Tour de France returns to UK in 2027 with Edinburgh start

The Tour de France is returning to the UK in 2027 with a start from Edinburgh

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Tour De France riders cycle through the village of West Tanfield, England during the first stage of the race Saturday, July 5, 2014.. (AP Photo/Scott Heppell, File)

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Spectators watch the pack pass during the first stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 190.5 kilometers (118.4 miles) with start in Leeds and finish in Harrogate, England, Saturday, July 5, 2014. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File)

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Tour De France riders cross a bridge near the village of West Tanfield, England during the first stage of the race Saturday, July 5, 2014. (AP Photo/Scott Heppell, FIle)

PARIS (AP) — Britain will host the Grand Départ of both the Tour de France and the women’s version of the race in 2027, organizers said Wednesday.

It will be the 28th time that the Tour de France starts from a foreign country, and the first time since 2014 — when the Tour began in the Yorkshire region — that Britain hosts the start of cycling’s biggest race. The 2007 Tour started in London.

For the Tour de France Femmes, it will be the first time holding stages in Britain, with the start location to be announced later.

The men’s and women’s races will take place on different dates.

Full details of the route have yet to be announced but organizers revealed that the men’s Tour de France will begin in Edinburgh, Scotland. There will be stages in England and Wales, too.

When the Tour departed from Yorkshire, the event drew enormous crowds.

“The Tour de France and the UK share a rich history, and I am delighted to bring the Grand Départ to the country in 2027,” said Christian Prudhomme, the Tour de France director. “Britain has always welcomed the Tour with enthusiasm and pride, and this collaboration across England, Scotland, and Wales promises to make the event even more special.”

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Three British riders have won the Tour — Bradley Wiggins in 2012, four-time champion Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas.

Last year’s Grand Depart took place in Florence, Italy, with the 2026 race due to start in Barcelona, Spain.

This year’s race will start from the northern French city of Lille.

It will be the second start of the women’s race outside France following the Grand Départ in the Netherlands in 2024, organizers said.

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AP cycling: https://apnews.com/hub/cycling