Leeds is poised to return to the international sporting stage after being confirmed as one of the host locations for the Grand Départ of the 2027 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
The world’s leading women’s professional stage race will visit Britain for the first time, with proceedings set to begin in the city on 30 July next year. The announcement also secures a further milestone for Leeds, which will become the first venue outside mainland Europe to stage the opening of a Grand Départ for both the men’s Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
Underscoring Leeds’ standing as a stronghold for cycling and sport more widely, the city staged a high-profile launch event to start the countdown to 2027. Around 150 guests attended at Leeds City Museum, including Leeds City Council leader Councillor James Lewis and the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Dan Cohen. They were presented with details of the UK’s start and finish locations for the women’s race. Those in attendance also heard the route plans for the 2027 men’s Grand Départ, which — like the women’s event, will be staged in Britain.
Among the speakers were Sports Minister Stephanie Peacock MP, Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift director Marion Rousse and Otley-born rider Lizzie Deignan, the road and track cyclist who secured Team GB’s first medal of the London 2012 Olympics.
Outside the museum, Leeds Civic Hall provided the backdrop for a striking visual projection celebrating previous British Grand Départs and revealing plans for 2027. Meanwhile, shafts of light in the Tour de France’s iconic yellow lit up the night sky above Millennium Square and across the city centre.
Councillor James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council said:
“I’m absolutely delighted that Leeds has been chosen as a host location for the Grand Départ of 2027’s Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
“No one who was present at the 2014 Tour de France Grand Départ here will ever forget the incredible atmosphere and sights that day, and I’m sure next year’s event will deliver a whole new set of brilliant memories.
“This is the kind of occasion that can showcase the very best of our city to the watching world while giving an important boost to the local economy.
“We were also pleased to have the opportunity to host this evening’s announcement event, with Leeds City Museum, Leeds Civic Hall and Millennium Square providing a suitably impressive setting for it.
“The council will now be working closely with the race organisers and a wide range of other partners and stakeholders as we prepare for what promises to be a really special day.
“We can assure local communities that we will be engaging with them in the coming months as further details about the Grand Départ, including route information, are released.”
Lizzie Deignan, recently-retired cycling star, Olympic medallist and former road racing world champion said:
“I am so happy that Leeds is a host city for the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift Grand Départ.
“This is something that I could only have dreamed about as a girl. There wasn’t even a Tour de France for women when I first started cycling, so I am incredibly proud that this is happening.
“I think it’s reflective of the city that Leeds is. We are a sporting community, we’ve had some incredible athletes come through this city over the years and it’s really exciting that we get to be on the world stage.”
The event also unveiled ‘Joy’, a social impact programme set to run alongside the 2027 Grand Départs, with a focus on tackling inactivity, boosting mental wellbeing and strengthening communities. The opening stage of the 2027 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will start in Leeds before crossing the Pennines to finish in Manchester. Stage two, on 31 July, will take the peloton from Manchester to Sheffield via the climbs of the Peak District, followed by a London stage on 1 August. Further details of the Leeds route are expected to be confirmed in spring this year.
The start will take place on the Headrow, a location likely to evoke strong memories for many Leeds residents of the extraordinary scenes in 2014, when the city hosted the opening stage of the Tour de France Grand Départ. An estimated 230,000 people filled the city centre to send the riders on their way, while a further two million lined the route across Yorkshire.
According to a report by Leeds City Council and UK Sport, the 2014 Grand Départ generated an economic boost of more than £100m for the county, with additional long-term gains anticipated through increased tourism, greater international profile and new trade opportunities.
Leeds has also staged a series of major sporting events in recent years, including IRONMAN Leeds, matches during the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup and fixtures at the 2022 Rugby League World Cup. That momentum is set to continue in 2026, when Headingley Stadium will host five games during this summer’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
The men’s Grand Départ of the 2027 Tour de France will take place from 2 to 4 July, with the peloton starting out from Edinburgh and passing through cities including Carlisle, Liverpool and Cardiff.
The ‘yellow beam’ light show unveiled in Leeds was due to be replicated across the nine other venues selected as start and finish points for next year’s Grand Départs. Dubbed the Tour de Skies, the nationwide display was intended to create a shared ‘moment of anticipation’ ahead of the 2027 events.
Information on volunteering roles for both Grand Départs — including route operations and spectator support, is expected to be released this spring. The Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift are organised by the French company ASO, while delivery of the 2027 Grand Départs is being led by Grand Départ GB in partnership with British Cycling.
For more information about the 2027 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift Grand Départ, please visit www.letourgb.com
