Tour de France in Cumbria 'will unite communities'

The opening Tour de France stages in Cumbria in 2027 will unite its communities and showcase its scenic beauty, tourism bosses say.

Stage one of the men's race will finish in Carlisle on 2 July, while stage two will start in Keswick and pass Windermere the next day.

Managing director of Cumbria Tourism Gill Haigh said it was a historic moment for the region, adding: "It provides a unique opportunity to showcase Cumbria's rich cultural heritage, scenic beauty and vibrant communities to a global audience."

It is the first time the race has come to the county, with organisers expecting millions of people to watch at the roadside and on TV around the world.

Live attendances for the last time England hosted stages of the race, in 2014, were estimated at 4.8 million.

The opening UK stages of the 2027 men's Tour de France will be:

• Stage One: Friday 2 July, Edinburgh to Carlisle
• Stage Two: Saturday 3 July, Keswick to Liverpool
• Stage Three: Sunday 4 July, Welshpool to Cardiff

During the second stage, competitors will pass through Thirlmere, Grasmere, Rydal Water and Windermere before heading through Lancashire to Liverpool.

Haigh said the event was a "catalyst for strengthening Cumbria's long-term identity as a world-class cycling destination".

The region has previously hosted the Tour de Britain and includes the Lake District National Park, which is a Unesco World Heritage site.

Cumberland councillor Anne Quilter said: "Our spectacular landscape provides an ideal stage for events of all types."

The race usually sees about 200 cyclists compete over 2,000 miles (3,218 km) in 21 stages.

It will be the fifth time the UK has partly staged the men's event after 1974, 1994, 2007 and 2014.

Oliver Dawson, who works at Wolf Cycles, in Longtown, near Carlisle, is a keen cyclist and said he was excited to see athletes coming to the country who he would not have otherwise had a chance to see race.

He said he saw the Tour of France passing through Yorkshire when he was 15.

"I just remember it was so exciting - it's so different to all other sporting events because you're on open roads," he said.

"The moment of the race passing is so quick and gone so fast but it's so exciting in that moment, for that short period."

Daan van Belzen, who works at bike shop Bikeseven, also in Longtown, said although he had never seen the Tour of France, he had fond memories of the Tour of Britain finishing in Gretna.

"It was amazing to see Boasson Hagen finish on the line.

"[It was] a fantastic sprint and we hope to have that sprint in Carlisle when they turn up here."

Mark Fryer, leader of Cumberland Council, said the project had been two years in the making and was hopeful it would bring a boost to the area.

"It's absolutely unbelievable - we've got Cumberland on the world map," he said.

"The economic impact will be huge - [for] hotels, cafes, attractions."

Gavin Capstick, chief executive at the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA), said the area would be "an incredible backdrop" to the race.

The event will bring even more people to the tourist hotspot at an already busy time of the year.

Capstick said authorities would work with organisers to ensure the infrastructure can support the influx.

He said: "Of course there will be preparations that we need to make between now and the summer of 2027, but this is one of the world's biggest sporting events.

"There's a whole team of infrastructure and logistics experts behind that, they know what they're doing and they'll enjoy the full support of local authorities here in Cumbria."

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