It’s not usually that the mighty Col du Galibier raises its lofty head early within the first week of the Tour – however right here she is, the springboard for right this moment’s winner because the peloton bids arrivederci to Italy and bonjour to France for the primary time. Earlier than crossing the border, the riders will sort out two powerful climbs – mere amuses-bouches forward of what ought to be a really tasty plat du jour. Rising to 2,642m and tackled through Briançon and the interminable Col du Lautaret, the Galibier is a legend in its personal proper. The celebrated Memento Henri Desgrange prize will probably be up for grabs over the summit – however the rewards might be far higher 20km away within the valley city of Valloire, famend for its genuine Savoyard delicacies.
One other likelihood for the sprinters because the race leaves behind the Alps – in the intervening time – and heads in direction of Saint-Vulbas, a hotbed of the standard French sport of boules and a jack’s throw from the culinary capital of France, Lyon. The route will probably be a veritable feast for the aerial digital camera crew because the peloton snakes by way of Alpine valleys through quite a few châteaux earlier than hugging the majestic Rhône river. A few quick climbs shouldn’t come between the inexperienced jersey hopefuls and the race’s second bunch dash – offered the breakaway is dropped at heel in time forward of the quick finale.
If Mark Cavendish and his Astana-Qazaqstan lead-out practice have but to click on then they may effectively minimize the mustard in Dijon. Ignoring a small early climb, this would be the first totally flat day on the programme which suggests it’s virtually assured to be a dash. And in a race that gained’t enter Paris for the primary time in its lengthy historical past, it’s maybe becoming that the riders a minimum of go to Dijon, the beginning city of Gustave Eiffel, the engineering colossus behind the world’s most well-known wrought-iron tower. Dijon additionally boasts a metropolis centre with UNESCO World Heritage web site standing and produces its personal crème de cassis, or blackcurrant liqueur. It simply stays to be seen which sprinter will probably be consuming a Kir Royale after popping the Champagne corks right this moment.
If the names of the beginning and end cities are usually not a sufficiently big clue then a number of the locations the race passes right this moment – together with Chambolle-Musigny, Villars-Fontaine and Morey-Saint-Denis – actually give the sport away. Sure, we’re deep into the Burgundy wine area with a person “wine” trial that ventures into the hearts of a number of the most well-known vineyards in France. It’s a reasonably flat race of reality with simply the one climb – the Côte de Curtil-Vergy (1.6km at 6.1%) – coming round midway by way of. Will Jonas Vingegaard present the form of type that noticed him wrap successfully up final 12 months’s race throughout the TT, or will Tadej Pogačar get his personal again? Pour your self a glass of rouge, sit again and discover out…
5 categorised climbs plus quite a few lumps and bumps pepper the route because the race cuts by way of the picturesque Haute Marne. The relentless succession of hills may make it tough for the groups of the sprinters to maintain a spirited breakaway in verify. Even when it does come again collectively earlier than the end, the house straight comes with a slight uphill gradient making this ultimate for the likes of Mads Pedersen, Wout van Aert, Biniam Girmay and different classics specialists with a robust kick. The quaint end city of Colombey-les-Deux-Églises is the resting place of Charles de Gaulle, the famend statesman, soldier and former French president.
Nicely, it’s about time the Tour de France caught up with the occasions and joined the gravel revolution! The final leg of the opening week of the race is that this tremendous difficult classics-style check that options 32km of gravel over 14 sections of conventional white roads amid the vineyards of the Champagne area. First used to dramatic impact throughout the Tour de France Femmes in 2022, these mud tracks may effectively boost the battle for yellow greater than any mountain to date. Winner of Strade Bianche in March following a long-range solo assault over comparable gravelled roads in Tuscany, two-time Tour champion Tadej Pogačar will maintain all of the aces. However be careful for an additional Slovenian within the type of Matej Mohoric, a former winner of the gravel world championships.
After kicking again within the beautiful metropolis of Orléans for the primary relaxation day, the riders enter the second section of the Tour with this largely flat traipse previous châteaux, by way of sleepy cities and the dense Sologne forest, and alongside rivers – most notably the Loire and the Cher. On paper, it’s one for the sprinters – though a bit of kicker inside the ultimate 10km may see a number of the fastmen distanced and play into the palms of plucky rouleurs or baroudeurs alike. Loads will even depend upon the climate: it was on this neck of the woods when, 11 years in the past, crosswinds cut up the pack on uncovered roads with a 15-man group going clear. The winner that day? A chap referred to as Mark Cavendish.
The stage that may have followers reserving their subsequent summer time holidays within the majestic Massif Central. After the Apennines and Alps comes the third mountain vary of the race in a stage that recollects the day Greg van Avermaet rode into yellow throughout the 2016 Tour over the identical collection of climbs. Whereas not one of the six categorised climbs are monsters, they definitely pack a punch with the Col de Neronne averaging 9.1%, the beginning of the Col du Perthus hitting double digits, and the ultimate two kilometres of the beastly Puy Mary Pas de Peyrol rising at a constant 11% to the summit. All in all, there’s a complete of 4,350m of vertical acquire throughout the rugged journey to the ski resort of Le Lioran. Sit again, lap it up, then seek for B&Bs quick earlier than they’re all booked up…
Extra undulating roads because the race heads south-west through the image postcard cliffside city of Rocamadour, perched on the sting of a gorge overlooking a tributary of the Dordogne. If the street appears acquainted right here that’s as a result of the decisive time trial within the 2022 race tackled the identical climb in the wrong way on a day Wout van Aert took the spoils forward of team-mate Jonas Vingegaard, who all however secured the yellow jersey. The profile will get flatter for the second half of the stage – though on the 2 earlier visits to Villeneauve-sur-Lot (the plum capital of France) the breakaway managed to carry off the rampaging peloton.
Pau: the gateway to the Pyrenees, the third-most visited metropolis within the historical past of the Tour, the positioning of quite a few relaxation days and virtually as many drug busts and doping scandals. Hopefully these days are a factor of the previous. With two arduous days within the mountains forward, there are simply the 2 quick however comparatively sharp climbs within the remaining third of right this moment’s stage – however this might nonetheless be sufficient to place the metaphorical chat amongst the pigeons and spoil issues for the sprinters. However with no Champs-Élysées and Paris to look ahead to this 12 months, the groups of the fastmen will do their greatest to deliver this all again collectively.
The primary in a weekend mountain double-whammy which is certain to supply some fireworks. Right here, the 2024 race will tackle the Pyrenees, and what a primary encounter… Col du Tourmalet, the Hourquette d’Ancizan and the climb to Pla d’Adet all characteristic within the remaining 80km of racing. Sure to be a feast for the eyes, with beautiful views of the wild and rugged mountain vary that types the border between France and Spain. Pyrenean meals tends towards the hearty mountain fare, whereas the parcours additionally passes by way of the main Christian pilgrimage web site of Lourdes on its option to the mountains. Nice for a fridge magnet or a novelty statue, if that floats your boat.
Race director Christian Prudhomme has stated of at the present time of the Tour “the terrain on this stage is ripe for revenge or affirmation”, which definitely amps the drama issue as much as eleven. As you’d count on from the finale to the second week of Le Tour, it’s an enormous climbing day with 4,800m of ascent throughout a gruelling 197km. Most of the common classification riders will probably be clinging on to try to survive to the remainder day, whereas others might even see it as an opportunity to take again time misplaced earlier within the race. Then there’s the French climbers, who gained’t want any further motivation on Bastille Day. However be warned – Plateau de Beille is a brute of a climb that takes no prisoners. Whoever wins the day, that is positive to be an enthralling stage to look at – so guide the couch and the TV for 14 July now!
A dash stage with a real gladiatorial really feel, the primary stage of the ultimate week serves up a delicate starting forward of a end that appears virtually sure to provide a bunch gallop. The historic metropolis of Nîmes is residence to some enchanting Roman architectural remnants, together with the well-known amphitheatre. This would be the final likelihood for the likes of Cavendish and Girmay to grab a stage. It’s value including that the not too long ago knighted Cavendish took his fourth ever Tour stage win in Nîmes again in 2008. If he hasn’t already consigned Eddy Merckx to the rearview mirror, then right this moment can be the best alternative for Sir Mark to snare win #35 and make historical past.
This stage begins off benign, virtually boring, however rapidly intensifies towards the top with a collection of class 2, 1 and three climbs to shut it out. With fatigue within the peloton’s legs, this can be a possibility for a break to stand up the street and contest the spoils. The stage begins within the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes area of France, most well-known for its spectacular Côtes de Rhône purple wines. The end is the race’s first stage again within the Alps since bidding them non permanent adieu on stage 5. We’re undecided all 200 of the riders will probably be happy to see them once more – however a minimum of a handful will probably be salivating on the prospect of some uphill tussles.
Tauntingly described by the race director because the sprinter’s remaining likelihood to bag a stage win, this parcours really options greater than 3,000m of climbing. We’re extraordinarily sceptical of a pure sprinter taking victory right here, however possibly a punchier fast-man can cling on. No stress, then, Mads Pedersen… To not be confused with the worldwide clothes juggernaut of the identical identify, Hole is a city with an abundance {of professional} biking historical past, though extra usually it’s a end than a begin… The beginning and end cities are each located in a area of the Alps identified for a delicacy referred to as Tourtons du Champsaur, a bit of potato-filled parcel of pastry. Double carbs? Signal us up!
Over the Cime de la Bonette, France’s highest street, you realize that is going to be a day for the pure climbers. It’ll rely closely on the GC scenario, however we wouldn’t be shocked to see a giant group go away in the hunt for the stage win, with a secondary race between the general favourites some minutes again. Isola 2000 is, actually, a ski resort city however the hovering temperatures in late July imply you’re much more more likely to see riders tucking right into a Tornado ice lolly than a bowl of hearty tartiflette. The beginning city of Embrun’s largest landmark is the roman catholic cathedral, which dominates the skyline.
With no Paris end this 12 months (as a result of Olympics) the race concludes on the French Riviera as an alternative, and the penultimate stage is a large GC climbing day of 4,600m elevation. If the riders weren’t knackered from the previous three weeks of intense competitors, they definitely will probably be by the top of this one. So far as native meals goes, the niçoise salad is an undefeated big of the sport, whereas the broader area of Provence is well-known for its dreamy rosé wines. The end climb of the Couillole is a daily within the Paris-Good stage race – however can it play host to a remaining twist within the tail?
All of it comes all the way down to the race of reality. The Tour hasn’t concluded with a time trial since 1989, in what’s broadly agreed to have been the best version of all-time. We definitely gained’t be sorry to see the again of the turgid procession-into-Paris stage, however will anybody have the ability to overpower both Tadej Pogačar or Jonas Vingegaard within the self-discipline they’ve dominated so aggressively lately? Filippo Ganna the Italian powerhouse has not been chosen by Ineos Grenadiers, so it could fall to Remco Evenepoel to disclaim one of many two yellow jersey favourites their remaining crowning victory.
