The Tour de France is set across Denmark for its first time starting in Copenhagen on July 1 and ending in Sønderborg on July 3. This is the most north that the competition has ever taken place. 

Senior communication consultant for Sport Event Denmark, Eline Andersen, says this has been a process in the making for almost 20 years and will have about 200 total events across the whole country. 

It might be easier than you think to come to Denmark and participate in all the Tour de France festivities. 

Stephanie Adelson and her family are planning to come to Copenhagen to watch the team presentations and watch the opening day of the competition. 

“They’ve posted all the routes and it looks like every town in Denmark is having this huge party,” said Adelson. “We just cannot wait to get in.” 

Here are some important things to remember if you’re coming to Denmark to watch the competition. 

1. There Will Be a Lot of Traffic 

Andersen says the Danes are used to big events in the city center and closed streets. Streets in Copenhagen will begin to close on June 29. 

Denmark is known for having easy walking and biking areas, so consider these methods of transportation instead of renting a car. Public transportation will also be available, but stay up-to-date on bus schedules to see if some routes change. 

Racers will be crossing The Great Belt Bridge at the end of Stage Two. It is one of the longest suspension bridges in the world and will be closed all of July 2. If you are trying to watch Stage 3, consider crossing the bridge before July 2 or book train tickets in advance.

2. It’s a Busy Weekend in Denmark

Roksilde Music Festival, Skagen Music Festival and Geopark Festival are all happening the same weekend as the Tour de France, and each festival expects to host about 150,000 fans. 

Andersen could not predict how many fans will be in attendance, but did say hotels are fully booked for the weekend in the Copenhagen areas. 

“We expect a lot of tourists to come because Denmark is the hub of the Nordic countries, so we expect Swedes and Norwegians to come and experience the competition as well,” said Andersen.

“Hop on Your Bike and Experience Denmark,” Andersen said.

There’s so much in Copenhagen besides the Tour de France.

Don’t forget to visit some of the biggest tourist attractions such as Tivoli Gardens, Copenhill and the Glyptoteket. 

“I advise them to hop on one of the rental bikes that we have all over the city and go for a sightseeing tour on a bike because Copenhagen is very bike-friendly,” Andersen said. 

Danes use bikes as transportation to and from work, but you can also do guided tours by bike or even a self-guided tour to explore different parts of Denmark on your own. 

“I’m excited to see the bike culture in Europe with my family,” Adelson said. “Europe is a whole different level.” 

Sarah Fredrickson is a second-year majoring in journalism in the Grady College of Journalism and
Mass Communication at the University of Georgia.