Manchester to host women’s 2027 Tour de France stages

Some of the world’s best women cyclists will be passing through Manchester next year after the city was confirmed as a key start and finish destination for the 2027 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.

Manchester is set welcome the finish of stage one of the iconic women’s cycling race on Friday 30 July 2027, followed by the start of stage two the following day as riders depart the city to continue the race on Saturday 31 July 2027.

The starts and finishes for the historic first ever visit of the women’s race to Britain were revealed alongside the route for the men’s race – which starts in Edinburgh a few weeks earlier on Friday 2 July 2027 – in a ‘Tour de Skies’ moment this evening, that saw ten host towns and cities illuminated simultaneously with yellow beams of light reaching into the night skies, including in Manchester where the city’s Central Library on St Peter’s Square provided a stunning backdrop as a yellow beam was projected skywards.

Next year marks the first time both Grand Départs – for the men’s and the women’s race – will begin in the United Kingdom, and the first time they have taken place in the same country, outside France. With millions of spectators expected, it will be the largest free-to-watch sporting event in UK history.

Alongside today’s route announcement, organisers also announced first details of Joy, the social impact programme that will embed community impact at the heart of the 2027 Grand Départ, and confirmed also that 7,000 volunteers will be recruited to support the event nationwide.

Joy will see six core programmes rolled out across the home nations with organisers working collaboratively with local councils, community representatives, delivery partners and governments to create opportunities for young people to develop their skills, break down barriers for girls in sport, and to showcase community culture through the voices of Britain. 

On the volunteer side British Cycling will look to recruit more than 7,000 volunteers for the Grand Départs, inviting people across the UK to play a hands-on role in delivering the event. Thousands of opportunities will be available across route operations, spectator support and community engagement, offering people of all ages the chance to be part of Tour history, with more details to be announced when the programme is launched in the spring.

As a former European Capital of Cycling in 2024, and home also to British Cycling with its base at the National Cycling Centre and velodrome in east Manchester which first opened in 1994, Manchester has a long history with cycling and with women’s cycling.

Councillor John Hacking, Executive Member for Skills Employment and Leisure, Manchester City Council, said: “Manchester has a decades-long association with cycling and with women’s sport, and championing women and girls to participate in and enjoy sports – including cycling – at all levels from entry through to elite, is really important to us.  

“Our year as European Capital of Cycling in 2024 showed us just how much cycling means to people in the city and to have both a stage finish and start of the prestigious Tour de France Femmes in Manchester provides an unrivalled opportunity to see the world’s best women cyclists in action here on our streets.

“We’ll be going all out to ensure the success of the stages that pass through the city and to maximise the opportunities it presents for local people and businesses to get involved and support the event.”

Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift route:

· Friday 30 July | stage one: Leeds to Manchester

· Saturday 31 July | stage two: Manchester to Sheffield

· Sunday 1 August | stage three: London

The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift begins in Leeds on Friday 30 July for an opening stage, travelling west and over the Pennines to Manchester.

Racing resumes a day later from Manchester on Saturday 31 July for a stage through the Peak District National Park to Sheffield, with the peloton expected to pass through some of the most famous climbs, including the Côte de Snake Pass.

London will provide a spectacular finale when stage three visits the capital on Sunday 1 August.