Find the five key stages of the Tour de France 2024, which will start from Florence on June 29 and reach Nice on July 23.
An already historic edition. For the first time in history, the Tour de France will not arrive in Paris, due to preparations for the Olympic Games. So the management of the Grande Boucle has organized itself, placing its trust in a city well known to the peloton and the organization: Nice, the usual final playground of the “Race to the Sun” in the spring. Three weeks before the outcome, judged by a time trial on the Côte d’Azur, the peloton will begin its summer campaign in Florence, the Tuscan city becoming in passing the 25th European city to host a Grand Départ from abroad. In the meantime, there will be some spectacle, of course. Focus on five expected highlights of the 2024 Tour de France.
4th stage, Pinerolo-Valloire (138 km): first explanation in the mountains?
After a seemingly quiet warm-up through the roads of northern Italy, the peloton will cross the border on Tuesday, July 2, for the fourth stage. After starting from Pinerolo, a town bordering Turin, the runners will stay in Piedmont to reach Sestriere with an endless climb (39.9 km at 3.7%) on the menu for the first difficulty. Then head to the other side of the Hautes-Alpes with the climb of the Col de Montgenèvre (8.3 km at 5.9%) before the first main course of the 111e edition: the Col du Galibier. Climbed from its southern slope (23 km at 5.1%), the legendary Galibier, at the top of which sits the Souvenir Henri Desgrange, creator of the Grande Boucle, will be taken for the 37e times by the Tour route.
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A perfect playground for a first explanation between favorites… or a first French exploit? During the last two visits to the Galibier summit in 2022 (11e et 12e stages), it was two French riders who took the lead (Warren Barguil and Anthony Perez). This year, the first person to the summit will only have the descent to Valloire to negotiate…
ASO
9th stage, Troyes-Troyes (199 km): the curiosity of the white paths
The little treat of the 2024 edition. The day after the first arrival in history at Colombey-les-Deux-Eglises (Haute-Marne), place of vacation and burial of General De Gaulle, celebrated in this year of 80e anniversary of the Landing, the platoon will head towards Troyes. A long loop around the medieval city of Aube covered by 14 sectors of white paths (32 km) which are obviously tricky, as shown by a first passage of the women’s Tour de France in 2022.They are essential there because we break the litany of plain stages due to the geography of France. comments Christian Prudhomme, excited by the last six sectors posted in the last 30 kilometers of the stage.
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14th stage, Pau-Saoint-Lary-Soulan Pla d’Adet: tribute to Poulidor
On the eve of the expected fireworks display on July 14 (four first category climbs before arriving on the Plateau de Beille, a pass classified out of category), the Grande Boucle peloton will pay tribute to one of its most illustrious figures. After finding the legendary Col du Tourmalet (19 km at 7.4%) for the 62e time since 1947, the peloton will head towards Saint-Lary-Soulan and finish with the Montée du Pla d’Adet, fifty years after Raymond Poulidor’s victory. The finish line will be drawn at the exact place where “Poupou” raised his arms. “The city of Saint-Lary will install a life-size statue of Poupou», Promises the Tour director.
The legendary climbs of the Tour de France
19th stage, Embrun-Isola 2000 (144.6 km): final explanation on the roof of the Tour?
The last straight line. After almost three weeks of terrible efforts, the last survivors will offer themselves one last battle in the Alpes-Maritimes. On the menu, a “ultra-mountain stage that makes you dizzy», says Christian Prudhomme. First, two out-of-category climbs with the Col de Vars (18.8 km at 5.7%) then the Cime de la Bonette (22.9 km at 6.9%). Roof of the Tour perched at an altitude of 2,802 m, the Bonette will be taken for the sixth time in the history of the Tour, the first since 2008. Behind, a long descent towards Isola will take the peloton to the foot of the last difficulty of the day , the ascent to Isola 2000 (16.1 km at 7.1%). A perfect playground for a final explanation, provided that the issue remains at the top of the general ranking.
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21st stage, Monaco-Nice (33.7 km): return of the epilogue of the time trial
A doubly historic arrival. For the first time in history, the finish of the Tour will be judged outside Paris. Paris Olympics obliges, the peloton will arrive in Nice, a well-known land of‘ASO. And to double the historical side of this finale, the 111e edition will close with a 34 km time trial between Monaco and Nice. Already worn out, the organizations will have to make a final effort by leaving the Principality towards La Turbie (8.1 km at 5.6%), the final climb in a big time which could move the last gaps. An outcome which summons the memory of 1989, the last final time of the Tour, when Greg LeMond stole victory from Laurent Fignon on the Champs-Elysées by just eight seconds. “Thirty-five years later, we dare to dream of a match, two or three, an absolute athletic confrontation whose outcome would determine the final podium of the 111th edition», savors Christian Prudhomme.
