Norway Gears Up for the Ultimate Cycling Festival

Next year, cyclists from around the world will get to experience Tour de France excitement in Trondheim. That’s when the Tour de France will host a spectacular amateur cycling race in the city.

The race will be open to everyone, and the goal is to create Norway’s undisputed largest cycling festival. The Norwegian Cycling Federation is celebrating the newcomer.

– Want to share our passion with all of Norway

The concept now coming to Norway is called L’Étape Tour de France and is organized around the world. The starting gun for L’Étape Trondheim by Tour de France will go off on 13 June 2026. Participants can choose between a 75 km and a 130 km route. In addition, there will be activities for children and families in Trondheim city centre.

Vidar Riseth, Head of Sponsorship at Reitan Retail, says he is proud to bring Tour de France on board as they set out to create a cycling festival.

– Reitan Retail has a deep passion for cycling through our involvement in Uno-X Mobility, and we now want to share that passion with all of Norway. With L’Étape Trondheim by Tour de France, we aim to help create Norway’s undisputed biggest cycling celebration. Everyone, regardless of level, should get the feeling of standing on a real Tour de France starting line and competing for the traditional jerseys, says Riseth.

Looking forward to bringing Tour de France atmosphere to Trondheim

L’Étape Trondheim by Tour de France brings the authentic Tour de France experience to Norway, with:

Official Tour de France infrastructure
Official Tour de France podium ceremony
Professional timing system
Closed roads to ensure participant safety, something unique for this type of race
The iconic jerseys – yellow, green, polka dot and white

The winner of the yellow jersey qualifies to participate in the main event, L’Étape du Tour in France – a race that gathers more than 15,000 riders from all over the world each year.

Julien Goupil, Director of Partnerships and Media at ASO, the organization behind Tour de France, is excited to help create Tour de France atmosphere in Trondheim.

– This is the opportunity to ride like the pros, regardless of level. Whether you want to compete for the jerseys, ride as an enthusiast, or simply enjoy an adventure in the saddle, our goal is for L’Étape Trondheim by Tour de France to give everyone an unforgettable challenge and a full day of magical Tour de France atmosphere, says Goupil.

A strong cycling culture

Trondheim has been chosen as host city based on its strong commitment to sports, its vibrant cycling culture, and the unique combination of nature, history, modern city life and student life the city offers.

– As a culinary and cultural capital, Trondheim will give both Norwegian and international participants and spectators an experience that goes beyond the race itself, with world-class food, live music and rich cultural heritage, says Riseth.

The Norwegian side of the project is led by Arctic Sport, the team behind Arctic Race of Norway, who have long experience creating major international cycling events with strong local ties. With this race, Arctic Sport continues the successful formula of close cooperation between local communities, businesses and sports, and will now work to bring more partners on board.

Good memories from Arctic Race of Norway

The start will take place in the heart of Trondheim city centre, and the organizers aim to give participants a spectacular journey through a unique landscape combining urban streets with scenic surroundings as the route goes from Trondheim to Skaun, Melhus and back to Trondheim. Parts of the 2022 Arctic Race of Norway route will be used.

Knut-Eirik Dybdal, CEO of Arctic Sport and Arctic Race of Norway, has fond memories of when Trondheim hosted Norway’s biggest professional bike race.

– Trondheim created a fantastic atmosphere around the final stage of the Arctic Race of Norway in 2022, and the crowd practically carried Andreas Leknessund to victory. Now we hope to create another big celebration in Trondheim — with the difference that this time, everyone can join in and ride themselves, says Dybdal.

The Cycling Federation celebrates

Cycling president Heidi Stenbock-Haakestad believes it is very positive that a new race is being introduced that invites more people to cycle.

– Here we have a skilled organization that will collaborate with the cycling community and will undoubtedly give cyclists a great experience in the saddle. We warmly welcome the race to the calendar and wish the organizers the best of luck with the planning, says Stenbock-Haakestad.

Registration for the event opens on https://trondheim.letapeseries.com/ on Friday, 3 July, with a limited Early Bird offer available during the Tour de France, until the final stage of Tour de France Femmes on 3 August 2025.

About L’Étape by Tour de France

L’Étape by Tour de France is a series of international amateur cycling races organized by Amaury Sport Organisation – the organization behind the legendary Tour de France. The concept began in France in 1993 and has grown to more than 25 events worldwide, from Brazil and Malaysia to Switzerland and Australia. With a focus on delivering an authentic Tour de France experience – complete with official Tour de France design and passionate spectators – L’Étape has become a prestigious and inclusive event for enthusiasts and ambitious riders across the globe.