Tour de France 2027: Route Preview, Tadej Pogačar’s Record Bid, and Key Contenders

Tadej Pogačar is expected to target a record-breaking sixth Tour de France victory in 2027, according to a preview by Cyclingnews. The 114th edition of the race will feature a double international Grand Départ in Great Britain for both the men’s and women’s events, starting in Edinburgh on July 2, 2027.

Pogačar, who currently belongs to the select group of five-time winners known as Le Club des Cinq, indicated his intent to surpass that mark during an interview with Eurosport. I don’t like clubbing, so let’s aim to get out of this club… Pogačar joked to the outlet.

2027 Tour de France Grand Départ Route in Great Britain

The 2027 race begins on July 2, one day earlier than the typical start date. According to Cyclingnews, this schedule adjustment provides the riders and race caravan an additional travel day on Monday to transition to northern France via plane and ferry.

The initial three stages will take place across Scotland, England, and Wales:

• Stage 1: A 184km route from Edinburgh to Carlisle. The roads are mostly flat, offering sprinters an early opportunity to claim the yellow jersey.
• Stage 2: A 223km stage from Keswick in the Lake District to Liverpool. This is expected to be the longest stage of the 2027 race.
• Stage 3: A route from Welshpool to Cardiff. This stage features 3,000 meters of elevation, including the Côte de Caerffili located 10km from the finish.

Leaked Route Details and Mountain Stages

While the official route will be unveiled in late October, Ouest France reports that the Cotentin peninsula in Normandy is expected to host the return to France, with Stage 5 likely circling the port of Cherbourg. Early reports suggest the race will tackle the Pyrenees as early as the second weekend.

The Alps are expected to host the decisive climbs. Le Dauphiné Libéré suggests a stage will visit the Côte de Domancy as a prelude to the 2027 UCI Super World Championships in Sallanches. Other candidates for return include the Col de Granon, Col de la Loze via Courchevel, Tignes, and La Plagne. There is currently no indication that l’Alpe d’Huez will be included in the 2027 route.

The race is also expected to return to central Paris with three laps of the cobbled climb of Rue Lepic, following the success of the Montmartre circuits.

Pogačar’s Dominance and Emerging Rivals

Technical director Thierry Gouvenou previously expressed regret over placing the Col du Tourmalet too early in a prior race due to Pogačar’s aggression. Cyclingnews suggests ASO may implement easier mountain stages in the first half of the 2027 Tour to prevent Pogačar from gaining insurmountable early leads.

Several riders have emerged as potential challengers to the UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider:

• Remco Evenepoel: The Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe rider finished second in 2026 after losing four kilograms during training to improve his climbing.
• Isaac del Toro: The 22-year-old Mexican debuted in 2026 with a third-place podium finish.
• Paul Seixas: The 19-year-old French rider finished fourth in his debut, though he struggled on the second stage to L’Alpe d’Huez.
• Jonas Vingegaard: The Visma-Lease a Bike rider won the Giro d’Italia before crashing out of Stage 15 in 2026.

Other riders to monitor for 2027 include Tom Pidcock of Pinarello-Q36.5, Richard Carapaz of EF Education-EasyPost, and Juan Ayuso of Lidl-Trek.

Team Status and Classification Outlook

The 2027 peloton is expected to maintain 23 teams of eight riders. While 18 WorldTour teams are likely to keep their spots, Cyclingnews notes concerns regarding the WorldTour status of Picnic-PostNL. Teams such as Movistar, Jayco AlUla, Visma-Lease a Bike, and NSN are reportedly seeking additional funding.

In the points classification, Mads Pedersen of Lidl-Trek remains a favorite for the green jersey. In the mountains classification, Richard Carapaz is a primary contender after winning the polka-dot jersey in 2026.