The 2025 Tour de France made a return to roots with a first home Grand Départ since 2021 when Brest held the event. Next years should again put into spotlight various nations with 2026 Grand Départ confirmed in Barcelona and 2027 in Edinburgh. The 2028 edition could see another French city host the Tour de France start, while Slovenia are a serious contender for 2029. And that negotiations are underway far into future is evidenced by talks becoming serious already for the 2030 edition.
During the last Tour de France, organizers from East Germany already had initial discussions with the Tour organizers, co-initiator Andreas Prokop told the dpa news agency.
So far, nothing has been signed, but preparations have already begun with several states (Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia) on the case. Sponsors have also been found to finance the initial steps. “The next step is a visit to Paris to discuss the application and clarify its format,” says Prokop, who is confident in the strength of their bid.
The plan is to organize three stages in East Germany. According to magazine Der Spiegel, the first stage could ride from Dresden to Gera via the Ore Mountains. The Meerane Steep Wall (300 meters at 12.3%) – famous from the former Peace Race – could then be part of the route. Day two could include a time trial from Halle to Leipzig. As for stage three, there is speculation about a stage from Erfurt to Magdeburg.