Tour 2027 route on Thursday: Montmartre, yes or no?

On Thursday 22 October, at 11 a.m. in Paris, Christian Prudhomme and Marion Rousse lift the veil on the 2027 Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes. It is the day we find out where the biggest race of the year goes, and what we already know is less than it seems: for the men's route only the start and the first stages are certain. The rest is a mosaic of local rumours. We would rather tell you straight away which tile is solid and which is not.

What is already official

The 2027 Tour starts on Friday 2 July in Edinburgh and finishes on Sunday 25 July in Paris. The first three stages are already out: the first runs from Edinburgh to Carlisle, about 184 kilometres, the second from Keswick to Liverpool, the third from Welshpool to Cardiff. Three days across Scotland, England and Wales, then the Channel and France. You can watch the presentation live on the Tour website with a free Club account that you create beforehand: do it on Wednesday evening, not on Thursday at 10:58 with a forgotten password.

What is only a rumour

From here on we are in the land of leaks, and we say it with the alarm clock set. A French newspaper, Le Progrès, writes that Montmartre may not feature in the Paris finale, and according to the site Domestique the organisers answered with a 'we'll see on 22 October'. The topic is so hot that it also appears among Sky Sport's headlines. Other rumours, gathered from local press and maps shared on social media, speak of a time trial around Blois, three Alpine stages at the start of the second week, and a brutal Pyrenean day with the Aubisque and the Tourmalet. Until Prudhomme opens his mouth, they count for nothing. Anyone who has followed cycling for a while knows that the absolutely certain October routes are sometimes different by January.

Three things we are looking for

The second is the Paris finale. A hill in the last kilometres turns the final stage from a parade into a real race, which is why those who want it want it badly, while the organisers have to think about barriers, crowds and safety. We are biased and we vote for the climb: a three-week race deserves a finish that is not already written at the start. But we understand those who think the other way.

The third is Italy's role. The 2027 Giro d'Italia will be presented, according to the previews, on Tuesday 3 November in Rome, starting from Trieste (RCS president Urbano Cairo has confirmed it) and with a probable return of the Zoncolan, which for now remains a rumour. Two presentations twelve days apart make the coming weeks calculation season: Giro or Tour? Sky Sport points out that Seixas has not made his choice yet. The 2027 World Championships, in Haute-Savoie with the road race at the end of August in Sallanches, would leave July free for calm preparation, and the calendar can make one grand tour more comfortable than the other.

How to read it without getting hurt

One tip for everyone: do not judge the route by the kilometres of climbing, but by how they are spread out. Three Alpine stages close together weigh differently from three stages separated by days of flat roads, and it is the days in between, the ones that look harmless, that make the difference in the standings. If you want to play detective too, a few moves help: mark the summit finishes, count the time trials, see where the rest day falls.

Then there is the part closest to us. The Tour on other people's roads is great, but in the evening you want to ride your own. In our 2027 Calendar we collect next year's races and gran fondos, and on the group rides page you find who rides near you: perfect for watching the Tour route together and then testing it on the gradients at home.

Where do you stand: Montmartre in the finale, yes or no? And does the Tour of your dreams have lots of time trials or lots of mountains? Tell us in the comments: on Thursday evening you can check them against the real route.