Paul Rouget, Media365: published on Tuesday July 2, 2024 at 3:04 p.m.
The rider who is first to cross the Col du Galibier on Tuesday, during the fourth stage of the Tour de France, will win the Henri-Desgrange souvenir and 5,000 euros.
From the fourth stage of the Tour de France, which marks the arrival of the race in France after three days in Italy, the riders will tackle a legendary pass on Tuesday: the Galibier. After starting in Pignerol (or Pinerolo in Italian), in Piedmont, the peloton must climb 40 kilometers at 3.7% to reach Sestriere, before 8.3 km at 5.9% to reach the Col de Montgenèvre. And then it will be the turn of the Galibier, before the descent, 20 km further down, to Valloire, where the finish of this fourth round of the Grande Boucle will be judged. As in each stage, the winner will take home a check for 11,000 euros, while the second will collect 5,500 euros and the third 2,800 euros. For the fourth, it will be 1,500 euros, 830 euros for the fifth, 780 euros for the sixth, 730 euros for the seventh, 670 euros for the eighth, 650 euros for the ninth and, finally, a check for 600 euros for the tenth of the stage.
5,000 euros up for grabs
But a special reward will be awarded during this stage, for the first to cross the Galibier pass, where temperatures will be much lower than during the Italian stages, since 3 degrees are forecast at the top of this 2,642-metre high peak. The first to Galibier will win the Henri-Desgrange souvenir, a prize created in 1947 and which pays tribute to Henri Desgrange, with 5,000 euros up for grabs. This former rider, who was also a sports manager and journalist, was the creator and organiser of the Tour de France between 1903 and 1939, and he died of an illness in 1940, at the age of 75. Since 1952, the souvenir has been awarded to the rider who first passes the Galibier or the highest pass, except in the case of the Tourmalet, where the Jacques-Goddet souvenir has been awarded since 2001.
