgh will be the fifth time in six years that the race kicks off outside of France. This follows previous Grand Depart locations in Copenhagen (2022), Bilbao (2023), Florence (2024), and Barcelona (2026).

This is also the reason why the United Kingdom will host the women’s Tour de France in 2027.

While the specific cities and dates are still to be announced, the women’s race is set to begin on the weekend after the conclusion of the men’s Tour.

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