8 Must Watch Stages of the 2024 Tour de France Men's Race
The 2024 Tour de France will be a different king of beast, with it's Grand Depart in in Italy, and for the first time in many years, a finale away from Paris, as the riders will head into Nice for the final showdown.
The 2024 Tour de France route was revealed in Paris today, it features 12 new stage towns and sites, 7 mountain stages, 4 high altitude finishes and 32 km of gravel roads and 3,492 km of racing over three weeks.
It's a hilly start in Italy, a big second week in the Pyrenees, with a Monaco-Nice time-trial on the final stage to determine the overall winner. Here's our guide to the stages that will be thrilling to watch from start to end in the battle for the Yellow Jersey!
Stage 1 - Saturday June 29th
3,700 metres of climbing over 205 km from the gun!
The Florence start will also be an opportunity to celebrate Italian cycling with 2024 marking the centenary of Ottavio Bottecchia's victory in the 1924 edition, the first by an Italian.
After leaving Florence, the peloton will roll through Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna to a seaside finale in Rimini. The route also dips into the principality of San Marino and will pass the Gino Bartali museum, dedicated to the Tour winner of 1938 and 1948. It will also pass the resting place of another two-time champion Fausto Coppi.
There will be some 3,700 metres of climbing over 205km. It will be a beautiful stage to watch and all of the GC contenders will have to be on their guard the whole day. Could a breakaway make it to the finish, take the yellow jersey and hold onto it until the opening ITT on stage 7.
The first two stages are tough enough to create gaps!
Stage 4 - Tuesday July 2nd
The mighty Col du Galibier!
Stage 4 crosses the high Alps, 138km stage from Pinerolo to Valloire takes on the climbs of Sestriere (39.9km at 3.7%), the Col de Montgenèvre (8.3km at 5.9%), and the Col du Galibier (23km at 5.1%).
All GC favorites will have to be in contention on the mighty Col du Galibier, the rider who crests this legendary climb first is surely up for the stage win!
Stage 9 - Sunday July 7th
Gravel de Troyes!
Stage 9 is the big gravel day, featuring 14 sectors of rough roads across the 199 km race around Troyes. The final six gravel sectors are packed into the final 35km, making for a real test for the overall contenders.
If a GC rider has a mechanical, it could be game over if they don't ride back into contention. 32 km of gravel in all, it will be a very nervous stage!!
Stage 14 - Saturday July 13th
Classic stage across the Pyrenees!
The riders will head 152km from Pau across the mighty Col du Tourmalet (19km at 7.4%), the Hourquette d'Ancizan (8.2km at 5.1%), and the finish uphill at Saint-Lary Soulan (10.6km at 7.9%).
A really important day for the GC contenders who can take - or loose time!
Stage 15 - Sunday July 14
Fireworks on Bastille Day!
The stage is set, we can expect some fireworks on Bastille Day with some classic Pyrenees climbs that will have some GC contenders hanging on, and other itching for an attack on the final climb up the Plateau de Beille!
Stage 19 - Friday July 19th
One of the highest paved roads in Europe!
A mini but mighty mountain stage from Embrun to Isola 2000 comes on stage 19. It may be only 145 km but the climbs of the Col de Vars (18.8km at 5.7%), the Cime de la Bonette (22.9km at 6.9%), and the finisher at Isola 2000 (16.1km at 7.1%) should host a major GC battle!
The Cime de la Bonette is one of the highest paved roads in Europe at 2,802m.
Stage 20 - Saturday July 20th
Brutal stage with over 4,800 metres of climbing!
This will be a mountainous stage with over 4,800 meters of climbing from the coast at Nice inland with the big climbs of the Col de Turini and the Col de la Colmiane and uphill finish atop the Col de la Couillole.
This stage is used for the 2024 Etape du Tour, over 16,000 amatuer cyclists will ride stage 20 on July 7th 2024.
Stage 21 - Sunday July 21st
The yellow jersey could be won – or lost on the final stage!
A break with tradition and an enforced finish in Nice, on the southern coast of France, due to the 2024 Olympics taking over the capital, Paris this week. The 21st and final stage will be contested in a 35km individual time trial from the glitzy streets of Monaco to Place Masséna in Nice.
For the first time in a long time, the last stage may not be purely ceremonial.
The yellow jersey could be won – or lost on the final stage!
Click here for details of the full 2024 Tour de France route, latest news, videos and details of LIVE Coverage of the 2024 Tour de France next July!
2024 Tour de France Stage Map
