2027 Tour de France: Grand Depart in Britain, 71km of time trials, Grand Colombier, Les Saisies and Col du Portet, with the Yellow Jersey likely decided in the Pyrenees

The 2027 Tour de France starts in Edinburgh on 2 July and finishes in Paris on 25 July, covering approximately 3,479 km. The route features 7 flat stages, 6 hilly stages, 6 mountain stages, 2 individual time trials and 3 rest days. A notable feature is the return of 71 km of time trialling, the most since 2012.

Week 1: Great Britain, Normandy and the Race Against the Clock

The race begins with a historic three-stage Grand Départ in Britain:

Stage 1: Edinburgh - Carlisle

Stage 2: Keswick - Liverpool

Stage 3: Welshpool - Cardiff

After transferring to France, the race heads through Normandy, Brittany and the Loire Valley before the first major GC test, a 38 km individual time trial from Blois to Chambord.

Week 1: Great Britain, Normandy and the Race Against the Clock

Week 2: Alps, Les Saisies and Mende

The first summit finish comes on Stage 9 atop the Grand Colombier, before the race moves into the Alps.

Key Alpine stages include:

Stage 10: Annecy - Sallanches

Stage 11: Cluses - Les Saisies

Stage 11 uses much of the same terrain as the 2027 Étape du Tour, featuring the Col de la Colombière, Col du Pré and the Bisanne climb before finishing in Les Saisies.

The second week concludes with the traditional puncheur showdown at Mende's Côte de la Croix Neuve, a climb that often produces explosive GC battles.

Week 3: Time Trial and Pyrenean Showdown

- The final week opens with another crucial 33 km time trial around Toulouse, taking the total TT distance to 71 km.

- The Pyrenees then host the decisive GC battles:

Stage 18: Pau - Col du Portet

Stage 19: Hasparren - Laruns

Stage 18 is the Queen Mountain Stage with approximately 5,400 m of climbing, including the Soulor, Tourmalet, Hourquette d'Ancizan and the summit finish on Col du Portet.

Week 3: Time Trial and Pyrenean Showdown

Route Verdict

This is not a pure climber's Tour. The Alps are relatively short, there are only three summit finishes, and the 71 km of time trials will heavily favour riders who can excel against the clock. Expect the yellow jersey battle to revolve around the likes of complete GC riders rather than pure mountain specialists.

Key GC Days

- Stage 7 - Blois-Chambord ITT (38 km)

- Stage 9 - Grand Colombier summit finish

- Stage 10 - Sallanches mountain stage

- Stage 11 - Les Saisies summit finish

- Stage 14 - Mende (Côte de la Croix Neuve)

- Stage 16 - Toulouse ITT (33 km)

- Stage 18 - Col du Portet summit finish

- Stage 19 - Laruns Pyrenean stage

2027 Tour de France Stages

Stage	Day	Start	Finish	Distance	Type
1	Fri 2 July	Edinburgh	Carlisle	185km	Flat
2	Sat 3 July	Keswick	Liverpool	223km	Hilly
3	Sun 4 July	Welshpool	Cardiff	223km	Hilly
4	Tue 6 July	Cherbourg-en-Cotentin	Cherbourg-en-Cotentin	172km	Hilly
5	Wed 7 July	Pontorson	Plumelec	178km	Flat
6	Thu 8 July	Vannes	Angers	193km	Flat
7	Fri 9 July	Blois	Chambord	38km	ITT
8	Sat 10 July	Bourges	Le Creusot	224km	Hilly
9	Sun 11 July	Villars-les-Dombes	Grand Colombier	162km	Mountains
10	Tue 13 July	Annecy	Sallanches	172km	Mountains
11	Wed 14 July	Cluses	Les Saisies	150km	Mountains
12	Thu 15 July	Chambéry	Valence	162km	Flat
13	Fri 16 July	Aubenas	Montpellier	164km	Flat
14	Sat 17 July	Montpellier	Mende	199km	Mountains
15	Sun 18 July	Rodez	Albi	169km	Hilly
16	Tue 20 July	Toulouse	Toulouse	33km	ITT
17	Wed 21 July	Muret	Pau	186km	Flat
18	Thu 22 July	Pau	Saint-Lary-Soulan (Col du Portet)	174km	Mountains
19	Fri 23 July	Hasparren	Laruns	160km	Mountains
20	Sat 24 July	Maubourguet	Libourne	198km	Flat
21	Sun 25 July	Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines	Paris	116km	Flat-ish