Scotland's business minister Richard Lochhead announced the £1 million Scottish Government funding during a visit to the Rural and Urban Training Scheme in Penicuik, Midlothian. According to the Scottish Government, a £1 million social impact programme will help deliver a lasting legacy from the opportunities of hosting the start of next year's Tour de France. The exact projects to be funded by this programme have not yet been specified.
Scottish Cycling will work with local authorities and community organisations to deliver a range of projects as part of the social impact programme. The projects will aim to bring benefits such as improving people's mental wellbeing and tackling inactivity. ' Lochhead further explained, 'But it is about more than just a race.
Hosting the opening stage of the 2027 Tour de France Grand Depart is a once-in-a-generation opportunity.
' The men's Grand Depart will set off from Edinburgh for the first time on July 2, 2027. Cyclists will travel through Midlothian, the Scottish Borders, and Dumfries and Galloway before finishing the first stage in Carlisle. The Tour de France is expected to generate significant economic benefits for Scotland, though the precise amount has not been disclosed.
Champion junior cyclist Daisy Wilkinson, who is on the GB Olympic pathway, welcomed the news. ' In addition to the men's event, the women's event – the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift – will set off later in July. Specific dates and routes for the women's race have not been announced.
It is the biggest free spectator event in the world and will showcase our country to a global audience.
Scotland, England, and Wales will share six stages of the Tour de France next year – three for each of the men's and women's races. The social impact programme's monitoring and evaluation plans remain to be detailed.