Brussels has formally put itself forward to host the Grand Départ of the Tour de France Femmes in 2030 according to Sporza, underlining the city’s ambition to make that season a defining moment for women’s cycling in Belgium.
The plan was confirmed by Brussels alderwoman for sport Florence Frelinx in comments to Belgian newspaper La DH, with the Belgian capital aiming to combine multiple major cycling events into a single, high-profile celebration.
A symbolic year for Belgian cycling
The proposed bid is closely tied to 2030, marking the 200th anniversary of Belgium as a nation. Brussels is already set to host the UCI Road World Championships that year, and bringing the Tour de France Femmes Grand Départ to the city would elevate 2030 into a full-scale cycling festival across both the men’s and women’s sides of the sport.
Belgium has long been a central pillar of cycling culture, but high-profile women’s events have historically lagged behind their men’s equivalents in terms of visibility and scale. A Tour de France Femmes Grand Départ in Brussels would represent a deliberate statement about parity and long-term commitment to the women’s peloton.
Familiar ground for the Tour de France
Brussels is no stranger to hosting the Tour. In 2019, the city staged the men’s Tour de France Grand Départ to mark 50 years since Eddy Merckx’s first Tour victory, an event that drew huge crowds and global attention.
This previous experience strengthens Brussels’ case, but approval ultimately rests with Tour organiser ASO. At present, the Grand Départ hosts for the 2028 and 2029 editions of the Tour de France Femmes have not yet been announced, leaving a window of opportunity for Brussels’ 2030 ambitions.
The growing international reach of the Tour de France Femmes
Since its relaunch in 2022, the Tour de France Femmes has steadily expanded its geographical footprint. While early editions were firmly rooted in France, recent and upcoming starts reflect ASO’s desire to position the race as a truly international event.
So far, the Tour de France Femmes has had or has confirmed starts in the following locations:
- 2022 – Paris
- 2023 – Clermont-Ferrand
- 2024 – Rotterdam
- 2025 – Brittany
- 2026 – Switzerland
- 2027 – United Kingdom
The Rotterdam start in 2024 marked the race’s first Grand Départ outside France, with Switzerland and the UK following in subsequent years. A start in Brussels would continue that outward-looking trajectory, while also placing the race in one of cycling’s most historic heartlands.
What a Brussels Grand Départ would mean
If approved, a Brussels Grand Départ in 2030 would align the Tour de France Femmes with the World Championships in the same year, creating a rare concentration of elite women’s racing in a single city. For Belgium, it would be a chance to showcase its deep-rooted cycling culture through a modern lens, centred on the continued growth and professionalisation of the women’s sport.
For the Tour de France Femmes, it would be another step in normalising major international starts and reinforcing the race’s place alongside the men’s Tour as a global sporting event.
Whether ASO ultimately awards the 2030 Grand Départ to Brussels remains to be seen, but the intent is clear. The Belgian capital wants women’s cycling front and centre in a year already set to carry major historical weight.
