“We talk about Britain’s male cyclists – but we’ve had more female champions”: Mark Cavendish says historic UK Tour de France Femmes Grand Départ is “fitting” and will inspire next generation

The Tour de France Femmes’ first ever visit to the UK in 2027, as part of a groundbreaking Grand Départ double that will also see the men’s race start in Edinburgh, has been described as “fitting” by Sir Mark Cavendish, who pointed to the historic success of Britain’s female cyclists as “paving the pathway” for both the current crop of British pros and the sport in general.

It was announced yesterday evening, in a press conference in Edinburgh, that the 2027 editions of the men’s and women’s Tours de France will start in the UK, the first time that the Grands Départs for both events will be held in the same country, outside France, in their history.

The opening stage of the 2027 men’s Tour de France will be held in Edinburgh, with the following two stages set to take place in Wales and England, it was confirmed, as part of what the organising team has described as the “grandest of Grands Départs” and the largest free sporting event in British history.

The start of the Tour de France Femmes, which will likely take place three weeks after the Edinburgh Grand Départ as the men’s race ends in Paris, will also feature three stages in the UK.

Plans are yet to be finalised for the Tour Femmes route, with full details set to be unveiled in the autumn, though it is expected that Leeds and Yorkshire will play host to the opening stage, 13 years on from the county’s spectacular Grand Départ for the men’s Tour.

> Edinburgh to host start of 2027 Tour de France: Tour director “optimistic” about free-to-air TV coverage of UK Grand Départ

And speaking at the press conference on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile yesterday, 35-time Tour de France stage winner Mark Cavendish highlighted how Britain’s history of world-class, groundbreaking female cyclists, including Yorkshire’s own Beryl Burton (arguably one of the greatest cyclists of all time), Mandy Jones, Nicole Cooke, Emma Pooley, and Lizzie Deignan, helped pave the way for the Tour Femmes’ historic visit in 2027.

Mark Cavendish, Edinburgh 2027 Tour de France announcement (credit: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com)

Asked about how his own sporting legacy, as well as that of four-time Tour winner Chris Froome and 2018 yellow jersey Geraint Thomas, influenced the decision to award the UK its third Grand Départ in two decades, Cavendish said the race’s relationship with Britain in recent years “speaks for itself”.

Cavendish, who retired last year after finally eclipsing Eddy Merckx as the rider with the most stage wins at cycling’s biggest race, made his Tour de France debut 2007 when the race started in London, alongside then-Barloworld rider Thomas. However, when the race returned to British shores seven years later, the Manx Missile spectacularly crashed out during the sprint to the line on the opening stage in Harrogate.

“I think the fact we’re having the third Grand Départ of our careers in the same country speaks for itself. There hasn’t been anywhere else that’s hosted the Tour as much in the last 20 years,” the 39-year-old said.

“However, we talk about the male champions of cycling in Britain – but we’ve had more female cycling champions in history, you know? They’ve paved the pathway for their female colleagues to perform on the world stage, for my daughter to grow up and want to be a bike rider.

“I think it’s brilliant the Tour de France Femmes is coming to the UK. Cycling has been at the forefront of pushing equality in sport. And it’s fitting that this is the first time that the men’s Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes are starting in the same place outside France.

Lotte Kopecky, Anna Henderson, and Pfeiffer Georgi, 2024 Tour of Britain Women (credit: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)

“To see that come to fruition is great. In terms of gender equality, as in any part of life, there’s always more that can be done in cycling, of course. But I think providing the opportunity and education is the most important thing to get people interested and to push for what we ultimately want.

“I have a two-year-old daughter who is absolutely crazy about the bike, her and my youngest boy are super close, and he’s crazy about it.

“The Grand Départ will 100 per cent inspire my kids. We’ll all be there as a family – and when we come and watch it, the first thing they’ll want to do when they get home is ride their bikes.”

Children from Scottish Cycling at Edinburgh’s 2027 Tour de France announcement (credit: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com)

Reflecting more generally on the impact the Tour’s last two visits to the UK have had on the nation’s relationship with cycling, Cavendish continued: “Cycling has exploded in this country, not just as a competitive thing, but as a pastime, as a way to keep fit and healthy, for families and kids to do. And as a mode of transport, the commuting people do in the big cities now, you wouldn’t have thought it not even that long ago.

“As riders, we’re very proud to have witnessed it and to have been a small part of it. And it’s great it’s carried on for so long, and can carry on for much longer, and that the new generation will continue riding bikes – people will be looking up to the new generation coming through, so the cycle continues.”

However, the former world champion says he won’t be following in the wheel tracks of Chris Boardman and focusing his attentions on campaigning for better cycling infrastructure and active travel policies anytime soon.

“I’m not sure if I have a say in it, to be fair, I’ll just leave it these guys!” he laughed, gesturing across to British Cycling CEO Jon Dutton.

“Mark has inspired people to get on a bike, which is a great start,” Dutton interjected. “It’s the job of British Cycling and our partners to get more people on bikes, get more people to have great experiences, and to work for more safety, safe spaces.

“But it needs that inspiration, it needs the visibility of big events, and it needs people like Mark to inspire people.”

Mark Cavendish, Christian Prudhomme, and HRH Sophie the Duchess of Edinburgh at Edinburgh’s 2027 Tour de France announcement (credit: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com)

Asked about his own personal experiences as a pro during the previous two UK Grands Départs, and their ability to inspire, Cavendish said: “I’ve done two British Grands Départs, the first one was my first ever Tour de France, in London. And for many riders of my generation, that was the greatest Grand Départ they can remember.

“I remember not being able to stop to wee by the side of the road because the crowds were four or five people deep the whole way from London to Canterbury! And the prologue in London speaks for itself, but I was so nervous.

“So, we talked about that as the greatest Grand Départ ever, but then we went to Yorkshire in 2014 – and that was something else, wasn’t it? I think we’re very fortunate in this country that cycling has been so big in the last 20 years and the success we’ve had as a nation has been part of that.”

2014 Tour de France stage one, Leeds to Harrogate (credit: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com)

He continued: “But to be able to see the greatest bike race on earth here on British roads, that’s only going to inspire.

“Anybody that sees a bike race, especially one of the Tour’s magnitude, you can’t help but want to go out and ride a bike. My kids have an ex-pro racer at home, but whenever they see a bike race, the first thing they want to do when they get back home is to ride a bike.

“The amount of people that turn up, they’re not cyclists for sure. They’re out enjoying their day – and thankfully we’ve had mostly sunny days when the Tour’s been over here – seeing what the Tour de France is, the caravan, the riders, the show, the competition, and what bike racing is about, its history.

“Cycling started as quite a niche sport in the UK, and you see people out watching it and enjoying everything it is about.

“I don’t think we can comprehend what the start of a Tour de France is going to be like here, it’s going to be bigger than you think.”