Latest news with #GrandDepart
BBC News
24-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Tour de France route hopes high in the Borders
The leader of Scottish Borders Council (SBC) has said he hopes the Tour de France can come through the region when the race comes to Scotland in was unveiled recently as the venue for the Grand Depart but the route for the opening stage has not been Jardine said he hoped the track record of the region in hosting cycling events could see the world's top racers pass through the 2027 Tour de France stage routes are expected to be officially announced later this year. Race organisers confirmed Edinburgh would host the start of the men's race in the summer of 2027 earlier this director Christian Prudhomme said Scotland would offer a "magnificent backdrop".Mr Jardine said he hoped the Borders could make a convincing case for the route to come through his said Kelso's Oscar Onley could be a contender for a good finish in the race and the local authority would be working hard to ensure he could compete on roads near where he learned his skills. "We will be championing for this region to be part of the Tour," said Mr Jardine."It is 100% up to the organisers on where they wish to go with the Tour and how they wish it to be planned out."But please be assured that we will be championing for this region to be part of it."He said the Borders already had a good reputation in the sport."We have showcased what we can do with the Tour of Britain, we have showcased what we can do with so many other opportunities with the UCI world championships," he said."We are used to these big events, we are used to delivering - we have a reputation for doing that."I will be reaching out to organisers, working with them saying - please come to the Borders."He said it was an "exciting prospect" for Scotland and the sport and could be a real boost to the region."In the Borders, we will really put in a campaign to hope that a stage does come to the Borders," he added.
Dubai Eye
20-03-2025
- Sport
- Dubai Eye
Tour de France to start in Edinburgh in 2027
The Scottish city of Edinburgh will host the Tour de France Grand Depart in 2027 as the world's most famous cycling race returns to Britain for the fifth time. It will be the third time the race has started in Britain after London in 2007 and Leeds in 2014. Organisers also confirmed on Wednesday that the Tour de France Femmes will come to Britain in 2027, the first time both races have held stages in the same country outside of France. Further details on routes will be announced in the autumn, but the prospect of a stage on the cobblestones of Edinburgh's Royal Mile is a mouth-watering one. Organisers also confirmed that the Tour's first three stages will be in Scotland, England and Wales. "Why Edinburgh? Because it's a magical city," the Tour's General Director Christian Prudhomme told reporters during a briefing on Wednesday. "In the Tour de France and all cycling races, what is very important is the helicopter shots. "Edinburgh and Scotland will offer a magnificent backdrop." The Tour first came to Britain in 1974 when Plymouth hosted a stage and it returned 20 years later in Dover to celebrate the opening of the Channel Tunnel. London staged the Grand Depart in 2007 and in 2014 massive crowds perched on the Yorkshire hills as the race began in brutal and spectacular fashion. "It was a wall of people, it was massive," Prudhomme said. The opening stage in 2014 ended in Harrogate where home favourite Mark Cavendish crashed badly, ruling him out of the rest of the race. Despite that disappointment, Cavendish said starting a Tour in Britain was unforgettable. "I did two British Grand Departs. The first one was my first ever Tour of France and for many years that was the greatest Grand Depart any rider of our generation could remember," sprinting great Cavendish, who won a record 35 Tour stages, told reporters. "It was four, five people deep the whole way from London to Canterbury. Then we went to Yorkshire in 2014 and that was something else, wasn't it." The return of the Tour to Britain and the first staging of the Tour de France Femmes in the country was a collaboration between Tour owners ASO, British Cycling, UK Sport and the UK, Scottish and Welsh Governments. Jon Dutton, CEO of British Cycling, said it represents an exciting moment for cycling in the UK. "Hosting both the men's and women's races together will be a first, and we believe it has the potential to inspire more people to discover the joy and benefits of cycling," he said. Glasgow hosted the inaugural combined UCI World Cycling Championships in 2023, contributing an estimated £205 million (AED976.5 million) to the local economy, according to the UCI. Last year's Tour Grand Depart took place in Florence, Italy, with the 2026 race scheduled to start in Spain in Barcelona.
ARN News Center
20-03-2025
- Sport
- ARN News Center
Tour de France to start in Edinburgh in 2027
The Scottish city of Edinburgh will host the Tour de France Grand Depart in 2027 as the world's most famous cycling race returns to Britain for the fifth time. It will be the third time the race has started in Britain after London in 2007 and Leeds in 2014. Organisers also confirmed on Wednesday that the Tour de France Femmes will come to Britain in 2027, the first time both races have held stages in the same country outside of France. Further details on routes will be announced in the autumn, but the prospect of a stage on the cobblestones of Edinburgh's Royal Mile is a mouth-watering one. Organisers also confirmed that the Tour's first three stages will be in Scotland, England and Wales. "Why Edinburgh? Because it's a magical city," the Tour's General Director Christian Prudhomme told reporters during a briefing on Wednesday. "In the Tour de France and all cycling races, what is very important is the helicopter shots. "Edinburgh and Scotland will offer a magnificent backdrop." The Tour first came to Britain in 1974 when Plymouth hosted a stage and it returned 20 years later in Dover to celebrate the opening of the Channel Tunnel. London staged the Grand Depart in 2007 and in 2014 massive crowds perched on the Yorkshire hills as the race began in brutal and spectacular fashion. "It was a wall of people, it was massive," Prudhomme said. The opening stage in 2014 ended in Harrogate where home favourite Mark Cavendish crashed badly, ruling him out of the rest of the race. Despite that disappointment, Cavendish said starting a Tour in Britain was unforgettable. "I did two British Grand Departs. The first one was my first ever Tour of France and for many years that was the greatest Grand Depart any rider of our generation could remember," sprinting great Cavendish, who won a record 35 Tour stages, told reporters. "It was four, five people deep the whole way from London to Canterbury. Then we went to Yorkshire in 2014 and that was something else, wasn't it." The return of the Tour to Britain and the first staging of the Tour de France Femmes in the country was a collaboration between Tour owners ASO, British Cycling, UK Sport and the UK, Scottish and Welsh Governments. Jon Dutton, CEO of British Cycling, said it represents an exciting moment for cycling in the UK. "Hosting both the men's and women's races together will be a first, and we believe it has the potential to inspire more people to discover the joy and benefits of cycling," he said. Glasgow hosted the inaugural combined UCI World Cycling Championships in 2023, contributing an estimated £205 million (AED976.5 million) to the local economy, according to the UCI.
BBC News
19-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Thomas to 'make do' with watching 2027 Tour de France
Geraint Thomas admits he's ready for a "big change" as he prepares to watch the 2027 Tour de France as a Welshman, 38, announced in February that he would retire at the end of this 2018 winner Thomas says he expects to feel the urge to get back on his bicycle when watching the 2027 Tour - which begins in Britain, with a stage to be held in his native Wales."I'm not sure how I'll feel about it, I was watching some racing last week and I was itching to get out there and race, so it's going to be different," he told BBC Wales Today."It's definitely a big change, but it'll certainly be less effort that's for sure." On his temptation to delay his retirement until the 2027 Tour, Thomas said: "I was chatting to the family about it, but 41 is pretty old. "I'll have to make do with watching it on the side of the road."The men's and women's Tour de France will both begin in Britain in 2027, with Edinburgh to stage the men's Grand details and the Grand Depart for the Tour de France Femmes will be announced in the Thomas hopes Welsh cycling will benefit from hosting part of the Tour."It'll just be so big, so massive for the whole country," he added."I heard the rumours, but then when I heard it was actually confirmed that it was going to happen, I was like, 'wow, maybe I could keep racing for another two years just to try and get there'. "But, yeah, no chance of that really."It will be massive for Wales, massive for the UK in general, starting up in Scotland, and then obviously in England, and a stage finishing in Wales is just amazing. "Wales has so much to offer. You don't need super hard mountains to make it entertaining racing, and Wales definitely has a lot of hard roads. "In south Wales you can easily do quite a few climbs and then finish in Cardiff. Or in north Wales, there's plenty of tough terrain as well and beautiful landscapes."It'll just be great to showcase Wales and how beautiful it is."London 2012 gold medallist Dani Rowe MBE hopes riders can fully enjoy the "iconic climbs" Wales has to offer."For me, living in Cardiff, home roads would be amazing," she said."The Tour of Britain has visited south Wales before on many occasions. They've gone up Caerphilly Mountain and that's always such a spectacle, it brings so many fans out on the side of the road."But there are so many iconic climbs, the Tumble in Abergavenny is always a great one, I've had great memories there."There are climbs more towards the Valleys that I love riding as part of my training route."But I just think to have the Tour de France come to Wales is huge for the country."
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Scotland launches Tour de France for first time in 2027
The Scottish city of Edinburgh will host the Tour de France Grand Depart in 2027 as the world's most famous cycling race returns to Britain for the fifth time. It will be the third time the race has started in Britain after London in 2007 and Leeds in 2014, and the first time it's been launched from Scotland. Organisers also confirmed on Wednesday that the Tour de France Femmes will come to Britain in 2027, the first time both races have held stages in the same country outside of France. 🔥🔥🔥 You can feel the excitement of @MarkCavendish! It will be a great Grand Départ! 🔥🔥🔥 Le Grand Départ du #TDF2027 à Edimbourg sera un moment exceptionnel, c'est @MarkCavendish qui vous le dit ! — Tour de France™ (@LeTour) March 19, 2025 Further details on routes will be announced in the autumn, but the prospect of a stage on the cobblestones of Edinburgh's Royal Mile is a mouth-watering one. Organisers also confirmed the Tour's first three stages will be in Scotland, England and Wales. "Why Edinburgh? Because it's a magical city," the Tour's General Director Christian Prudhomme told reporters during a briefing on Wednesday. "In the Tour de France and all cycling races, what is very important is the helicopter shots. "Edinburgh and Scotland will offer a magnificent backdrop." The Tour first came to Britain in 1974 when Plymouth hosted a stage and it returned 20 years later in Dover to celebrate the opening of the Channel Tunnel. London staged the Grand Depart in 2007 and in 2014 massive crowds perched on the Yorkshire hills as the race began in brutal and spectacular fashion. "It was a wall of people, it was massive," Prudhomme said. The opening stage in 2014 ended in Harrogate where home favourite Mark Cavendish crashed badly, ruling him out of the rest of the race. Despite that disappointment, Cavendish said starting a Tour in Britain was unforgettable. "I did two British Grand Departs. The first one was my first ever Tour of France and for many years that was the greatest Grand Depart any rider of our generation could remember," sprinting great Cavendish, who won a record 35 Tour stages, told reporters. "It was four, five people deep the whole way from London to Canterbury. Then we went to Yorkshire in 2014 and that was something else, wasn't it." Last year's Tour Grand Depart took place in Florence, Italy, with the 2026 race scheduled to start in Spain in Barcelona.
