London Hosts First Women's Tour de France Team Time Trial

Women's cycling is getting its biggest stage yet when the 2027 Tour de France Femmes launches with three days of racing across Britain, culminating in a groundbreaking team time trial through London.

For the first time ever, both the men's and women's Tour de France will start in the same foreign country in the same year. The British Grand Depart promises to be a landmark celebration of women's sports.

The women's race kicks off July 30 with a challenging 85-kilometer stage from Leeds to Manchester. Day two brings nearly 3,000 meters of climbing through northern England's Peak District, including the brutal Snake Pass and Sheffield's famous Cote de Jenkin Road climb.

Then comes the historic finale: an 18-kilometer team time trial winding through London's streets and finishing on The Mall. It's the first time this racing format has appeared in the women's Tour de France.

"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," said Race Director Marion Rousse.

The Ripple Effect

Organizers expect these three days to become the most attended women's sporting event ever held in Britain. The comparison to 2014's memorable men's Tour start in Leeds, which drew massive Yorkshire crowds, has people dreaming even bigger for the women's race.

Lucy Jones, Project Director for Grand Depart GB, isn't shy about the ambition. "Everyone remembers 2014 but maybe this could be bigger and better," she said. "We want to go out with a bang in London."

The equal treatment speaks volumes about how far women's cycling has come. Both races launching from Britain in the same year sends a powerful message that women athletes deserve the same spotlight, the same challenging courses, and the same enthusiastic crowds.

Women's cycling is racing toward the recognition it deserves, and London's streets will be there to celebrate every pedal stroke.