{"id":48503,"date":"2026-01-16T09:10:38","date_gmt":"2026-01-16T09:10:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/?p=48503"},"modified":"2026-01-21T14:04:39","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T14:04:39","slug":"tour-de-france-2027-what-to-expect-in-the-first-three-stages-and-why-chorley-will-be-at-the-heart-of-the-action","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/tour-de-france-2027-what-to-expect-in-the-first-three-stages-and-why-chorley-will-be-at-the-heart-of-the-action\/","title":{"rendered":"Tour de France 2027: What to Expect in the First Three Stages \u2014 and Why Chorley Will Be at the Heart of the Action"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1084d80c-853a-4332-8e76-fda1e81ab8c3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48506 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1084d80c-853a-4332-8e76-fda1e81ab8c3.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1084d80c-853a-4332-8e76-fda1e81ab8c3-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1084d80c-853a-4332-8e76-fda1e81ab8c3-150x150.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 800px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 800\/800;\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">C\u00f4te de Belmont will feature on Stage 2 of Le Grand D<strong>\u00e9<\/strong>part 2027<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In July <strong>2027<\/strong>, the <strong>Tour de France<\/strong> returns to British soil in spectacular style \u2014 and this time it brings <em>three thrilling stages right across the UK<\/em>, including an epic ride through <strong>Lancashire<\/strong> that will pass within a mile of our <strong>Merlin Cycles Chorley showroom<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you\u2019re a seasoned road racer fan, a weekend rider or a local explorer excited to witness history, here\u2019s your definitive guide to the opening stages of the Tour \u2014 plus tips on how to make the most of the action when the peloton comes rolling through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-stage-1-edinburgh-to-carlisle-friday-2-july-2027-184km\">\ud83e\udd47 Stage 1 \u2014 <em>Edinburgh to Carlisle<\/em> (Friday 2 July 2027) &#8211; 184km<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The 2027 Tour de France kicks off <strong>Friday 2 July<\/strong> from the historic city of <strong>Edinburgh<\/strong>, Scotland \u2014 a fitting start for what will be a truly unforgettable Grand D\u00e9part here in Great Britain. This opening stage covers approximately <strong>184 km<\/strong> of varied terrain as the peloton heads south through the Scottish Borders toward <strong>Carlisle<\/strong>, England. Expect a mix of <em>fast flats, rolling countryside and one notable climb<\/em> in the Eildon Hills that could test riders early in the race.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u26a1 <strong>Race dynamics:<\/strong> This stage may suit strong all-rounders and opportunistic breakaways as teams jostle for position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\ud83d\udccd <strong>Key moments:<\/strong> Early GC battles could unfold on the C\u00f4te de Melrose climb \u2014 a perfect showcase of strength at 2.2km long at an average of 6.7% before the long run south and into the border town of Carlisle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-stage-2-keswick-to-liverpool-saturday-3-july-2027-223km\">\ud83d\udeb4\u200d\u2642\ufe0f Stage 2 \u2014 <em>Keswick to Liverpool<\/em> (Saturday 3 July 2027) &#8211; 223km<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This is <em>the stage that will put Chorley \u2014 and the north west \u2014 on the global cycling map<\/em>. <strong>Stage 2 begins in Keswick<\/strong> in the heart of the Lake District National Park and heads south and west before finishing on <strong>The Strand in Liverpool<\/strong> \u2014 a finish befitting one of the world\u2019s most iconic races.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1f998c39-f930-48c2-9ab2-81b5ef767320.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48507 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1f998c39-f930-48c2-9ab2-81b5ef767320.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1f998c39-f930-48c2-9ab2-81b5ef767320-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1f998c39-f930-48c2-9ab2-81b5ef767320-150x150.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 800px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 800\/800;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-highlights-of-stage-2\">\ud83c\udf04 Highlights of Stage 2<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Scenic climbs &amp; classic terrain:<\/strong> The riders will traverse England\u2019s most dramatic natural terrain \u2014 including sections alongside Thirlmere, Grasmere, Rydal Water and Windermere \u2014 giving the peloton a real workout before they head toward the coast.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Lancashire\u2019s role:<\/strong> Around <strong>80 miles of this stage run through Lancashire<\/strong>, putting places like Morecambe, Lancaster, the Forest of Bowland and <strong>Chorley<\/strong> right in the race spotlight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Climbs &amp; sprints:<\/strong> Expect punchy climbs like the C\u00f4te de Jubilee Tower near Lancaster \u2014 a prime spot for climbers to animate the race and possibly shake up the general classification, or our local C\u00f4te de Belmont with the fast and twisty descent of Sheephouse Lane!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Finish on Liverpool\u2019s Strand:<\/strong> After the tough early miles, the route flattens toward one of the UK\u2019s greatest urban race finales under Liverpool\u2019s iconic waterfront skyline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-stage-2-matters-to-chorley-riders\">\ud83d\udccd <em>Why Stage 2 Matters to Chorley Riders<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For riders, spectators and bike enthusiasts in <strong>Chorley<\/strong>, Stage 2 is the standout moment. As pro riders blaze through the county on <strong>Saturday 3 July<\/strong>, roads will be closed, crowds will gather, and <em>this historic event will unfold less than a mile from the Merlin Cycles showroom<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you plan to spectate with family or to join a group ride to catch the race, it\u2019s a rare moment to see the <em>world\u2019s best cyclists live and in action<\/em> so close to home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-stage-3-welshpool-to-cardiff-sunday-4-july-2027-223km\">\ud83c\udfc1 Stage 3 \u2014 <em>Welshpool to Cardiff<\/em> (Sunday 4 July 2027) &#8211; 223km<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The UK leg wraps up on <strong>Sunday 4 July<\/strong> with <strong>Stage 3<\/strong> \u2014 a demanding parcours from <strong>Welshpool in Powys to the Welsh capital Cardiff<\/strong>. The first time the Tour has been to the home country of 2018 winner <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/geraintthomas86\/?hl=en\">Geraint Thomas<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This stage features <strong>multiple categorised climbs<\/strong> through south Wales, including steep efforts like C\u00f4te de Rhigos and C\u00f4te de Caerffili \u2014 perfect terrain for puncheurs and breakaway specialists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s a stage that rewards opportunism and climbing strength, and with a dramatic finish in Cardiff, there\u2019s every chance the GC could be reshaped before the race heads back to France.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\ud83e\uddd7 <strong>Terrain:<\/strong> Series of medium mountain climbs with potential for selection and GC moves.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>\ud83c\udfd9\ufe0f <strong>Finish:<\/strong> Expect a spectacular and emotional finish in Cardiff, with crowds and atmosphere worthy of a major Tour day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-this-means-for-riders-amp-fans\">\ud83d\udcc5 What This Means for Riders &amp; Fans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/f8a575b6-8b3c-4fbc-a95d-a57cb4671667.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48509 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/f8a575b6-8b3c-4fbc-a95d-a57cb4671667.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/f8a575b6-8b3c-4fbc-a95d-a57cb4671667-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/f8a575b6-8b3c-4fbc-a95d-a57cb4671667-150x150.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 800px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 800\/800;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>2027 Tour de France<\/strong> opening stages offer more than just racing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Historic UK Grand D\u00e9part:<\/strong> Both the men\u2019s and women\u2019s Tours start in the UK \u2014 a first of its kind and a huge moment for British cycling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Local impact:<\/strong> Lancashire, including the roads around Chorley, will be showcased to a <em>global TV audience<\/em> \u2014 a tremendous opportunity for local economy and cycling culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Spectator excitement:<\/strong> Whether you\u2019re cycling out to support the riders or planning to gather in town with fellow fans, this will be a <strong>once-in-a-lifetime spectacle<\/strong> you won\u2019t want to miss. The Merlin staff already can&#8217;t contain their excitement and planning where to go watch!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-final-thoughts-prepare-for-tour-magic\">\ud83c\udfaf Final Thoughts \u2014 Prepare for Tour Magic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The first three stages of the 2027 Tour de France combine <em>big city spectacle, classic UK climbing terrain, and local hero moments<\/em> that will resonate with riders and fans alike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Especially here in the <strong>Chorley and Lancashire region<\/strong>, Stage 2 is a landmark event \u2014 and we at <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/\">Merlin Cycles<\/a><\/strong> couldn\u2019t be more excited to share the road with you as the world\u2019s greatest race rolls through our backyard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Stay tuned for updates on <em>route details, spectator spots and rideout plans<\/em> as we get closer to July 2027!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/a41d8135-7c92-46ce-be53-985d42fc7b0c.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48508 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/a41d8135-7c92-46ce-be53-985d42fc7b0c.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/a41d8135-7c92-46ce-be53-985d42fc7b0c-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/a41d8135-7c92-46ce-be53-985d42fc7b0c-150x150.jpg 150w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 800px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 800\/800;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In July 2027, the Tour de France returns to British soil in spectacular style \u2014 and this time it brings three thrilling stages right across the UK, including an epic ride through Lancashire that will pass within a mile of our Merlin Cycles Chorley showroom. Whether you\u2019re a seasoned road racer fan, a weekend rider [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":48508,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4],"tags":[4690,617,4689],"ppma_author":[4660],"class_list":["post-48503","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-legranddepart2027","tag-tdf","tag-tourdefrance","author-andrewmcateer"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Tour de France 2027: What to Expect in the First Three Stages \u2014 and Why Chorley Will Be at the Heart of the Action - Merlin Cycles Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Find out more about the incredible 2027 Tour de France Le Grand D\u00e9part and how it will be passing so close to Merlin Cycles!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/tour-de-france-2027-what-to-expect-in-the-first-three-stages-and-why-chorley-will-be-at-the-heart-of-the-action\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Tour de France 2027: What to Expect in the First Three Stages \u2014 and Why Chorley Will Be at the Heart of the Action\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"C\u00f4te de Belmont will feature on Stage 2 of Le Grand D\u00e9part 2027 In July 2027, the Tour de France returns to British soil in spectacular style \u2014 and this\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/tour-de-france-2027-what-to-expect-in-the-first-three-stages-and-why-chorley-will-be-at-the-heart-of-the-action\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Merlin Cycles Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-01-16T09:10:38+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-21T14:04:39+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/a41d8135-7c92-46ce-be53-985d42fc7b0c.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Andy McAteer\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Andy McAteer\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.merlincycles.com\\\/blog\\\/tour-de-france-2027-what-to-expect-in-the-first-three-stages-and-why-chorley-will-be-at-the-heart-of-the-action\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.merlincycles.com\\\/blog\\\/tour-de-france-2027-what-to-expect-in-the-first-three-stages-and-why-chorley-will-be-at-the-heart-of-the-action\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Andy McAteer\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.merlincycles.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/733c4c43cc4690b6771a35363179e51f\"},\"headline\":\"Tour de France 2027: What to Expect in the First Three Stages \u2014 and Why Chorley Will Be at the Heart of the Action\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-16T09:10:38+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-21T14:04:39+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.merlincycles.com\\\/blog\\\/tour-de-france-2027-what-to-expect-in-the-first-three-stages-and-why-chorley-will-be-at-the-heart-of-the-action\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":906,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.merlincycles.com\\\/blog\\\/tour-de-france-2027-what-to-expect-in-the-first-three-stages-and-why-chorley-will-be-at-the-heart-of-the-action\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.merlincycles.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/01\\\/a41d8135-7c92-46ce-be53-985d42fc7b0c.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"LeGRandDepart2027\",\"tdf\",\"TourdeFrance\"],\"articleSection\":[\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.merlincycles.com\\\/blog\\\/tour-de-france-2027-what-to-expect-in-the-first-three-stages-and-why-chorley-will-be-at-the-heart-of-the-action\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.merlincycles.com\\\/blog\\\/tour-de-france-2027-what-to-expect-in-the-first-three-stages-and-why-chorley-will-be-at-the-heart-of-the-action\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.merlincycles.com\\\/blog\\\/tour-de-france-2027-what-to-expect-in-the-first-three-stages-and-why-chorley-will-be-at-the-heart-of-the-action\\\/\",\"name\":\"Tour de France 2027: What to Expect in the First Three Stages \u2014 and Why Chorley Will Be at the Heart of the Action - Merlin Cycles Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.merlincycles.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.merlincycles.com\\\/blog\\\/tour-de-france-2027-what-to-expect-in-the-first-three-stages-and-why-chorley-will-be-at-the-heart-of-the-action\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.merlincycles.com\\\/blog\\\/tour-de-france-2027-what-to-expect-in-the-first-three-stages-and-why-chorley-will-be-at-the-heart-of-the-action\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.merlincycles.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/01\\\/a41d8135-7c92-46ce-be53-985d42fc7b0c.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-16T09:10:38+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-21T14:04:39+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.merlincycles.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/733c4c43cc4690b6771a35363179e51f\"},\"description\":\"Find out more about the incredible 2027 Tour de France Le Grand D\u00e9part and how it will be passing so close to Merlin Cycles!\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.merlincycles.com\\\/blog\\\/tour-de-france-2027-what-to-expect-in-the-first-three-stages-and-why-chorley-will-be-at-the-heart-of-the-action\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.merlincycles.com\\\/blog\\\/tour-de-france-2027-what-to-expect-in-the-first-three-stages-and-why-chorley-will-be-at-the-heart-of-the-action\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.merlincycles.com\\\/blog\\\/tour-de-france-2027-what-to-expect-in-the-first-three-stages-and-why-chorley-will-be-at-the-heart-of-the-action\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.merlincycles.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/01\\\/a41d8135-7c92-46ce-be53-985d42fc7b0c.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.merlincycles.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/01\\\/a41d8135-7c92-46ce-be53-985d42fc7b0c.jpg\",\"width\":800,\"height\":800},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.merlincycles.com\\\/blog\\\/tour-de-france-2027-what-to-expect-in-the-first-three-stages-and-why-chorley-will-be-at-the-heart-of-the-action\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.merlincycles.com\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Tour de France 2027: What to Expect in the First Three Stages \u2014 and Why Chorley Will Be at the Heart of the Action\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.merlincycles.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.merlincycles.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"Merlin Cycles Blog\",\"description\":\"Entertaining and useful stuff from the world of Merlin Cycles\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.merlincycles.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.merlincycles.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/733c4c43cc4690b6771a35363179e51f\",\"name\":\"Andy McAteer\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/aa18323dd6c09333517aab5e7b50fe481d8270d7eb436a6534dba2c53361dc8c?s=96&d=mm&r=ge74abc24dc2ddd2722bb52b55e705f9d\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/aa18323dd6c09333517aab5e7b50fe481d8270d7eb436a6534dba2c53361dc8c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/aa18323dd6c09333517aab5e7b50fe481d8270d7eb436a6534dba2c53361dc8c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Andy McAteer\"},\"description\":\"A keen cyclist, I've ridden everything from road, track, mountain and gravel. Currently riding on the gravel bike the most around the local trails of Rivington. Can usually be found having a beer post-ride at the local brewery.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/spyke85\\\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.merlincycles.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/andrewmcateer\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Tour de France 2027: What to Expect in the First Three Stages \u2014 and Why Chorley Will Be at the Heart of the Action - Merlin Cycles Blog","description":"Find out more about the incredible 2027 Tour de France Le Grand D\u00e9part and how it will be passing so close to Merlin Cycles!","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/tour-de-france-2027-what-to-expect-in-the-first-three-stages-and-why-chorley-will-be-at-the-heart-of-the-action\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"Tour de France 2027: What to Expect in the First Three Stages \u2014 and Why Chorley Will Be at the Heart of the Action","og_description":"C\u00f4te de Belmont will feature on Stage 2 of Le Grand D\u00e9part 2027 In July 2027, the Tour de France returns to British soil in spectacular style \u2014 and this","og_url":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/tour-de-france-2027-what-to-expect-in-the-first-three-stages-and-why-chorley-will-be-at-the-heart-of-the-action\/","og_site_name":"Merlin Cycles Blog","article_published_time":"2026-01-16T09:10:38+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-01-21T14:04:39+00:00","og_image":[{"width":800,"height":800,"url":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/a41d8135-7c92-46ce-be53-985d42fc7b0c.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Andy McAteer","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Andy McAteer","Estimated reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/tour-de-france-2027-what-to-expect-in-the-first-three-stages-and-why-chorley-will-be-at-the-heart-of-the-action\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/tour-de-france-2027-what-to-expect-in-the-first-three-stages-and-why-chorley-will-be-at-the-heart-of-the-action\/"},"author":{"name":"Andy McAteer","@id":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/733c4c43cc4690b6771a35363179e51f"},"headline":"Tour de France 2027: What to Expect in the First Three Stages \u2014 and Why Chorley Will Be at the Heart of the Action","datePublished":"2026-01-16T09:10:38+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-21T14:04:39+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/tour-de-france-2027-what-to-expect-in-the-first-three-stages-and-why-chorley-will-be-at-the-heart-of-the-action\/"},"wordCount":906,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/tour-de-france-2027-what-to-expect-in-the-first-three-stages-and-why-chorley-will-be-at-the-heart-of-the-action\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/a41d8135-7c92-46ce-be53-985d42fc7b0c.jpg","keywords":["LeGRandDepart2027","tdf","TourdeFrance"],"articleSection":["News"],"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/tour-de-france-2027-what-to-expect-in-the-first-three-stages-and-why-chorley-will-be-at-the-heart-of-the-action\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/tour-de-france-2027-what-to-expect-in-the-first-three-stages-and-why-chorley-will-be-at-the-heart-of-the-action\/","url":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/tour-de-france-2027-what-to-expect-in-the-first-three-stages-and-why-chorley-will-be-at-the-heart-of-the-action\/","name":"Tour de France 2027: What to Expect in the First Three Stages \u2014 and Why Chorley Will Be at the Heart of the Action - Merlin Cycles Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/tour-de-france-2027-what-to-expect-in-the-first-three-stages-and-why-chorley-will-be-at-the-heart-of-the-action\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/tour-de-france-2027-what-to-expect-in-the-first-three-stages-and-why-chorley-will-be-at-the-heart-of-the-action\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/a41d8135-7c92-46ce-be53-985d42fc7b0c.jpg","datePublished":"2026-01-16T09:10:38+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-21T14:04:39+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/733c4c43cc4690b6771a35363179e51f"},"description":"Find out more about the incredible 2027 Tour de France Le Grand D\u00e9part and how it will be passing so close to Merlin Cycles!","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/tour-de-france-2027-what-to-expect-in-the-first-three-stages-and-why-chorley-will-be-at-the-heart-of-the-action\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/tour-de-france-2027-what-to-expect-in-the-first-three-stages-and-why-chorley-will-be-at-the-heart-of-the-action\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/tour-de-france-2027-what-to-expect-in-the-first-three-stages-and-why-chorley-will-be-at-the-heart-of-the-action\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/a41d8135-7c92-46ce-be53-985d42fc7b0c.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/a41d8135-7c92-46ce-be53-985d42fc7b0c.jpg","width":800,"height":800},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/tour-de-france-2027-what-to-expect-in-the-first-three-stages-and-why-chorley-will-be-at-the-heart-of-the-action\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Tour de France 2027: What to Expect in the First Three Stages \u2014 and Why Chorley Will Be at the Heart of the Action"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/","name":"Merlin Cycles Blog","description":"Entertaining and useful stuff from the world of Merlin Cycles","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/733c4c43cc4690b6771a35363179e51f","name":"Andy McAteer","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/aa18323dd6c09333517aab5e7b50fe481d8270d7eb436a6534dba2c53361dc8c?s=96&d=mm&r=ge74abc24dc2ddd2722bb52b55e705f9d","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/aa18323dd6c09333517aab5e7b50fe481d8270d7eb436a6534dba2c53361dc8c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/aa18323dd6c09333517aab5e7b50fe481d8270d7eb436a6534dba2c53361dc8c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Andy McAteer"},"description":"A keen cyclist, I've ridden everything from road, track, mountain and gravel. Currently riding on the gravel bike the most around the local trails of Rivington. Can usually be found having a beer post-ride at the local brewery.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/spyke85\/"],"url":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/author\/andrewmcateer\/"}]}},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/a41d8135-7c92-46ce-be53-985d42fc7b0c.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4OgqO-cCj","jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"authors":[{"term_id":4660,"user_id":24,"is_guest":0,"slug":"andrewmcateer","display_name":"Andy McAteer","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/ipaddock_MerlinCycles_2607-08556-e1727088245401.jpg","url2x":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/ipaddock_MerlinCycles_2607-08556-e1727088245401.jpg"},"0":null,"1":"","2":"","3":"","4":"","5":"","6":"","7":"","8":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48503","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48503"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48503\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":48516,"href":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48503\/revisions\/48516"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/48508"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48503"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48503"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48503"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=48503"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}