Volunteers Needed for 2027 Tour de France Grand Départ in Leeds

Opportunity to support major cycling event in the city

Leeds has been confirmed as the starting point for the 2027 Grand Départ of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, marking the first time the women’s professional cycle race will visit Britain. The event will take place on July 30, 2027, with the first stage running from Leeds to Manchester.

Organisers have launched a recruitment drive seeking 9,000 volunteers, known as JOY Makers, to assist across all three stages of the Grand Départ. These stages include:

• July 30: Leeds to Manchester (Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift)
• July 31: Manchester to Sheffield
• August 1: Sheffield to London

The volunteer programme also supports the men’s Tour de France Grand Départ, which will take place in the UK in 2027.

Volunteer roles and training

Volunteers will be involved in a variety of roles such as event operations support and spectator engagement. Full training will be provided, and no previous volunteering experience is required. Applications are open to anyone aged 16 and over. The registration period runs from 27 May until 1 September 2026.

Young volunteers aged 18 to 25 will have the opportunity to participate in the Readiness to Work scheme, which offers employability skills training and career mentoring across multiple sectors as part of the JOY social impact programme.

Event route and community engagement

The 2027 Grand Départ in Leeds will begin on the Headrow, with riders completing a partial loop of the city centre before heading towards Headingley. The route will then pass Headingley Stadium, Kirkstall, Bramley, Gamble Hill, Farnley, Drighlington, and cross into Kirklees before continuing over the Pennines to Manchester.

Details about road closures and traffic restrictions will be announced closer to the event. Engagement with local residents and businesses is planned to start during the summer of 2026. Residents can sign up for Leeds-specific updates via the Visit Leeds website.

Background and significance

Leeds will become the first location outside mainland Europe to host the start of stage one for both the men’s and women’s Tour de France Grand Départs. The city previously hosted the men’s Tour de France Grand Départ in 2014, which attracted approximately 230,000 spectators in the city centre and millions more along the route through Yorkshire.

A report by Leeds City Council and UK Sport estimated that the 2014 event contributed over £100 million to Yorkshire’s economy, with ongoing benefits expected from increased tourism and trade.

The men’s 2027 Tour de France Grand Départ will take place earlier in the summer, from 2 to 4 July, starting in Edinburgh and passing through cities including Carlisle, Liverpool, and Cardiff.

Organisers and contact information

The Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift are organised by the French company ASO. The delivery of the 2027 Grand Départs in the UK is being led by Grand Départ GB and British Cycling.

For more information about volunteering and the JOY Makers programme, interested individuals can find details on the official registration channels.