It’s one of the biggest sporting events Edinburgh has ever hosted so it was rather appropriate for the city’s very own duchess to fire the starting gun on what promises to be an epic encounter.

Sophie was at Edinburgh Castle as it was announced that the Tour de France will start in Scotland for the very first time and make history with it.

For Le Grand Depart of 2027 will also see the Tour de France Femmes start in Edinburgh. It will be the first time the women’s race has kicked off outside mainland Europe.

The Duchess of Edinburgh held one of the Tour’s famous yellow jerseys, always worn by the rider leading the race, as the Grand Depart announcement was made.

She was joined by cycling star, Sir Mark Cavendish, who holds the record for the most stages ever won in Tour de France races. Scotland’s First Minister, John Swinney, and the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy, also joined them to make the big reveal.

The Director of UK Sport, Simon Morton, said it would be a huge event, adding ”this will be the biggest free spectator event ever hosted in the UK, offering the public front-row access to world-class sport across villages, towns and cities.”

Both races will start in Edinburgh with the Scottish capital at the heart of a whole stage of each tour. Two further stages in each race will be held in the UK with Yorkshire and Wales playing host.

Millions are expected to turn out and see the race in action. The Tour last started in the UK in 2014 when over three million people are thought to have seen the stages in action. Even more are expected at the events in 2027.

The Duchess of Edinburgh will be among them. Sophie is a keen cyclist and in 2016 completed a 450 mile bike challenge in support of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

She’ll have royal companions as spectators. The Prince and Princess of Wales watched the last Tour de France in England and they are known to go cycling with their children. Edinburgh can get ready for a right royal turnout as it welcomes one of the biggest sporting events in the world to its famous streets.