The teams presentation for next year’s Tour de France will happen in Edinburgh, but if you want to go along you’ll have to pay, with tickets going on sale this weekend.
The Tour de France returns to Britain in 2027 for the first time since 2014, with both the men’s and the women’s Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift getting underway in the country, and the men’s team presentation will take place on Wednesday, June 30, two days before racing gets underway.
The event will take place in the grounds of Edinburgh Castle and will be presented by the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, celebrating Scottish culture as well as showcasing the riders on stage in front of the public.
On a hill above the city, the location has limited access and ticketing is necessary, but the cost, starting at £27 (€32, US$36) per ticket, is not cheap, especially for a race which is otherwise free to attend.
While some Tour de France team presentations have been ticketed, especially when held in a location with limited capacity, they are generally free of charge. The most recent example of fans having to pay to witness the event was in 2014, when the race last started in Britain. Then, access to the First Direct Arena in Leeds cost upwards of £45.
Massed Pipes and Drums at The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo (Image credit: The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo)
"Featuring Highland dancers, massed pipes and drums, and new music created specially for the occasion, the ceremony will celebrate Scotland's culture and creativity while marking the start of an historic Grand Départ," the organisers' press release stated.
"While the opening ceremony and presentation of the riders take place on the Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle, the celebrations will extend beyond its walls, giving fans across Scotland’s capital the chance to see the riders en route to the Castle and join in the festivities ahead of the Grand Départ,
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If you’ve signed up for the Grand Départ GB newsletter, you will have early access to tickets starting from midday on Friday, October 23, with members of British Cycling, Scottish Cycling and Beicio Cymru able to buy them 24 hours later.
If you’re a Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo customer you can purchase your tickets from midday on Monday, October 26, with general public sales beginning at the same time on Friday, October 30. Full details can be found here.
The race begins in Edinburgh on Friday, July 2, heading into England to finish in Carlisle. Stage 2 takes the riders from Keswick to Liverpool, with the third stage entirely in Wales, starting in Welshpool and finishing in Cardiff.
There will be a separate presentation event ahead of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, though details will be announced in the coming months.
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A recent addition to the Cyclingnews staff, Owen Rogers is an experienced journalist, working as a freelancer covering the sport for various magazines and websites for more than 10 years.
Initially concentrating mainly on the women's sport, he has covered hundreds of race days on the ground and interviewed some of the sport's biggest names.
Living near Cambridge in the UK, when he's not working you'll find him either riding his bike or playing drums.
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