"People still talk about it today..." - Mark Cavendish has no doubt that Tour de France's return to British roads will be notable
Cycling
Mark Cavendish has taken plenty in plenty Tour de France editions and has been at both recent British Grand Departs in 2007 and 2014. In 2027 the Grand Boucle will once again begin on British roads, something the 'Manx Missile' hopes to see as another marking moment in British cycling history.
"I always like when there's an opportunity for the sprinters to pull on a yellow jersey in the first stage of the Tour de France," Cavendish said at the Tour de France presentation, as reported by Cyclingnews.
The first stage will take place from Edinburgh to Carlisle; whilst the second will be from Keswick to Liverpool. Both days will suit the sprinters and could see jersey changes within the opening days of the race - whilst the fast men will get a now unusual opportunity to grab the race lead at the Tour.
"I was very fortunate to have that opportunity a couple of times and then pull on the yellow jersey once in my career, and it's really nice to see that on the first stage in the UK," he said.
"Hopefully we can have a winner that'll make a nice story for what will be an incredible weekend."
Mark Cavendish on the podium of his final Tour de France
Another successful British Grand Depart?
In 2007 Cavendish was unable to contest for yellow in the London prologue; whilst in 2014 he crashed ahead of the spring in Harrogate - a day for the sprinters. The memorable day in Yorkshire's roads was immortalized due to its extensive and passionate crowds on the countryside's climbs.
"I think people still talk about it today, 12, 13 years later. Unfortunately, that stage didn't finish as well as I'd hoped, but it was incredible to experience it, and to see the Tour de France go back there," he said.
"I think there's an incredible relationship between France and the UK, and Great Britain really appreciates the Tour de France for being the greatest sporting event on the planet, and you really see that when it goes there," he added.
Scotland, England and Wales will all have one full day to showcase some of their best terrain, and kick off the Tour. "To be able to see it in not even just a small portion of the UK, but in Scotland, in England, in Wales, it's very, very spectacular".
Home vibes for Cavendish in Liverpool
One day will be particularly emotional for Cavendish, who should be following the race. That will be the second stage, finishing in Liverpool - not far from where Cavendish was born and raised.
"The second stage to Liverpool, actually, if it's a clear day, we'll see my home in the Isle of Man from across the sea," he said. "A lot of the roads I know very well, and I'm really excited to see the excitement for the Tour de France there always is when the Grand Départ is in the UK."
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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