Rate the 2024 Tour de France Route

[Gigs_98]

The title should be self explanatory. What do you think?

 

[zlev11]

5, plain average, some good and some bad. way better than the Giro route though!

 

[Gigs_98]

I have very mixed feelings about the route. The things I like, I like strongly and the things I dislike, I dislike strongly.

I love the hilly Grand Depart that might actually lead to some early gc battles again and guarantees a great battle for yellow early on. I really like stage 4 and just generally love the trend that the Tour is no longer afraid to put proper mountain stages early into the first week. I think two TTs altogether amounting to around 60 ITT kms is a huge improvement compared to this year. I love the gravel stage which doesn't just have a gravel section as a little gimmick like the Giro next year but actually looks like a proper gc stage. Stage 11 is a superb medium mountain stage and stage 16 will hopefully provide us with echelons.
There is just a lot to like outside of the mountain stages but I guess that brings me to the big bummer. The mountain stages.

Long story short, there is just not a single interesting mountain stage. Maybe Superdevoluy is an interesting finish but that's also an incredibly weak mountain stage. Other than that every mountain stage either has the hardest climb last or the only climb harder is pretty far away from the finish with the final climb being a HC mtf anyway. Maybe it's possible to attack on the Bonette but that will have to be an all or nothing attack (also Bonette is a little overrated because of its altitude).
Galibier South, Pla d'Adet, PdB, Isola 2000 and Couillole is just such a boring group of main climbs.
Also, I hate the order of the last three stages. I can't stand TTs as the last stage and I think it the final two mountain stages would be better in the opposite order as well. That would at least increase the chances of something happening on Bonette a bit.

One thing I'm unsure about is the number of flat stages. If it's really 8 sprints, that's a bit much for my liking but some of those flat stages look like they might actually be interesting. I think stages 8, 12 and 13 look like a breakaway might have a chance but I'm struggling to predict how those stages will go. If they are actually lumpy enough to cause the sprint trains some serious trouble then that would be great. If we actually end up with 8 days for the pure sprinters that would be a negative for me.

Altogether I'm struggling to rate it. I think the route is of similar quality as the Giro route. The Giro has the stage orderings right which the Tour does not, but then the Tour has way more interesting non-mountain stages. Maybe a 6?

 

[perico]

Gave it a 6 due to the return to Isola 2000 via Bonette. That stage should be epic. Isola is a tough climb.

 

[fbjim]

6. It's fine. Most of the negatives are things which are just normal these days, and those haven't harmed the racing much. The big change I'd make is making the first time trial longer and the second one a flat 15k in Nice to avoid it constricting the racing in the last week. Glad to see PdB, Pla d'Adet, and especially La Bonette back.

 

[Tonton]

Where do I begin?

If you want ITT, make one, 55 km long and flat. Not a small one and a fake one. Or do a 55 km and then the fake. Be real, honest.

Stage sequences are suspect, particularly in the end.

Stage 15 is a joke, but I like Valloire on stage 4, invite for a risk-taker, well done. Troyes could be great, a crosswind opportunity, check, check...and it bothers me...checking boxes, that's how it feels. Same recipe...keep suspense alive.

We knew that it was coming, no big surprise for those who followed the main thread.

I can go on. It's an 8 for me.

 

[Bolder]

8.

But 3 of those points come from skipping the Paris parade stage. I hate it. I only watch half of the last lap anyway.

We've had a couple of GTs decided on the final TT recently so it could be cool to have the winner get on the podium right after the stage rather than soft pedaling around the Chevreuse with a plastic glass of champagne.

I do like the southern Alps route, of course the gravel stage, and starting with 2 hilly Italian stages. The last week could be epic. I'm not familiar at all with Bonette, which is good.

I don't like the Valloire stage. Is it safe to end with the descent off the Galibier? I really don't want to see another Mader situation. I'm not excited to see 8 stages classified as flat, either.

 

[red_flanders]

7 at least without giving it a ton of thought. Above average because it's different. First stages look great. Major mountains on stage 4, finish in Nice, and a TT! The gravel is a gimmick, don't care about that, but at least it's different. Plenty tough enough.

 

[BigCoward]

7 pending the profiles of remaining stages. 60km is an excellent amount of time trialling compared to recent trends.
However it pretty much excluded any surprise packages. 4 best GC riders are head and shoulders above next tier at TT, other than GT who is probably doing the Giro.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

It is clearly worse than the Giro. Worse mountain stages, worse pacing, slightly worse TTing, just as bad with the number of sprint opportunities, and for all the talk of the interesting non-mountain stages, there are really only 3 of those (don't think stage 8/12/13 are going to be all that tricky and the Giro has similar stages anyway).

4/10.

 

[OlavEH]

5 or 6. Definitely nothing more than that. There are some good aspects about the route, but the mountain stages are just mediocre or bad. And although Le Lioran and Super-Devoluy stages are good, I also miss something more for hilly/medium mountain stages. Like a long and continious hilly stage in Massif Central.

 

[Rob5091]

I think the last stage TT will ruin the last road stages and Pogacar in a way confirms it at
https://cyclinguptodate.com/cycling...car-delighted-by-route-of-2024-tour-de-france
"The time trial between Monaco and Nice is super interesting, I'm really looking forward to it but you will have to arrive at this final stage with good legs to win."

Breakaway stages or next to zero GC actíon on stages 19 & 20 in other words.

The only hope for a exciting final week is a strong wind on stage 16 and a GC hopeful losing time.

Before then, the gravel stage can end a rider's hopes of a good GC spot, but if all come through unscathed then it will be a cagey affair if all 4 big names start. The ITT on stage 7 will be the first sorting out of the GC hopefuls and at 25 km long, baring Vingegaard going nuclear, it should only be seconds between the GC guys. A longer TT might well have made some guys try to win back time.

 

[yaco]

A breakaway victory on a stage does not preclude GC action on that stage - The route is fine and gives something to everyone, except for punchers - There will be gaps after week one, especially after the ITT - Will say that the last ITT is brutal for a final stage.

 

[Monsi]

I think the last stage TT will ruin the last road stages and Pogacar in a way confirms it at
https://cyclinguptodate.com/cycling...car-delighted-by-route-of-2024-tour-de-france
"The time trial between Monaco and Nice is super interesting, I'm really looking forward to it but you will have to arrive at this final stage with good legs to win."

Breakaway stages or next to zero GC actíon on stages 19 & 20 in other words.

The only hope for a exciting final week is a strong wind on stage 16 and a GC hopeful losing time.

Before then, the gravel stage can end a rider's hopes of a good GC spot, but if all come through unscathed then it will be a cagey affair if all 4 big names start. The ITT on stage 7 will be the first sorting out of the GC hopefuls and at 25 km long, baring Vingegaard going nuclear, it should only be seconds between the GC guys. A longer TT might well have made some guys try to win back time.

That's overexaggeration if you think there's next to zero GC action on stages 19 and 20. Vingegaard will literally mark stage 19 as the stage where he'll want to win the Tour. Stage 20 provides the terrain for any rider to try and take back time. I don't believe one bit that the stage 21 TT will deter GC action that much.

The terrain is there to make the last week exciting, especially stages 19-21. It's just up to the GC riders to make it exciting.

 

[EddyMazzoleni]

Honestly not a great route, but not awful, 5 is my vote.

The grand depart is great and also the stage to Le Lorian.
More TTs is good but only fractionally.
The dirt road could be awesome, but i am skeptical that flat sector can be as selective as the one in Strade Bianche.
The mountain stages are stage bad, far worse than the ones in the Giro.

 

[danielovichdk2]

10.

A route doesn't matter at all.

What matters is it will be ridden by riders that put on a show.

 

[Rob5091]

Yep, it's time for the Annual Tour Release Cover Photo -

 

[Breh]

1/10 if Vingegaard wins again
9/10 if my personal favorite wins

 

[Froome]

That's overexaggeration if you think there's next to zero GC action on stages 19 and 20. Vingegaard will literally mark stage 19 as the stage where he'll want to win the Tour. Stage 20 provides the terrain for any rider to try and take back time. I don't believe one bit that the stage 21 TT will deter GC action that much.

The terrain is there to make the last week exciting, especially stages 19-21. It's just up to the GC riders to make it exciting.

I think vingegaard will mark 3 stages + 1 stage to test the other GC riders.

He will mark 3 stages: plateau de beille, cime de la bonette+isola 2000, and the final TT.

He will test the other GC riders on col du galibier, stage 4.

 

[Rob5091]

He will test the other GC riders on col du galibier, stage 4.

UAE, Visma or Bora will probably try to get rid of the Yellow Jersey on stage 4 - breakaway day! Lenny M takes his second leader's jersey!

 

[Oliver]

I like the route. Every type of rider has a chance.

+ 2 tt's, mountains stages above +2000, nice mountain stages 1/14/19/20, gravel stage...
Not that much sprint stages.

- Stage 15 is crap

I Hope Pogi will be there (and not with Giro first).

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Plus points:
- opening weekend is excellent and the only flat stage in the Italian start stretch is on a weekday
- every weekend stage bar (probably) stage 8 is a significant one
- an increase in TT mileage
- an additional serious rouleur challenge in the form of the dirt road stage
- both the Super Lioran and Super Dévoluy stages are nice medium mountain stages
- Col de la Bonette
- no Vosges means no PDBF

Minus points:
- The second longest mountain stage is 152km long
- The only mountain stage longer than 152km has an MTF that will likely negate all racing before it
- No true queen stage
- Not enough TT mileage is flat, it's easy for the best GC guys to also be the best TTers when the TTs are designed for climbers too.
- Would have preferred a descent finish on stage 20
- Almost everything about the TDFF. Three stages as an overseas départ doesn't bother me in a 21 stage race, but three stages out of 8 is absolutely ridiculous (actually 4 of 9 because of the semitappes). Especially when it's most all in the Netherlands to give us more of the same type of racing as is already overrepresented on the calendar. And there's only 6km of TT, the penultimate stage is kind of a 'false' mountain stage, and with Glandon and Alpe d'Huez on the final day the course is even more back-loaded than the last two years. Huge step backwards and an absolutely horrible course.

 

[Gigs_98]

That's overexaggeration if you think there's next to zero GC action on stages 19 and 20. Vingegaard will literally mark stage 19 as the stage where he'll want to win the Tour. Stage 20 provides the terrain for any rider to try and take back time. I don't believe one bit that the stage 21 TT will deter GC action that much.

The terrain is there to make the last week exciting, especially stages 19-21. It's just up to the GC riders to make it exciting.

It depends. If Vingegaard is leading going into the final week there is no way he attacks early on stage 19. People are just massively overestimating that stage in general.

But in general the final week will really only work if the top gc guys aren't too close to each other. Especially after the TT this year both Vingegaard and Pogacar will be hyper focused on stage 21 and considering Vingegaard didn't attack Pogacar from stage 13-15 once I think we cann all expect that hyper focus to come in the form of passive racing. Idk, I kinda start to agree that final TT is a huge problem. It will depend a lot on the gc situation.

 

[Monsi]

It depends. If Vingegaard is leading going into the final week there is no way he attacks early on stage 19. People are just massively overestimating that stage in general.

But in general the final week will really only work if the top gc guys aren't too close to each other. Especially after the TT this year both Vingegaard and Pogacar will be hyper focused on stage 21 and considering Vingegaard didn't attack Pogacar from stage 13-15 once I think we cann all expect that hyper focus to come in the form of passive racing. Idk, I kinda start to agree that final TT is a huge problem. It will depend a lot on the gc situation.

Fair point but if Vingegaard is ahead heading into stage 19, then it’s on to Pogacar, Roglic (and possibly Remco) to attack him from afar, no matter how much the stage suits Jonas. They won’t just sit there and do nothing. I do agree it works best though if a big GC favorite needs to make up big time, like Pog being 2 mins back in 2022. I just disagree that there’ll be virtually no GC action on stages 19 and 20.

Let’s be honest though. Stage 19 would have been perfect with an easier final climb. That way, it would have been similar to the Stelvio-Laghi di Cancano stage in the 2020 Giro.

 

[Netserk]

- Would have preferred a descent finish on stage 20

It certainly would have been straightforward to start from Isola and go over Saint-Martin, Turini, (Braus), Castillon, Madone before a descent finish to Monaco. With three other HC MTFs, it would have been a good trade.

Isola > Monaco

150.0 km, +4089 m. Bike ride in Roure, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

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