Fred Wright sees the 2027 UK Grand Départ as "exactly what we need for cycling in the UK at the moment, another revival"
Cycling
The news of 2027 Tour de France returning to UK spread like fire and all the home cyclists are already marking the race in their calendars, in two years' advance. Considering the recent low blows UK cycling had suffered, this is a spark of hope that the future will be bright again, riders believe.
"It’s pretty exciting, isn’t it," Fred Wright told Cycling Weekly. "To do that and be a part of that in my career would be a dream come true, actually. My very early experience of the Tour was watching it when it came to London. When it starts in the UK again, I’d love to be there. I think if everything goes to plan then I would think that’s exactly what we need for cycling in the UK at the moment, another revival sort of thing."
Joshua Tarling
For Joshua Tarling, it may be a tad bit disappointing that the organisers don't plan to hold a timetrial on the Isles, a discipline in which he could shine on home roads. In any case he's mostly looking forward to the cycling's biggest event making its way back to the UK, especially with the unsettling loss of free-to-air Tour de France broadcast.
"I hope I can be there, it would be a proud moment for sure," Ineos Grenadiers' Tarling added. To broaden the sport's base is one of the effects he hopes the Tour will have in the UK. "I think it will inspire more people on the outside of the sport to get involved."
Pfeiffer Georgi
If the excitement can be fathomable within the men's bunch, you don't need to go far to imagine what the first-ever Grand Départ of Tour de France Femmes in UK means for the ladies. Pfeiffer Georgi recalls standing by the road during the previous TdF Grand Départ in 2014 and hopes to now make such strong memories from the saddle in two years' time.
"I remember watching the men’s Tour when it came to Yorkshire in 2014, and I saw how crazy the support was, so I can’t wait to experience that myself," she said. "It’s always special racing in the UK and I’m really excited to see the full details of the stages, but this announcement definitely motivates me to be in the best shape possible for the start of the Tour."
"I also hope that it can inspire more young girls to start riding a bike, and I know first hand how much impact events like this can have, as I was hugely inspired by watching some of my idols at the London 2012 Olympics," Georgi concludes.
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- Indeed, strong as ever on the flat, maybe stronger on climbs. There are very few records within reach for contemporary riders (Cabendish had to extend his career to get his and took twice as long as Merckx to equality), this would be one that would be very hard to take away.Mistermaumau29-03-2025
- I thought newspeak was condensing any statement into the smallest number of pertinent words.Mistermaumau29-03-2025
- flanders is mvdp’s favorite race and he’s one win away from being the lone record holder with 4 wins. i’d be very surprised if the gap that pogačar opened in him there 2 years ago wasn’t THE major focus of all his training. and when mathieu has a goal, he turns himself inside out to achieve it. we’ll see next week if he got there, but i’d agree with van avermat’s assessment of van der poel’s fitness.OCexile29-03-2025
- It’s almost like newspeak. It’s classics season, Pogacar’s main rival has always been van der Poel. Then grand tour season will begin, and we will pivot mid sentence and Pogacar’s main rival will have always been Vingegaard. What a season this promises to be. Let’s hope they stay healthy (and Vingegaard gets past the concussion).RidesHills29-03-2025
- Great that he’s decided to do Flanders though his weight remark is irrelevant, Mads is proportionately heavier and MVDP has the same weight but is around 10cm shorter.Mistermaumau29-03-2025
- Yeah, looks slow up there.Jumpyjohn28-03-2025
- lol His aim was well off! MVP was well past him before the guy decided to spit.Cyclingsbestfan28-03-2025
- But you know that’s what makes this website live ;-)Mistermaumau28-03-2025
- I hope he stays upright too and I hope that in this years Paris Roubaix we get a proper good old fashioned man against man race. Can't wait!Cyclingsbestfan28-03-2025
- What can you expect from a guy like that. Probably home now enjoying his pseudo fame before his evening session of paid sex chatting.Mistermaumau28-03-2025