Tour de France trophy visits Dundee today ahead of historic Scottish Grand Départ
One of the world’s most famous cycling events is coming to Scotland next year, and Dundee is getting an early taste of the excitement!
The Tour de France Grand Départ Trophy is visiting three locations across Dundee today (Tuesday 13 October) as part of a special tour celebrating the historic arrival of the race in Scotland next summer.
The Tour de France will begin in Edinburgh in July 2027, marking the first time the prestigious cycling race has started in Scotland.
And ahead of that milestone, organisers are taking the Grand Départ Trophy around the country, giving communities an opportunity to get involved in the celebrations.
Three stops across Dundee
The trophy’s visit to Dundee will include three locations throughout Tuesday, with activities involving local cycling enthusiasts and community groups.
The first stop will be at Dundee Dragons Disability Sport Club between 10.30am and 12.30pm, celebrating inclusive sport and giving members an opportunity to be part of the excitement surrounding next year’s race.
The trophy will then head to Spokes Cycles from 2pm until 4.30pm, where riders from the shop’s race team will be joined by Dundee-born professional cyclist Alfie George, who is currently racing in France.
His appearance will add a particularly special local connection to the celebrations, with a Dundonian cyclist helping welcome the trophy to his home city.
The final stop will take place at Caird Park Velodrome between 6.30pm and 8.30pm, where the trophy will visit a session involving Discovery Juniors.
The three visits form part of a wider Scottish tour taking place over the next two weeks.
Scotland prepares to welcome the Tour de France
The Tour de France is one of the biggest events in international sport, attracting the world’s leading cyclists and millions of spectators.
Next July, Scotland will make history when Edinburgh hosts the start of the race for the first time.
The Grand Départ marks the official beginning of the Tour de France, with the opening stages traditionally attracting enormous international attention.
Although Dundee is not hosting the race’s opening ceremony, the trophy tour is bringing some of that excitement to communities across Scotland ahead of the event.
The visits also provide an opportunity to celebrate the country’s cycling community, from professional riders to grassroots clubs and young people discovering the sport.
A special day for Dundee’s cycling community
With stops involving disability sport, a local cycling business and a junior cycling club, the Dundee visit will showcase different parts of the city’s cycling community.
And with professional cyclist Alfie George joining the celebrations, there will be a strong local connection to one of the biggest sporting events in the world.
The Grand Départ Trophy will complete its Dundee visit at Caird Park Velodrome this evening, ahead of the Tour de France making its historic Scottish debut in July 2027.
