For Tour de France, foreign starts make financial sense

Barcelona –

As the Tour de France unveiled its fourth foreign start in five years in Barcelona this week, organizers pointed to the financial logic of starting the event abroad while fending off political criticism from those who believe the world’s greatest cycling race should exclusively showcase its home country.

“We must convince the French that the start should be abroad again,” Tour director Christian Prudhomme said on Tuesday in Barcelona, while unveiling the first two stages of the 2026 Tour.

For Amaury Sport Organization (ASO), the company that owns the Tour, the financial logic is clear.