Barcelona submits its bid to host a Grand Départ
Barcelona formally presented its bid to host the Tour de France start this week. The city emphasizes the appeal of a grand depart that could set a vibrant tone for the race, leveraging the Catalan capital’s cultural energy and world-class facilities. The discussion took place at Barcelona’s city hall and was chaired by Jaume Collboni, the first deputy mayor and head of sports. The French round administrator, Christian Prudhomme, attended to discuss feasibility and potential dates. [Attribution: Local government briefing]
During the session, representatives from the Metropolitan Municipality outlined Prudhomme’s willingness to begin the Tour in the city at a date that remains to be determined. While Barcelona aims to host the start within the upcoming legislative term, the dialogue also included Javier Guillén, the director of the event, Rubén Peris of Volta a Catalunya, and David Escudé, Barcelona City Councilor for sports. The tone was constructive, focusing on coordination and shared goals for a successful event. [Attribution: Municipal press briefing]
Commitment to 2014
From a practical standpoint, Barcelona’s startup plan considers prior commitments, with the understanding that the Tour de France did not begin in the city before 2026. The race had already scheduled starts in Florence in 2014, and it was projected to begin in France again in 2025, marking three editions extending beyond the host country’s borders; Copenhagen and Bilbao had hosted in recent years. The long-term logic is to rotate opportunities across major cycling hubs, balancing national interests with international fan engagement. [Attribution: historical planning notes]
Barcelona had already embarked on early tests of the concept back in 2014, a period when leadership within Barcelona’s sports administration was navigating changing political winds. A pending agreement, initially inked in 2010 in Rotterdam where the race began, had an eye toward Montjuïc as a potential test site the year after, a plan that enjoyed significant public enthusiasm. [Attribution: archival discussions]
Conflict
Prudhomme’s interactions with the press inside the city hall were noted, alongside a historical leadership shift. Jordi Hereu led the city at the time, but a political turnover redirected momentum as PSC faced electoral changes and the project underwent recalibration. A noted delay occurred when sports director Maria Teresa Fansal arrived late for a scheduled lunch with Prudhomme at a renowned Barcelona restaurant, a detail that underscored the fraught dynamics sometimes involved in such high-profile bids. [Attribution: contemporary coverage]
Nonetheless, the city council proceeded to address concerns openly. Prudhomme discussed how the city could position the start year for the Tour, recognizing the broader municipal policy of attracting top-tier international sporting events. The plan also aligned with other major events planned in the same period, including a potential start of the Vuelta a España and the Copa América in subsequent years. [Attribution: municipal statements]
Successful meeting
The dialogue benefited from Prudhomme’s continued presence in Barcelona during the week. He attended the official launch ceremony, which took place at the Music Palace earlier in the week, and his participation helped reaffirm local confidence in the viability of a Grand Depart there. The Tour’s umbrella includes other races such as the Vuelta and Volta a Catalunya under its broader management, illustrating the interconnected nature of major cycling events and their branding. [Attribution: event notes]
According to attendees familiar with the discussions, the meeting was productive. Barcelona is now considered among the leading candidates to host the start on the earliest feasible date. The Grand Depart would typically involve roughly a week of racing, featuring multiple stages in the chosen city, alongside the official presentation of the event. This framing keeps the focus on the scale and spectacle that fans expect from the Tour de France. [Attribution: insider briefing]