Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

UK government confirms bid for 2026 Tour de France Grand Départ

Funding to support bid is included in tomorrow’s Budget and Spending Review

The UK government has confirmed a bid to host the Grand Départ of the 2026 Tour de France, with Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak committing funding to the project as part of tomorrow’s Budget and Spending Review.

£30 million has been set aside to support plans to stage the start of cycling’s biggest race, and for the English Rugby Football Union’s bid for the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup.

The bid deadline for each falls early next year, and an additional £11 million is also being provided to back a bid for the UK and Republic of Ireland to host the FIFA World Cup in 2030.

The proposed 2026 Tour de France Grand Départ would include stages in England, Scotland and Wales, with 95 per cent of investment said to benefit areas outside the South East of England.

That could be a stumbling block with race owners Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), who would be likely to push for a finish location on the final stage of any UK Grand Départ that would put the race, and its huge supporting caravan, within striking distance of the Channel Ports for a quick return to France.

That was one of the reasons why the third and final stage of the last Grand Départ on these shores, in 2014, took the peloton from Cambridge to London after the opening two stages in Yorkshire ran from Leeds to Harrogate then York to Sheffield.

The following year, Transport for London (TfL) pulled the plug at the last minute on its bid to host the start of the 2017 edition of the race on the orders of then Mayor Boris Johnson, who said the £35 million cost would be better spent on cycling infrastructure.

> London wins Grand Départ of 2017 Tour de France – then TfL withdraws bid at 11th hour

The Grand Départ for the 2017 race was instead awarded to Düsseldorf in Germany.

British Cycling welcomed news of the bid for the 2026 Grand Départ, with the governing body’s CEO, Brian Facer, saying: “The 2014 Tour de France Grand Départ in Yorkshire was an unforgettable celebration of our sport and is still talked about to this day, inspiring a new generation of cyclists.

“More importantly, those few days showcased our country’s credentials as one of the world’s best cycling nations, and we’re delighted to be supporting the UK government’s bid to bring the sport’s showpiece event back to these shores in 2026.

“The Tour de France will bring significant economic benefit and investment to our communities, rapturous crowds on the roadside and a tangible legacy to get even more people riding more often throughout England, Scotland and Wales.

“We now look forward to working alongside the UK Government, devolved administrations and UK Sport to deliver a compelling vision for the 2026 Grand Depart, which aligns with the event organiser Amaury Sport Organisation’s aspirations, and builds on our proud track record of hosting the sport’s biggest global event,” he added.

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, said: “I’m excited at the prospect of bringing more world class sporting events to the UK. That’s why I’m backing these British bids, with over £40m of funding to make our case.

“Our bids will include events taking place across the country, and I’m hopeful that everyone will get a chance to cheer on their sporting heroes.”

Over the past two decades, there have been 10 Grand Départs of the race outside France, most recently in Belgium two years ago.

The Danish capital Copenhagen had been due to host the start of the race this year, but that has been postponed until next year as a result of a clash with the delayed Euro 2020 football tournament, while the 2023 edition will start in Bilbao in Spain’s Basque region.

> Routes of 2022 Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes by Zwift unveiled in Paris (plus fly-through videos)

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

Add new comment

13 comments

Avatar
tomascjenkins | 2 years ago
0 likes

Meanwhile iprohibitive costs make organising racing on UK roads difficult at grassroots level. TdF in UK won't result in more racing on UK roads. 

Avatar
Velophaart_95 | 2 years ago
0 likes

I'd really prefer the Giro, than another Tour Grand Depart. There is more to pro road cycling than 3 weeks in July. 

If it has to be the Tour, then it has to be somewhere else than either London or Yorkshire. They've had it, give to somewhere else. Wales, would be a good venue; nice road, stunning scenery. As would the South West, or Lancs/Lakes.

Avatar
Rendel Harris replied to Velophaart_95 | 2 years ago
0 likes

Would it make any substantive difference? Fields roughly the same size/quality, riding on the same roads. The only difference is that the Tour is more likely to attract non-aficionados than the Giro, so from an economic standpoint the Tour makes more sense.

Avatar
wycombewheeler replied to Velophaart_95 | 2 years ago
0 likes

Velophaart_95 wrote:

I'd really prefer the Giro, than another Tour Grand Depart. There is more to pro road cycling than 3 weeks in July. 

If it has to be the Tour, then it has to be somewhere else than either London or Yorkshire. They've had it, give to somewhere else. Wales, would be a good venue; nice road, stunning scenery. As would the South West, or Lancs/Lakes.

so if the pros are as good as our Nigel and can get up those west country 25% gradients on a 39 chainset with a 23 tooth casette

Avatar
Inspector Kevin... | 2 years ago
0 likes

Slightly biased but it's got to be Yorkshire again. We made the classic one day races look like a lightly spectated game of pétanque on a wet weekend.  The following London stages were an embarrassment of ennui. 
 

Even the worlds at Harrogate was crammed despite the continual torrential rain. 
 

Also - can always run it through the peaks afterwards. Maybe a summit finish on Winnat's?

Avatar
Grahamd replied to Inspector Kevin Smith SYP | 2 years ago
1 like

Inspector Kevin Smith SYP wrote:

Slightly biased but it's got to be Yorkshire again. We made the classic one day races look like a lightly spectated game of pétanque on a wet weekend.  The following London stages were an embarrassment of ennui. 
 

Even the worlds at Harrogate was crammed despite the continual torrential rain. 
 

Also - can always run it through the peaks afterwards. Maybe a summit finish on Winnat's?

Given the fantastic finish on the Orme on the Welsh section of the Tour of Britain would prefer to see the Welsh mountains used.

 

Avatar
Rik Mayals unde... | 2 years ago
0 likes

I for one would love to see Le Tour come through Lancashire. Over the trough, Waddy fell and maybe even Hugh Carthys favourite, Birdy Brow. We have some legendary hills around here. 

Avatar
Rendel Harris replied to Rik Mayals underpants | 2 years ago
3 likes

Trouble is, the Tour has much wider road requirements than, for example, the Tour of Britain to accomodate the far larger peleton and caravan - that's why some great climbs like the Madone have never featured in the Tour. I fear climbs like Birdy Brow and Bowland would be automatically ruled out.

Avatar
Secret_squirrel | 2 years ago
0 likes

I hate to say this but I'm with Boris - in London Mayor persona not Brexiteer PM persona. 

£40m is a few more segregated bike lanes.

Avatar
Rendel Harris replied to Secret_squirrel | 2 years ago
0 likes

From memory though I think we got something like £70M back in increased tourism etc, and I think Yorkshire got something like £3 back for every £1 outlay. The controversy comes when talking about which budget it should come from - tourism, cycling, general? If central govt are going to provide investment at no detriment to cycling budgets, great. However I do think (and I say this through gritted teeth as I loved it in London) another region should benefit - a couple of days racing from Cornwall towards Dover, taking in Dartmoor, Exmoor, the Mendips and the South Downs would make for excellent viewing.

Avatar
mdavidford replied to Secret_squirrel | 2 years ago
4 likes

Seems like that might be getting into 'policing or the arts' territory again, though. The TdF bid will be more about promoting sport, tourism, UKPLC, etc. - it shouldn't really be played off against investing in cycling for transport.

Avatar
captain_slog | 2 years ago
0 likes

The north east. Imagine the pro peloton sweeping across the Tyne and up the coast past the castles. And Weardale hosted a cracking stage of the recent Tour of Britain.

Avatar
alexuk | 2 years ago
2 likes

Good news! Let's hope we get it! 

Latest Comments