Catalan independence groups plan major Tour de France mobilisation at Barcelona's Grand Depart

The Catalan National Assembly, known as Assemblea, and Òmnium Cultural announced the plans in a joint statement, saying they want to use the race’s passage through Catalonia to put the independence cause in front of a global television audience. Parts of the route are expected to be lined with Estelada flags, banners and messages in support of Catalan independence.

The statement does not suggest that the organisers intend to disrupt the race itself. Instead, the focus is on roadside visibility, with volunteers expected to gather at points where television coverage, crowds and aerial shots could give the independence message maximum exposure.

Barcelona will host the opening time trial on 4 July, before a second stage from Tarragona to Barcelona and a third stage starting in Granollers. That gives the organisers three consecutive days of international visibility in Catalonia.

Previous pro independence mobilisations at cycling races in the region, including the Volta a Catalunya and stages of the Vuelta a España, form the backdrop to the new campaign. Local branches of Assemblea have used those races in the past to bring Estelada flags and independence messages into live television broadcasts.

This time, Òmnium is joining the effort in what the groups describe as a larger civic and democratic mobilisation. Assemblea and Òmnium are also working on a proposal that could involve other organisations, including the Council for the Republic, the Association of Municipalities for Independence and local groups along the route.

Teams from both organisations and their local branches are already studying the race route to identify the sections with the greatest television exposure and highest expected attendance. The aim is to concentrate volunteers and visual material at strategic points during the Catalan stages.

A crowdfunding campaign has also been launched to raise up to €12,000 for the production of large Estelada flags and banners, which are expected to be displayed at key locations.

For the Catalan independence movement, the Tour offers a rare international platform. Cycling races are particularly attractive for political messaging because of their long roadside crowds, helicopter shots and extensive live coverage across different countries.

Assemblea and Òmnium are calling on citizens to take part in the mobilisation, saying the Tour’s visit is an opportunity to once again place the Catalan independence cause before viewers around the world.