Los Angeles Olympics forces 2028 Tour de France to start early, race to begin in Grand Est

The Tour de France traditionally starts in early July Josep Lago/Getty Images The organisers of the Tour de France have announced that the 2028 race will start two weeks early due to the Los Angeles Olympic Games later in the summer. Typically, the Tour begins on either the first or second weekend of July, but with the Olympic men's time trial currently scheduled to take place on July 19, riders would not have been able to take part in both events had the Amaury Sports Organisation (ASO) not moved the dates. As it is, the 2028 Tour is now scheduled to begin on June 24 and conclude on July 16, just three days before the Olympic time trial, meaning that favourites such as reigning champion Remco Evenepoel may still need to choose between the Tour and Olympics, especially given the nine hour time difference between France and California. The Tour de France moved a week earlier to accommodate the 2024 Paris Olympics two years ago, with race organisers avoiding the traditional finish in the French capital for logistical reasons. The ASO also used their Monday afternoon announcement to confirm the location of the 2028 Grand Depart, which is set to return to the French mainland for the first time in three years, having been scheduled to take place in Barcelona this summer and the United Kingdom in 2027. Grand Est, France's eastern-most region, will host the three-day race start, with the first stage slated to depart from the historic cathedral city of Reims in Champagne. "After Spain in 2026 and the United Kingdom in 2027, the Grand Départ is returning to France for the 115th edition of the Grande Boucle," the ASO stated in a press release. "The peloton will roll out of Reims for the inaugural stage on Saturday, 24 June 2028, with the event running on a modified schedule to accommodate the Olympics. "The 2028 Grand Départ will connect six stage cities: Charleville-Mézières, Épernay, Metz, Reims, Thionville and Verdun." "The Grand Départ is all about excellence, so Grand Est is a natural choice for the Tour de France," added race director Christian Prudhomme. "The region has all the key assets needed to host the event, from demanding roads and jaw-dropping landscapes to an inspirational heritage. These bountiful lands, which have been tilled for centuries, will set the stage for the true champions of the peloton. "From Marne to Moselle and from hilly Champagne to the Ardennes and Meuse valleys, a rich tapestry of territories will be gripped by July fever over four days of racing. The vineyards that dominate the panorama, especially on the road to Épernay, are a feast for the eyes and the palate. Yet the riders would do well to remember that these chalky hills crowned with vineyards can be full of bubbles... and troubles." Reims hosted the Grand Depart in 1956, with the region having previously staged significant Tour moments such as Julian Alaphilippe's assault on overall victory in 2019, and legendary Italian rider Gino Bartali wearing the yellow jersey for the first time. It is also the home city of reigning Tour de France Femmes champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, the first French athlete to win the race since Bernard Hinault in 1985. This year's Tour will begin with a team time trial in Barcelona on July 4, with Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard set to renew their rivalry for a sixth successive year.