ASO wants the Grand Départ of the 2029 Tour to be in Berlin, the year that marks the 40th anniversary of the fall of the Wall
Cycling
Le Tour de France has already started four times in Germany. In 1965 the Grand Départ took place in Cologne, in 1980 it was Frankfurt’s turn, in 1987 it was West Berlin, and the last time was in the city of Düsseldorf in 2017.
In 2029, the 40th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall will be celebrated, and there is now clear symbolism at play. Although there is strong competition for that year, especially from Prague and Slovenia, ASO’s wish is for the race to start in Germany.
“We were informed of ASO’s desire for Berlin to get involved in the project,” said Andreas Prokop, vice-president of Grand Départ Allemagne, to Der Tagesspiegel.
This news therefore brings new circumstances to be analysed. Firstly, because Germany was initially expected to host the Grand Boucle in 2030, and Berlin had never been a city under consideration.
Secondly, because a Grand Départ in Berlin brings a whole set of obstacles that need to be examined before any step can be taken. Germany’s State Secretary for Sport, Franziska Becker, clarified that there is currently “no formal request” for a Grand Départ of the Tour.
At the end of December 2025, the Grand Départ 2030 association requested support, and Berlin then declared a fundamental interest, but explicitly without organisational, financial or legal commitments.
Furthermore, Berlin has raised questions regarding costs, contractual matters, security and traffic management, among other issues.
Andreas Prokop confirmed what Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme had already publicly hinted at, that ASO wants to see the country’s capital included in the bid. “We received the wish for Berlin to be there,” he said.
According to Prokop, discussions with Paris “have been positive”, and ASO’s final decision will only come in the summer of 2027. The same official remains optimistic despite the outstanding issues.
Grand Départ - Tour de France
2025 – Lille (France)
2024 – Florence (Italy)
2023 – Bilbao (Spain)
2022 – Copenhagen (Denmark)
2021 – Brest (Brittany, France)
Carlos Silva is a writer for CyclingUpToDate.com, where he contributes race reports, interviews, analysis pieces, and live coverage of the international cycling calendar. Holding a degree in Sports from the Jean Piaget Institute, he combines academic knowledge of performance, training, and competition with hands-on journalism experience in professional cycling.
Throughout his career, Carlos has conducted interviews with leading figures in the sport, including Alberto Contador, Joaquim Rodríguez, Óscar Pereiro, João Almeida, Isaac del Toro, Derek Gee, John Degenkolb and Geraint Thomas. These conversations reflect direct engagement with Grand Tour winners, Classics specialists, and emerging talents.
He has provided on-site coverage at major events ranging from the Vuelta a España to the Tour de France, alongside stage races such as Vuelta a Andalucía, Volta ao Algarve, Volta a Portugal and O Gran Camiño. Covering the mythical climbs of the Giro d'Italia remains one of his professional ambitions.
Carlos is responsible for liveblog coverage of all major WorldTour races and beyond, including the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España. His reporting integrates verified data from ProCyclingStats to ensure statistical accuracy, contextual depth, and analytical precision.
A lifelong cycling enthusiast, he approaches storytelling across written, photographic, and video formats with a focus on credibility, tactical insight, and informed race interpretation.
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