The starting and finishing locations for the first‑ever visit of the women’s Tour de France to Britain were confirmed earlier this year, with Manchester announced as the Stage One finish and Stage Two starting point. The full routes for both stages of the 2027 Grand Départ have now been revealed. This world‑class event will bring elite women’s cycling right through the heart of Stockport.
Riders will leave Manchester and travel along the A6 through Heaton Chapel, passing through Stockport town centre alongside the iconic brick viaduct and Stockport Interchange. The route then continues through Offerton, on to Marple, before leaving Greater Manchester for the Goyt Valley in Derbyshire on the way to a challenging finish in Sheffield.
Residents, schools, community groups and local businesses are encouraged to line the streets and show their support in what promises to be an unforgettable day for the borough. More detailed timings will be confirmed closer to the event.
The announcement marks a major moment for Stockport, placing the borough firmly on the global stage as part of one of the biggest free to watch sporting events in the world. Alongside the excitement of race day, the spotlight provides a powerful opportunity to showcase Stockport’s communities, culture and thriving local economy to an international audience.
Michael Cullen, Stockport Council Chief Executive
With the route for the 2027 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift now officially confirmed, it’s exciting to see exactly how Stockport will feature on the world stage. We know residents and businesses will turn out in huge numbers to show their support and give the riders a fantastic Stockport welcome. This is also a powerful moment to encourage more people, particularly women and girls, to take up cycling and enjoy being active. It’s a proud moment for the borough, and a brilliant opportunity to showcase Stockport.
The route reveal event at Manchester Central Library brought together local community cycling and sustainability groups from across Stockport, alongside representatives from the council, Life Leisure and partners from across the city‑region including Manchester, Oldham and Rochdale. Groups attending included Stockport Community Cycling Club and Walk Ride Marple, which support inclusive cycling, walking and active travel for people of all ages and abilities, as well as Sustainable Living in the Heatons, an award‑winning community group that promotes low‑carbon living and organises free local cycle rides. The event was a chance to celebrate the route and the shared role communities will play in making the Tour a welcoming and inspiring moment for the region.
Beyond race day, the event is expected to deliver a lasting local impact. Increased visitors will provide a boost for shops, cafés and businesses across Stockport, while global attention will showcase everything that makes the borough a great place to live, work and visit. Community activities alongside the race will also give residents, especially young people opportunities to get involved, try something new, build confidence and stay active through cycling and sport.
The 2027 event will be particularly significant, with both the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift and the men’s Tour de France Grand Départs taking place in the UK for the first time. The women’s race will begin in Leeds, with Stage One finishing in Manchester city centre, before Stage Two passes through Stockport en route to Sheffield. A landmark third stage in London will host the race’s first‑ever team time trial on the streets of the capital.
Hosting both Tours is expected to inspire participation at every level. Alongside the racing, a major social impact programme, JOY, will focus on improving health and wellbeing, developing skills and bringing communities together.
Dame Sarah Storey, Active Travel Commissioner for Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester hosting the opening stages of the Tour de France Femmes is a huge opportunity for everyone who lives, works and will visit here during that time, and we are expecting excitement to grow even further, especially now we know the route the Grand Départ will take through our city-region.
“Seeing the competitors of the world’s biggest women’s cycling race right up close, as they weave their way through Manchester, Stockport, Rochdale and Oldham, will be incredibly inspiring for people of all ages and the benefits to local communities and future generations of riders will be far reaching. Hosting both a finish and a start means that everyone visiting the city centre will have an incredible opportunity to be close at hand to the pre and post-race action too, something that is truly unique in the sport of cycling.
Jon Dutton, Chief Executive of British Cycling
This is a hugely exciting moment for women’s cycling in Great Britain and having two stages on our doorstep here in Greater Manchester makes it even more exciting, especially now we can reveal the towns and villages through which the race route will pass in each of the boroughs.
"The 2027 Grand Départ will be a historic national moment, capturing the attention of the whole country and unlocking lasting change for our communities. Through the JOY programme – our collective, game-changing social impact programme – we want to ensure that this moment inspires more girls and women to discover the joy of cycling and to help communities across Greater Manchester and the whole of Britain to get active.
A nationwide volunteer programme will also offer thousands of people the chance to be part of these historic events, helping deliver a welcoming and memorable experience for riders and spectators.
To stay up to date with the 2027 Grand Départs, visit
letourgb.com
To find out more about cycling routes, clubs and training in Stockport, visit
stockport.gov.uk/topic/cycling‑in‑stockport
