Tour de France: Cyclists excited by race's visit to Wales
Welsh cyclists have expressed their joy after it was announced the sport's most famous event will pass through the country for the first time. The 2027 Tour de France's Grand Depart - the start of the race - will take place in the UK in 2027. The first stage will kick off in Edinburgh, the Scottish capital, before riders make their way into England and then through Wales to finish in Cardiff, before returning to France.This will be the third time the Tour's opening stage has taken place in the UK, with the last being in 2014, when the race began in Leeds and included stages finishing in Sheffield and London.
The Tour de France typically begins outside of France every other year, with Grands Departs having been held in countries like Germany, Italy, Belgium, and Spain since the UK last hosted. Last year's Grand Depart took place in Florence, Italy, and the 2026 race is set to start in Barcelona.For many cycling enthusiasts, the news has been wheelie exciting.
Former Welsh cyclist Peter Kibble, from Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan, said the Tour de France would be a fantastic opportunity to "shine a spotlight on Wales."Mr Kibble, who represented Wales in the 2018 Commonwealth Games in both the individual time trial and the road race, said the "highly watched tour" will "bring lots of great tourism and massive exposure". After hearing rumours about the race coming to Wales, he was "ecstatic" to hear the official confirmation.He added: "It's a huge deal."It's got such a buzz around it, people will be able to see how large the sport is and will help relations with car drivers and cyclists."Mr Kibble said the event would be a "massive motivation" for the next generation and he would have "loved something like this as a young boy". He said he hoped the route will follow the path of the 2018 Tour of Britain and pass through Caerphilly.
Similarly, cyclist Sara Carter Morgan, 49, from Aberdare, Rhondda Cynon Taf, said she was "super excited" about the Tour de France coming to Wales and hoped it would help "promote our sport in a positive light".Ms Morgan began cycling in 2013 with a friend and now spends most weekends training for Ironman events and other competitions. She described cycling as her "freedom" and says it has allowed her to explore parts of Wales she never knew existed.When the Tour of Britain came to Aberdare in 2016, Ms Morgan said the "whole town came out with their pots and pans". She hopes the Tour de France will pass through the valleys as "it will be nice to see something high profile come through our villages"."It would be great for the children to see a positive spin on cycling."It could spark a new interest for kids, and could help create the next Welsh future cyclist."
James Anderson, 30, from Wrexham, is an elite downhill mountain biking racer and said the news was "amazing," and he "will definitely be going to watch".He used to be a cycling instructor for Denbighshire council but is now training to become a PE teacher.According to Mr Anderson, the Tour de France's visit will be a "once in a lifetime experience" and a fantastic opportunity to "inspire the younger generation". "If I go back to when I was younger I would have been buzzing to see the race come through my town." He believes the event will also generate excitement for local cycling clubs across the country, giving them a much-needed spotlight.Although the exact route has not been confirmed, he said he hoped it would pass through Denbighshire to showcase the county. "The whole of Denbighshire is a beautiful setting and has lovely landscapes for a race."It would be great to see it having the recognition it deserves," Mr Anderson added.
Tom Gregory, from Surrey, manages a company that offers private cycling tours across the UK and Europe. He explained that the company typically runs one or two tours a year in Wales, which travels from Caernarfon in the north to Cardiff in the south. Along the way, clients stay in a range of hotels in Wales, including in Aberystwyth and Brecon.When the Grand Depart passed through Yorkshire in 2014, the company took advantage of the event, offering tours of the route for cycling enthusiasts. Mr Gregory hopes to do the same for the 2027 event, and "can use the Tour de France coming through Wales as a big selling point". He added: "For some people it's a massive deal to be able to cycle where their heroes have previously been."It's a big selling point, people like to test their own fitness against the pro riders on the iconic hills."This news is huge for the industry, it doesn't come around very often." Mr Gregory also hopes the route will pass through the Bannau Brycheiniog national park, also known as the Brecon Beacons, as he said it offers "beautiful climbs" and is easily accessible for spectators.
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