Leeds communities are set to be placed firmly in the sporting spotlight after new details were revealed about the city’s role in the 2027 Grand Départ of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
The city was confirmed in January as the host location for the start of stage one of the world’s biggest women’s professional cycle race, which will visit Britain for the first time next year. Organisers have now provided an overview of the route that will be used when the race begins in Leeds on July 30, 2027, giving residents and cycling fans a first glimpse of how the city will feature on the global stage.
Riders will set off from The Headrow before completing a partial loop of the city centre and heading out towards Headingley. The route will then pass Headingley Stadium before continuing down to Kirkstall and on towards Bramley. From there, the peloton will travel south through Gamble Hill and Farnley, then west to Drighlington before crossing into Kirklees and continuing over the Pennines towards Manchester.
Full details of the roads involved, along with information about temporary closures and traffic restrictions, will be announced in due course. A wide-ranging programme of engagement with residents and businesses is due to begin this summer. People can also sign up for Leeds-specific updates through a dedicated mailing list on the Visit Leeds website.
The event will see Leeds become the first place outside mainland Europe to host the stage one Grand Départ for both the men’s Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. Around 230,000 people packed into Leeds city centre to cheer on the riders during the Tour de France Grand Départ in 2014, while a further two million spectators lined the rest of the Yorkshire route.
Hopes are high that the 2027 event will generate a similar atmosphere, bringing a major boost to the local economy and reinforcing Leeds’s reputation as a leading national and international sporting city.
Councillor James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council said:
“We might be more than a year away from welcoming the Grand Départ of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift to Leeds, but there is already a good deal of excitement building around the event.
“Today’s route announcement will hopefully whet people’s appetites still further and get them thinking about where in the city they will be watching the race.
“We recognise that some residents and businesses will now have questions about how an occasion of this size could impact local communities on the day.
“They can be assured that we will be working hard alongside the race organisers to minimise any disruption and will also make every effort to keep people fully informed as plans for the event continue to take shape.”
A report by Leeds City Council and UK Sport found that the 2014 Grand Départ generated more than £100m for Yorkshire’s economy, with long-term benefits also expected through increased tourism, profile and trade opportunities.
Marion Rousse, race director of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift said:
“The United Kingdom has already shown its passion for the Tour, and these stages will once again showcase the energy of the crowds, the beauty of the landscapes and the growing importance of women’s cycling on the world stage.”
The second stage of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift’s 2027 Grand Départ will take riders from Manchester to Sheffield on July 31, followed by a London stage on August 1. Organisers have also confirmed that the London leg will feature a team time trial, with riders racing past landmarks including the Houses of Parliament and Tower Bridge before finishing on The Mall.
The men’s 2027 Tour de France Grand Départ will also be staged in the UK, running from July 2 to 4. Riders will set off from Edinburgh before visiting cities including Carlisle, Liverpool and Cardiff.
Leeds has hosted a series of major sporting occasions in recent years, including IRONMAN Leeds and fixtures during the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup and the 2022 Rugby League World Cup. That success story is continuing in 2026, with Headingley Stadium set to host a number of matches as part of this summer’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
The Tour de France and 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.
For further information about the 2027 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift Grand Départ, including volunteering opportunities during the event, visit the www.letourgb.com
