![\"City](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/City-Hall-credit-GLA-1.jpg\")
City Hall (credit GLA)<\/p>\nWill Norman described the race as \u201can incredible opportunity to inspire women and girls\u201d reports Kumail Jaffer, Local Democracy Reporter<\/p>\n
City Hall (credit GLA)<\/p>\n
City Hall is hoping London\u2019s historic hosting of the first ever Tour de France Femmes team time trial will see more women take to two wheels across the capital in future.<\/p>\n
Central London will play home to an 18km circuit culminating in a finish line on the Mall in August 2027, with the world\u2019s best female cyclists set to take part.<\/p>\n
The three days of the Tour taking place in Britain \u2013 including a peloton from Leeds to Manchester and Manchester to Sheffield \u2013 are expected to be the most attended women\u2019s sporting event ever staged in Britain.<\/p>\n
Will Norman, the Mayor of London\u2019s walking and cycling commissioner, said it could inspire more women to get on their bikes in the capital.<\/p>\n
Last year, a report from London Cycling Campaign revealed that less than a third of cycle journeys in London were made by women. In the Netherlands, the figure is over half.<\/p>\n
\u201cMore women are cycling than ever before in London, but there still remains a gender imbalance,\u201d Mr Norman told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is an incredible opportunity to inspire women and girls to inspire cycling as a way to both get around and as a sport.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvents like this are demonstratable in terms of increasing participation.\u201d<\/p>\n
The historic Grand Tour has twice before staged events in London in 2007 and 2014.<\/p>\n
But Norman said London did not see a significant uptick in participation following those events because it simply wasn\u2019t safe enough to convince potential cyclists to take to the roads.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cYou can have an event that gets people excited, but if you don\u2019t have the facilities for after the event, people won\u2019t take part.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve unveiled 430km of cycle lanes, and all the things that are needed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe now not only have the event, but the infrastructure capable of sustaining it. People can now literally go out the next day.\u201d<\/p>\n
More than 1.5million cycle journeys are made in London every day, according to Transport for London (TfL) data, a 43 per cent increase on 2019.<\/p>\n
But there are still concerns that trips are too concentrated in Zone 1 rather than being accessible in outer boroughs, despite a renewed City Hall focus on investing in the latter.<\/p>\n
\u201cCycling has been a Central London thing, people commuting in,\u201d Mr Norman admitted.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut that is changing. We are spending more money in outer London than central \u2013 there is the demand, but people will only cycle once they feel safe. We want people everywhere in London to get the benefits of cycling \u2013 whether it be mental health, financial, or fun.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sir Sadiq Khan added: \u201cI\u2019m proud that London will host this historic moment for women\u2019s cycling. Londoners and visitors will be lining the streets to cheer on the world\u2019s best riders as they race through our capital, taking in some of our best-known landmarks before a triumphant finish on The Mall.<\/p>\n
\u201cLondon is a cycling city, with 1.5 million bike trips a day last year and this global sporting event will inspire the next generation of women cyclists and help build a better London for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n
Norman also said the event, which will take place on 1st August, will be a \u201cmassive boost\u201d to the local economy and benefit London overall. In 2015, former Mayor Boris Johnson told the London Assembly that he withdrew the city\u2019s bid for the Grand Depart 2017 \u2013 set to cost \u00a335million \u2013 \u201cso that TfL can focus investment on higher priority projects, including cycling infrastructure.\u201d<\/p>\n
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