Tour de France 2027 route revealed

The 2027 Tour de France finally has its face. At the Palais de Congrès in Paris, race director Christian Prudhomme unveiled the route for the 114th edition: a challenging British Grand Départ, two individual time trials, and a thrilling Pyrenean queen stage. These are the obstacles that reigning champion Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and his rivals will face in July.

The most striking figure is the time trial: 71 kilometers spread across two decisive days, the highest mileage against the clock since 2012, the year of Bradley Wiggins ' triumph. For those who play fantasy cycling, this is a clear signal: time trialists and those classified with a good specialist pace will be able to have a significant impact, both for the overall standings and for stage points.

The race will start in Edinburgh , the Scottish capital, on Friday, July 2. Twenty-one stages will separate Pogačar from the chance to win his fourth consecutive yellow jersey and, above all, his sixth overall Tour, a record goal to chase all the way to Paris.

The mountains will take center stage, with the Pyrenees being the truly decisive mountain range of this edition. The final week features a brace of extremely tough stages, including the most difficult on paper, stage 18 finishing at the Col du Portet . But beware: the Alps and the Massif Central will also play a key role in the battle for the Maillot Jaune. Those building their fantasy team will therefore need to consider climbers capable of sustaining their form over the long haul, not just a one-off peak.

Before hitting the mountains, the Tour will offer plenty of scope for sprinters and fast riders. The battle for the first yellow jersey will likely be played out as early as stage 1 to Carlisle . In total, there are six likely flat stages where sprinters and lead riders will want to show off, with plenty of opportunities for rouleurs and classics specialists as the race heads south from the United Kingdom.

There would have been seven chances for the sprinters, but on stage 21, the Butte Montmartre returns, for the third consecutive year in the finale. The climb, which has already produced spectacle and drama, makes the parade on the Champs-Élysées anything but a given for those dreaming of a sprint finish. In fantasy cycling, betting on a pure sprinter in Paris could be a gamble: it's better to also evaluate the attackers and classics riders.

Nine months after the Scottish start, Pogačar remains the benchmark. Chasing him will be two-time Tour winner Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike), this year's runner-up Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), and rising French superstar Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM). If the Slovenian were to secure his sixth victory, he would surpass Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Induráin for the all-time Tour win record.

The 21 stages

Stage 1: Edinburgh – Carlisle (184 km)

2nd stage: Keswick – Liverpool (223 km)

3rd stage: Welshpool – Cardiff (223 km)

4th stage: Cherbourg-en-Cotentin – Cherbourg-en-Cotentin (171 km)

5th stage: Pontorson – Plumelec (Côte de Cadoudal) (178 km)

6th stage: Vannes – Angers (193 km)

7th stage: Blois – Chambord (38 km – time trial)

8th stage: Bourges – Le Creusot (224 km)

9th stage: Villars les Dombes – Grand Colombier (162 km)

10th stage: Annecy – Sallanches (171 km)

11th stage: Cluses – Les Saisies (150 km)

12th stage: Chambery – Valence (162 km)

13th stage: Aubenas – Montpellier (164 km)

14th stage: Montpellier – Mende (Côte de la Croix Neuve) (199 km)

15th stage: Rodez – Albi (169 km)

16th stage: Toulouse – Toulouse (33 km – time trial)

Stage 17: Muret – Pau (186 km)

18th stage: Pau – Saint-Lary-Soulan (Col de Portet) (174 km)

19th stage: Hasparren – Laruns (160 km)

Stage 20: Maubourguet – Libourne (198 km)

11th stage: Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines – Paris Champs-Elysées (116 km)