London will host a landmark moment in women’s cycling when the first-ever team time trial in the history of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift takes place on the streets of the capital as part of the 2027 Grand Départ in Britain.

The historic stage will see the world’s best riders racing together against the clock in their seven-rider teams via an iconic central London circuit of approximately 18-kilometres, culminating in a spectacular finish on The Mall, one of Britain’s most iconic sporting backdrops.

Over the course of three days, the 2027 Grand Départ of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift is anticipated to be the most attended women’s sporting event ever staged in Britain, underlining the scale and significance of this historic moment for the sport.

Details were officially announced as Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift race director Marion Rousse joined British professional cyclists Cat Ferguson (Movistar Team) and Flora Perkins (Fenix – Premier Tech) at Canada Gate, overlooking the stage three finish line on The Mall. They were joined by seven young girls, as a part of the girls participation programme element of JOY, the dedicated social impact programme for the Grand Départ, which aims to tackle inactivity and improve mental wellbeing, make Britain more productive and prosperous and support communities to thrive.

The announcement comes alongside the unveiling of the full routes for the first two stages of the race, which will take the peloton from Leeds to Manchester and Manchester to Sheffield, delivering two challenging and visually spectacular days of racing across Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, and the Peak District in Derbyshire.

The London team time trial will round off the women’s Grand Départ weekend, with teams racing through the heart of the capital before finishing on The Mall. The chosen setting and the festive atmosphere that will take hold of the city will serve as a reminder that 20 years earlier, the Tour de France made its debut in the English capital with an individual time trial won by Fabian Cancellara.

The full route for the stage will be revealed later this year as part of the official launch of the 2027 race route in Paris.

Rousse said: “The Team Time Trial has always been one of the most exciting and spectacular formats in cycling, and we are very proud that the first one in the history of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will take place in London. The United Kingdom has already shown its passion for the Tour, and these stages will once again showcase the energy of the crowds, the beauty of the landscapes and the growing importance of women’s cycling on the world stage.”

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