Friday January 16th 2026
Midlothian Council Leader Kelly Parry during the Tour de France route announcement at Edinburgh Castle with ‘Tour de Skies’ yellow beam projected in the background.
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
Last night, as the Tour de France route map was revealed at 6pm, a yellow beam of light was projected over Edinburgh Castle as council leaders and government officials, including Midlothian Council Leader Kelly Parry and Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes, welcomed the announcement.
Projected in unison with nine other towns and cities across the UK hosting the route, the announcement marked the official reveal of the tour map which will see the world’s biggest annual sporting event make its way through Midlothian.
The beam activation linked Edinburgh with other host towns and cities across England and Wales, creating a single national moment of anticipation ahead of the historic Grand Departs.
Whilst Edinburgh was confirmed last year as host of the Grand Depart, the announcement provides the first detailed look at the Scottish route, underlining Scotland’s role in setting the tone for the 2027 Tour de France as it begins three days of racing on British roads.
The yellow beam, despite faint, gave the government officials, alongside Head of Performance at Scottish Cycling David Somerville, a chance to get their photograph taken with the yellow backdrop.
During the event, Council Leader Kelly Parry spoke to the Midlothian View, expressing her excitement for the up-coming 2027 event.
She said: “I think it’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase the beautiful landscape that Midlothian has and we really want to make the best of all the opportunities for our young people, for our businesses and for economic development.
“We will definitely be working hard with organisers, communities and schools to make sure that we can make the most out of it.”
With the Borders Council announcing that their investment to bring the event to the Borders is now up to £583,500 as the event is entering the Borders after Midlothian, the Midlothian Council have yet to announce their investment but are looking at ways to make the most out of the historic event.
To see everything Kelly Parry had to say at the event, watch the video below.
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