Let’s go for the 111th edition of the Tour de France! This Saturday, June 29, the 176 runners will set off from Florence in Italy for a unique Grande Boucle since it will end on July 21, not on the Champs-Elysées, but in Nice, due to the Paris Olympics.
The 21 stages on the program promise a great spectacle with the possibility of a new breathtaking duel between Tadej Pogacar, the big favorite this year, and the double title holder Jonas Vingegaard, in uncertain form after a serious fall during of the Tour of the Basque Country.
France Bleu explains everything you need to know about the 2024 Tour de France, to follow every day on francebleu.fr and on the radio with our special show between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.!
Great unprecedented departure in Italy
Since its creation in 1903, the Tour de France has never started from Italy. This anomaly will be repaired on Saturday June 29 with a Grand Départ from Florence, capital of Tuscany. This will therefore be the 26th departure from abroad for this 111th edition. The peloton will travel the roads of La Botte for four days before reaching France.
The 176 runners will therefore leave Florence on Saturday to reach Rimini, a city forever linked to the legend Marco Pantani, where he was found dead in 2004. Tribute also during the second stage with a departure from Cesenatico where his grave is located. The riders will then go to Bologna via the famous Imola racing circuit.
Finally, the Tour will head towards Piedmont to Turin and will pay homage on the road to the great Fausto Coppi, buried in Tortona.
► The presentation of the first three 100% Italian stages in our article
Presentation of the runners in Florence, cradle of the Renaissance
On Thursday, the 176 riders took part in the traditional team presentation. The event took place in the evening on the magnificent Piazzale Michelangelo, which overlooks the city and the Arno River. The 22 teams took to the stage with a breathtaking view of Florence and its dome.
Andrea Martini / NurPhoto
A new Pogacar-Vingegaard duel?
Winners of the last four editions of the Tour de France between them, the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar and the Danish Jonas Vingegaard will be present on the starting line in Florence. The leader of the UAE team approaches this 111th edition as the big favorite against the two-time winner in uncertain form. Pogacar is aiming for the Giro d’Italia-Tour de France double, which would be a first since Marco Pantani in 1998. This titanic challenge has only been completed by seven men in the entire history of cycling, all giants of the last century (Coppi, Anquetil, Merckx, Hinault, Roche, Indurain, Pantani). By flying over the Giro with a lead of almost ten minutes, the Slovenian has completed the first part of his major work.
Pogacar is aiming for the Giro d’Italia-Tour de France double, which would be a first since Marco Pantani in 1998. This titanic challenge has only been completed by seven men in the entire history of cycling, all giants of the last century (Coppi, Anquetil, Merckx, Hinault, Roche, Indurain, Pantani). By flying over the Giro with a lead of almost ten minutes, the Slovenian has completed the first part of his major work.
But be careful not to bury Jonas Vingegaard too quickly. Even if the vagueness persists on its real state of form. The Visma leader is back in the saddle after his serious accident at the beginning of April during the Tour of the Basque Country (multiple fractures to the ribs and collarbone, pneumothorax).
Luca Bettini / ROBIN VAN LONKHUIJSEN / ANP MAG
In addition to the Pogacar – Vingegaard duo, an exceptional cast has been brought together for this 2024 Tour de France. The Belgian Remco Evenepoel takes part for the first time, Primoz Roglic has emancipated itself from the Visma-Lease a Bike and intends to play trouble in the general classification. For stage victories, you will have to count on Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert, Carlos Rodriguez or Adam Yates.
► The big favorites of the Tour de France 2024 can be found in our article
The French to follow
Unfortunately, there is little chance that a Frenchman will be able to compete with the bosses mentioned above this year. David Gaudu4th in 2023 and 9th last year, as well as Guillaume Martin10th in 2023, are part of a second curtain, in the middle of a dozen other riders, capable of aiming for places between 8 and 12 but not much better. At the Groupama FDJ, Gaudu will be surrounded by solid riders like Romain Grégoire, Valentin Madouas and Lenny Martinez
Main French chance in the general for ten years, Romain Bardetsecond in 2016 and third the following year, wants to seek his pleasure in one-day shots. A “Bardet turn”, like the Pinot turn last year, is envisaged in the Pas de Peyrol pass during the 11th stage, in Cantal, to celebrate his rich career. His new teammate at the DSM Warren Barguil will also be aiming for a third stage victory on the Grande Boucle.
Luca Bettini / Anne-Christine POUJOULAT
The team to watch this season is Décathlon-AG2R La Mondiale, with an Austrian leader for the general (Felix Gall) and an Irish sprinter (Sam Bennett) to win “aat least one step“. But fighter-punchers like Nans Peters, Dorian Godon and especially the new champion of France Paul Lapeira also hope to impose themselves.
Arkéa-B&B Hotels is pursuing the same objective with a former sprinter Arnaud Demareand a young one, Kévin Vauquelin.
In foreign teams, Christophe Laporte (Visma-Lease a Bike) will initially support its leaders Jonas Vingegaard and Wout Van Aert but may perhaps benefit from an opening like in Cahors in 2022, where he was the only French stage winner.
Same story for Axel Lauranceworld champion, who will ride for Jasper Philipsen and Mathieu van der Poel at Alpecin but has the potential to raise his arms from his first participation.
► The French to follow closely, to be found in our article
Steps not to be missed
Of the 21 stages not to be missed this year, France Bleu has spotted eleven that promise a spectacle. Starting with the first two in Italy, the ascent of the Galibier (stage 4), a stage on the white paths in the Champagne vineyards, unprecedented on the Tour (stage 9), the legendary Tourmalet (stage 14), the queen stage of the Tour on July 14 in the Pyrenees between Loudenvielle and the Plateau de Beille (stage 15), a passage at an altitude of 2,800 meters on the highest paved road in France (stage 19) or even a time trial as a last stop between Monaco and Nice.
BERTRAND BODIN / ONLY FRANCE
► Find in our article the eleven stages not to be missed in the Tour de France 2024
The key numbers
- 21 stages from June 29 to July 21
- 3498 km in total
- 26th departure from abroad
- 4 countries crossed (Italy, San Marino, France, Monaco)
- 7 regions and 30 departments crossed
- 22 teams, 176 riders
- 500 guides
- 8 plain stages
- 4 rugged stages
- 7 mountain stages
- 2 individual time trials
- 4 mountain ranges on the program
- 2,802 meters above sea level for the summit of Bonette, the highest tarmac road in France
- 500,000 euros for the winner, 2.3 million euros in total prize money
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France Bleu, official media partner of the Tour de France
The Tour de France is obviously to be experienced live every day on France Bleu from June 29 to July 21! All 21 stages are followed by our journalists Louis de Bergevin and François Sauvestre. The stages will also be followed live on francebleu.fr.
New this year, France Bleu offers you a daily show from 5pm to 6pm, presented by Mathieu Ferri. Hot reactions, interviews with riders, analysis of team strategies but also highlighting of heritage on the program.
► Our Tour de France 2024 file
