The 2027 Tour de France Femmes, which begins in Leeds, England will end on the Puy de Dome volcano, organisers ASO revealed on Thursday.
The nine-stage race from July 30 to August 7, 2027 will include the first three stages in England, including the race's first ever team time-trial, which will pass in front of Big Ben and Buckingham Palace in London.
But it is the finale on the tough Puy de Dome at the end of the race's longest stage over 170km which will be the key to the action.
"Every year, we try to find a mountain which has an iconic place in Tour history," race director Marion Rousse told AFP.
The brutal 11.3km-long climb with an average gradient of 7.8 per cent made its return to the men's Tour in 2023 for the first time in 35 years.
Its inclusion continues a trend in the women's race of including one of France's most famous climbs in each edition – Super Planche des Belles Filles in 2022, the Tourmalet in 2023, Alpe d'Huez in 2024, the Col de la Madeleine in 2025 and Mont Ventoux in 2026.
"With its final four kilometres at more than 12 per cent, we know that anything could still happen on that last climb," said Rousse of the Puy de Dome.
That has been the case in the women's race with thrilling final stages in recent years, with Kasia Niewiadoma winning by just four seconds in 2024.
The 2025 and 2026 editions won respectively by Frenchwoman Pauline Ferrand-Prevot and Dutch rider Demi Vollering provided dramatic finales.
It will be the culmination of a tough fifth edition of the race.
"The Grand Depart is the toughest in history and the first three stages will be crucial for the overall standings," said Rousse.
"The (second) stage to Sheffield already has more than 3 000m of elevation gain. After that, it's a classic every day."