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- Le Tour Du Taff! . . . Historic Cardiff Tour De France Date Confirmed For
The announcement means Wales will stage the final UK leg of the men’s Tour de France, bringing the world’s most famous cycling race through the heart of the country before the peloton returns to France. It marks a historic moment for Welsh sport and places Wales firmly on the global sporting stage.
The confirmation came as UK organisers unveiled the host towns and cities for both the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift in 2027, with ten locations across England, Scotland and Wales revealed in a nationwide “Tour de Skies” celebration.
Geraint Thomas - the only Welsh cyclist to win the tour, back in 2018 - said: "The Tour is the reason I got into cycling so it will be a very special day – but it's the legacy that will be key.
"Riders will know they're not in France. The roads and the landscape are completely different to what you get in France and that makes the race more unpredictable.
"In Wales it's heavy roads, small lanes and the climbs are just different. It doesn't come easy, you're always working hard – and that's not just me after doing nothing for the past four months.
"Hopefully the weather will be nice, but that brings another dynamic.
"The route itself has a San Remo feel because it starts flat but then it's a long stage with the climbs coming towards the end with the Rhigos and Caerphilly."
Iconic landmarks were illuminated in yellow to mark the countdown to what is set to become the largest free sporting spectacle ever staged in Britain.
For Wales, the headline moment is the third and final stage of the men’s Grand Départ, which will start in Welshpool, Powys, and finish in Cardiff, showcasing the country’s dramatic landscapes to millions of viewers worldwide.
The Welsh stage promises to be one of the most challenging of the UK route. Eight categorised climbs are packed into the day, with six coming in the final 80 kilometres as the race winds through the south Wales valleys.
Iconic ascents such as the Côte de Rhigos and the Côte de Caerffili are expected to play a decisive role, with the final yellow jersey on British soil set to be presented in the Welsh capital.
It was announced last year that the Tour de France would pass through Wales for the first time, and the confirmation of a full Welsh stage now cements the country’s place in cycling history.
The 2027 Grand Départ will begin in Edinburgh on Friday 2 July, before the race heads south through England and into Wales.
This will be the third time the Tour’s opening stages have been hosted in the UK, following previous visits in 2007 and 2014.
Christian Prudhomme, Director of the Tour de France, said the UK route reflected both enthusiasm for the race and the diversity of the terrain on offer.
“The UK has always welcomed the Tour with passion and pride, and the route details we are revealing today reflect the beauty and diversity of Britain’s terrain. Bringing both Grand Départs here is a testament to the strength of our partnership with British Cycling and the enthusiasm of the UK.”
Wales’ First Minister Eluned Morgan said hosting a stage of the Tour de France for the first time would deliver lasting benefits for the nation.
“Wales is proud to host a stage of the Tour de France Grand Depart for the first time in 2027, which will be a fantastic opportunity to showcase our stunning landscapes at one of the world’s biggest sporting events.
"Hosting the final UK stage of the men’s race will raise Wales’ profile as a world-class destination for cyclists and other visitors, while inspiring more people to get active and deliver lasting benefits for Wales.”
Alongside the route announcement, organisers also launched Joy, a UK-wide social impact programme that will sit at the heart of the 2027 Grand Départ.
The initiative aims to tackle inactivity, improve mental wellbeing and help communities thrive, with six core programmes to be delivered across the home nations.
British Cycling also confirmed plans to recruit more than 7,000 volunteers, offering people across Wales, England and Scotland the chance to play a hands-on role in delivering the world’s biggest free-to-watch sporting event.
The men’s Tour de France route for the UK will be:
Friday 2 July – Stage one: Edinburgh to Carlisle
Saturday 3 July – Stage two: Keswick to Liverpool
Sunday 4 July – Stage three: Welshpool to Cardiff
The women’s Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will follow later in the summer, beginning in Leeds on Friday 30 July, before stages through Manchester, Sheffield and a finale in London.
The announcement represents the biggest milestone since confirmation last March that both the men’s and women’s races would begin in the UK — the first time this has happened outside France.
For Wales, however, the significance is unmistakable.
When the peloton rolls out of Welshpool and finishes in Cardiff in July 2027, it will mark a defining moment in Welsh sporting history — and a first that has been decades in the making.
