Tuesday April 28th 2026
Crowds great the race during the opening stage of the 2025 Tour de France (Credit ASO & Charly López)
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
Senior pupils from Newbattle High School are helping to kick‑start a nationwide poster design competition as Midlothian prepares to welcome the Tour de France to the county in 2027.
Madison Muir (17, S6), Alfie McColl (16, S5), and Thai McCusker (17, S6) are supporting the launch of the official Tour de France Grand Départ GB 2027 competition, which invites art and design students aged 16+ from across the UK to design the iconic posters for both the Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
Launched as part of the Grand Départ GB’s JOY social impact programme, students enrolled on art, design, graphics, creative and photography courses at further and higher education institutions across the local authority areas hosting each of the six stages can enter a competition that will ultimately select the official poster for the 2027 edition of each race.
In 2027, the world’s most famous cycle races will pass through Midlothian as part of the historic Grand Départ GB, marking the first time both the men’s and women’s races have started outside France and in the United Kingdom. With millions of viewers worldwide, the event will shine an international spotlight on Midlothian’s landscapes, communities and creativity.
It is a long-standing tradition that each edition of the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift is represented by its own unique official poster, unveiled each October in Paris as part of ASO’s official route presentation for the following year’s races. As proud hosts of the 2027 Grand Départ, Britain has the honour of designing both posters – and Grand Départ GB is extending that opportunity to students.
The poster competition is open to further and higher education students studying art, design, graphics, photography and other creative subjects in host areas, including Midlothian. The selected artworks will represent each race and will be seen by millions across promotional materials, digital platforms and at the event itself.
This opportunity will showcase the skills of UK-based designers at the world’s biggest annual sporting spectacle, when it comes to Britain in July 2027, marking the first occasion that both races have begun from the same country outside of France.
Thai McCusker said she was thrilled to see the Tour de France coming through Midlothian and excited by the opportunity for local young people: “It’s amazing that something this big is coming right through Midlothian. We’ve got so many talented pupils here and across the county who would be more than capable of designing a winning poster. I’d really encourage everyone who’s eligible to apply – it’s a once‑in‑a‑lifetime chance to show your work to the world.”
Used across the entire event, the artworks will be seen by millions, both on the roadside and worldwide, with the artwork being used by race organisers the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) across promotional materials, digital advertising and much more, making for an incredible opportunity for two students to truly go global with their work.
The competition is the first part of the JOY programme’s Arts & Culture strand to go live, with further opportunities for different communities to get involved and celebrate the Grand Départs creatively to follow.
left to right are Newbattle High School pupils: Madison Muir (17, S6), Alfie McColl (16, S5), and Thai McCusker (17, S6)
Commenting on the competition, Tracy Power, on behalf of JOY, the Grand Départ GB 2027 social impact programme, said; “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for two talented students to showcase their creative skills on a truly global platform, and to forever be associated with this historic Grand Départ.
“The competition reflects the ambitions we have for JOY to be at the front and centre of the 2027 Grand Départ and we can’t wait to see the creativity of students and their submissions.”
An expert panel, headed by award winning artist Lucy Pittaway will judge the submissions. Shortlists for both the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will be put forward by the Grand Départ GB 2027 panel to ASO, who will select the final winners for each race and then work with them to develop their designs ahead of the October reveal in Paris.
Lucy Pittaway, a former graphic designer and teacher, who has been recognised with several awards, including ‘UK’s Most Popular Published Artist’ in 2018, 2019, and 2022 by the Fine Art Trade Guild, said; “I’m absolutely delighted to be part of the judging panel. Cycling has long been a source of inspiration in my work, and art has a unique power to capture the emotion, movement and stories behind these iconic races.
“Supporting emerging talent as they interpret such a historic moment for cycling across England, Scotland and Wales is truly exciting, and I’m honoured to help celebrate creativity at this level.”
In addition to having their work showcased across the Grand Départs, two winning designers will see their work unveiled in Paris in October 2026 and will be invited to experience a stage of the 2027 races in Britain.
The competition opens on Monday 4 May and closes at 5pm on Friday 26 June 2026. Full details and how to enter are available below. Applicants may only submit entries for the respective race their local authority is hosting so in Midlothian this is the Tour de France Grand Depart and not the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
For information on how to enter, click here.
To find out more about the Grand Départ GB 2027 and opportunities to get involved locally, click here.
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