A new team has been set up to lead the delivery of the Tour de France Grand Départ 2027 and the Tour de France Femmes Avec Zwift, which will both be staged in the United Kingdom for the first time outside of France.
National governing body British Cycling has confirmed the creation of a new company, UKEL, which has been established as an independent, not-for-profit entity to safeguard and enhance the UK’s ability to secure and deliver major sporting events.
Oversight of the 2027 Grand Départ – described as the biggest ever free-to-spectate sporting event in the UK’s history – will fall to a newly established Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), Grand Départ GB 2027.
The SPV is a joint venture between British Cycling and UKEL. It will manage public funding on behalf of government bodies such as the DCMS, Scottish Government, Welsh Government, and UK Sport.
This partnership is noted as being the first of its kind in the UK, aiming to provide agility and flexibility to meet the changing needs of the international sports event market. Grand Départ GB 2027 will be the first event delivered through UKEL.
The acting Chair of the Grand Départ GB 2027 Board will be Chris Brindley, who formerly chaired the Rugby League World Cup 2021. The Board will also include Paul Williamson, Michelle Dite, Tove Okunniwa, and Frank Slevin.
The new events hosting company, UKEL, will be Chaired by Alys Carlton, the current Chair of the Football Association of Wales and a former corporate lawyer. She will sit alongside Chris Brindley and Steve Elworthy, Chief Executive of Surrey County Cricket Club.
Esther Britten, Head of Events and External Affairs at UK Sport, will also join the UKEL Board as an observer.
Chris Brindley, Acting Chair of Grand Départ GB 2027 and UKEL Board Member, said “Today marks a significant milestone in the delivery of the Grand Départ of both the Tour De France and Tour De France Femmes, Avec Zwift in 2027.
“I am delighted that we have such a strong and experienced team in place to drive forward this historic and unique event which has such huge potential to unite and inspire people right across the country.
“Today also heralds a new era for event delivery in the UK with the establishment of UKEL which will be critical to enabling major sporting events to be held in the UK over the coming years and, crucially, will ensure those events deliver a more extensive positive impact on UK communities.”
