Tour de France Tour de France 2024 route rumours and announcements

[Red Rick]

The last mountain stage over 200 k in the Tour was Valloire 2019. Maybe it‘s a Valloire thing but there just hasn‘t been a lot of these stages recently.

It's not just that they don't hit 200km anymore it's that they very deliberately cut length off of high mountain stages and basically go 150km by default as soon as they do more than one climb.

 

[Fyr3]

Given how heavy the final week of racing looks I almost hope Gouvenou ignores the stage idea I sent to him...

 

[ChiefMasterPro]

Stage will start in Pinerolo and seems to end in Valloire.

Leaves you with some possibilities:

1 Sestrières - Montgenèvre - Galibier - Valloire
2 Sestrières - Mont Cenis - Télégraphe - Valloire
3 Mont Cenis - Télégraphe - Valloire

Someone on Le Gruppetto had the best idea for this fourth stage

To be honest, the Telegraphe without the Galibier looks pretty weird, or wrong. Thats why I hoped for Valmeinier. And the Molard-Croix de Fer-combo looks like Telegraphe-Galibier orderd on wish.

 

[Fyr3]

I know it goes against the current rumours, but I'd love stage 5 to finish in Super Devoluy. We can imagine a start in Bourg d'Oisans, with the climbs of Ornon, Parquetout, Chaillol and finally Noyer before the 3c arrival. Then a couple of transition stages up the Rhone valley before the Cote d'Or stages.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

To be honest, the Telegraphe without the Galibier looks pretty weird, or wrong. Thats why I hoped for Valmeinier. And the Molard-Croix de Fer-combo looks like Telegraphe-Galibier orderd on wish.

Yip. Valmeinier was mentioned as another possibility.

I also read, that the location of the finish would be in Les Verneys, which is 2k out of Valloire on the road to the Galibier.

 

[Rob5091]

It's not just that they don't hit 200km anymore it's that they very deliberately cut length off of high mountain stages and basically go 150km by default as soon as they do more than one climb.

My guess is, that it's a TV scheduling thing. Like having a movie over 2 hours long is considered for aficiandos only, no stage over 4 hours.

 

[ice&fire]

My guess is, that it's a TV scheduling thing. Like having a movie over 2 hours long is considered for aficiandos only, no stage over 4 hours.

My guess is that shorter stages allows for longer transfers, so they have more flexibility forthe money grabbing aspect of the route design.

Edit: they also save money not having to fly TV helicopters and airplanes for so long.

 

[Red Rick]

My guess is that shorter stages allows for longer transfers, so they have more flexibility forthe money grabbing aspect of the route design.

That too. They really like to have starts very close to the finishes, decide what combo of climbs they want in the final 50km or so then they'll just add some random *** to get to ~150km most of the times. Even when a mountain stage is 180km it's the consequences of getting from A to B in the fastest possible way.

I don't believe they themselves believe this bs about "short stages are more attractive racing" it's probably just more profitable in some way. I wonder how much money they save by having a stage be shorter in both length and duration.

 

[ice&fire]

I don't believe they themselves believe this bs about "short stages are more attractive racing" it's probably just more profitable in some way. I wonder how much money they save by having a stage be shorter in both length and duration.

Full stage broadcasts are expensive, mostly because of flight times for air vehicles. That's why the Vuelta only has them on a few selected days. But then, the Tour budget is more than three times larger than the Vuelta budget.

The long transfers also allows the organiser having stage starts and finishes at places of their interest for sport/business reasons with limited hotel infrastructure.

 

[Finn84]

I would say Le Grand Bornard stage in 2013 is previous 200-km mountain stage which has barely any flat. A lot of other long mountain stages have almost half a stage flat before mountain boogie starts.

 

[gavia88]

After reading the latest scopes on Velowire we can get something like this:
https://www.velowire.com/article/11...d-the-stage-cities-of-the-111th-edition-.html

stage 1: medium mountain (Col de Valico, Cote des Forche, Cote de Spinello, Cote de Barbotto, Cote de San Leo, Cote de Montemaggio, Cote de Saint Martin)

stage 2: hilly (cote de Monticino, Cote de Gallisterna, Cote de Botteghino di Zocca, Cote de Montecalvo, Cote de San Luca, Cote de San Luca)

stage 3: flat

stage 4: high mountain (Mont-Cenis and Telegraphe (and maybe Valmeier) or Sestriere, Montgenevre, Lautaret/Galibier Sud (and maybe Valmeier))
stage 5: medium mountain/hilly (if we are very lucky maybe Col des Portes)
stage 6: flat or hilly (options to have some hills from the cotes des beaujolais??)
stage 7: ITT
stage 8: flat (maybe if we are very lucky hilly with sterrato??) (the first stages are probably above average in dificulty for a first week, so a sprint stage would not be weird, although stage 9 and 10 will be flat as well and in between even a rest day. So maybe we can be lucky and have sterrato (as tested by the woman last year), but unlikely it is)
stage 9: flat
restday
stage 10: flat
stage 11: medium mountain (a mixture of the finales from 2016 and 2020 most likely) (Neronne, Pay de Peyrol, Perhus, Font de Cére, Le Lioran)

stage 12: hilly (or flat in worst case)
stage 13: flat
stage 14: high mountain (rumoured Val Louron-Azet and Pla d'Adet)
stage 15: high mountain (most difficult option: Peyresourde, Menté, Col de la Core, LaTrape, Col d'Anges, Plateau de Beille) (but most likely not all of the cols mentioned)

restday
stage 16: flat
stage 17: high mountain (well more medium mountain, but it's in the alps) (something like the Dauphinee stage is likely, Moissiere was rumoured to appear for the first time in the tour, but the easier option Bayard is possible as well, followed by Col du Noyer and Superdevoluy)

stage 18: flat (yes, a waste of opportunities, but considering state 17, 19, 20 and 21, its very unlikely that it is something more than a sprint or barodeur stage)
stage 19: high mountain (Vars, Bonette and 2/3 of Lombarde), something like the 2016 Giro stage, but with finish in Izola 2000)

stage 20: high mountain (Col de Braus, Col de Turini, Col de la Colmiane, Col de la Couillole)

stage 21: (mountainious) ITT (Turini, Col d'Eze)

 

[gavia88]

First week:
depending on the second weekend it could be very good actually! A high mountain stage, a ITT, various medium mountain/hilly stages. But 2 complete flat stage on a Saturday and Sunday could reuine the party.

Second week:
quite decent, with 2 difficult HC mountain finishes and a very good medium mountain to le Lioran. Depending on the stage to Montignac-Lascaux and the design of the mountain stages it could be even good. However, Pyrenees as original as ever, which personally spoils the fun a bit for myself.

Third week:
At least no parede stage and the southern alps which we see baraly in the Tour. So, that are already 2 extremely nice plusses. The 2 decisive mountain stages, start with dificult climbs as well, which could create some chaos. However, not all stage designs seems great, with the long flat between Bonette and the Lombarde and the Colmiane being much easier than the Couillole.

Overall, some orignal route design to be expected. With another great grand depart (compared to normal grand departs), but the main complain seems the design in some of the high mountain stages, Plateau de Beille never links well to any climb, neither the final climbs on stage 19 and 20.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

I just don‘t really see any really tough stage where you‘d expect big gaps, it just looks like three weeks of meh mountain stages.

 

[gavia88]

I just don‘t really see any really tough stage where you‘d expect big gaps, it just looks like three weeks of meh mountain stages.

maybe that's only a good thing, as 'jumbo/soudal/amazon/visma' needs to make the race hard, while pog, Remco and Rog are in their strenght in less dificult mountain stages.

But on the other hand, stages like Galibier-Valmeier, Tourmalet-Pla d'Adet, Plateau de Beille, and the final alp stages with Lombarde and Turine can still create very decent gaps. It's not that the tour will lack decent 1st and HC climbs

 

[OlavEH]

But on the other hand, stages like Galibier-Valmeier

Is it rumoured they will do Galibier on this stage?

 

[gavia88]

Is it rumoured they will do Galibier on this stage?

there are 2 most likely scenarios for this stage, or Mont-Cenis and Telegraphe (and maybe Valmeier) or Sestriere, Montgenevre and Galibier from the south. There aren't that much other alternatives to arrive in Valloire.

But as far as I know, no official reports about what will be the route, no.

 

[gavia88]

there are 2 most likely scenarios for this stage, or Mont-Cenis and Telegraphe (and maybe Valmeier) or Sestriere, Montgenevre and Galibier from the south. There aren't that much other alternatives to arrive in Valloire.

But as far as I know, no official reports about what will be the route, no.

Actually, best option would be Galibier South and than a short climb to Valmeier 1800. But maybe that's to much to ask for stage 4.

 

[OlavEH]

there are 2 most likely scenarios for this stage, or Mont-Cenis and Telegraphe (and maybe Valmeier) or Sestriere, Montgenevre and Galibier from the south. There aren't that much other alternatives to arrive in Valloire.

But as far as I know, no official reports about what will be the route, no.

Yep, I'm aware of the alternatives, but just find it less likely they will do Galibier already on stage 4. So I think Mont Cenis and Telegraphe is more likely.

 

[Froome]

From Velowire (Yesterday there were some updates):

#	date​	départ​	arrivée​	remarques
1	sa. 29 juin 2024	Florence (Firenze) 🇮🇹	Rimini 🇮🇹	205 km ✅​
2	di. 30 juin 2024	Cesenatico 🇮🇹	Bologne (Bologna) 🇮🇹	200 km ✅​
3	lu. 1er juillet 2024	Plaisance (Piacenza) 🇮🇹	Turin (Torino) 🇮🇹	225 km ✅​
4	ma. 2 juillet 2024	Pinerolo 🇮🇹	Valloire
5	me. 3 juillet 2024	???	Saint-Vulbas ou Ambérieu-en-Bugey ?
6	je. 4 juillet 2024	Ambérieu-en-Bugey ou Saint-Vulbas ?	Beaune
7	ve. 5 juillet 2024	Dijon	Prenois	CLM ind ou par équipe ?​
8	sa. 6 juillet 2024	MuséoParc Alésia (Alise-Sainte-Reine)	Troyes
9	di. 7 juillet 2024	(environs) Troyes	Orléans ou environs ?
R1	lu. 8 juillet 2024	repos à Orléans / en Loiret
10	ma. 9 juillet 2024	Orléans / Bellegarde / Vendôme / Vimory ?	Saint-Amand-Montrond
11	me. 10 juillet 2024	Evaux-les-Bains	Le Lioran
12	je. 11 juillet 2024	Aurillac	Montignac-Lascaux
13	ve. 12 juillet 2024	en Dordogne ???	Pau
14	sa. 13 juillet 2024	Pau ?	Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla d'Adet
15	di. 14 juillet 2024	Loudenvielle ?	Plateau de Beille ?
R2	lu. 15 juillet 2024	repos à Narbonne
16	ma. 16 juillet 2024	Narbonne ou environs ?	Nîmes
17	me. 17 juillet 2024	zone Avignon /Orange /Bagnols-sur-Cèze /Bollène /Carpentras /Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux ?	Super-Dévoluy
18	je. 18 juillet 2024	Gap	Barcelonnette
19	ve. 19 juillet 2024	Embrun	Isola 2000 ?
20	sa. 20 juillet 2024	Nice	Col de la Couillole	132 km ✅​
21	di. 21 juillet 2024	Monaco 🇲🇨	Nice	35,2 km ✅ CLM individuel​

Which means something like:
stage 1: medium mountain (Col de Valico, Cote des Forche, Cote de Spinello, Cote de Barbotto, Cote de San Leo, Cote de Montemaggio, Cote de Saint Martin)

stage 2: hilly (cote de Monticino, Cote de Gallisterna, Cote de Botteghino di Zocca, Cote de Montecalvo, Cote de San Luca, Cote de San Luca)

stage 3: flat

stage 4: high mountain (Mont-Cenis and Telegraphe (and maybe Valmeier) or Sestriere, Montgenevre, Lautaret/Galibier Sud (and maybe Valmeier))
stage 5: medium mountain/hilly (if we are very lucky maybe Col des Portes)
stage 6: flat or hilly (options to have some hills from the cotes des beaujolais??)
stage 7: ITT
stage 8: flat (maybe if we are very lucky hilly with sterrato??) (the first stages are probably above average in dificulty for a first week, so a sprint stage would not be weird, although stage 9 and 10 will be flat as well and in between even a rest day. So maybe we can be lucky and have sterrato (as tested by the woman last year), but unlikely it is)
stage 9: flat
restday
stage 10: flat
stage 11: medium mountain (a mixture of the finales from 2016 and 2020 most likely) (Neronne, Pay de Peyrol, Perhus, Font de Cére, Le Lioran)

stage 12: hilly (or flat in worst case)
stage 13: flat
stage 14: high mountain (rumoured Val Louron-Azet and Pla d'Adet)
stage 15: high mountain (most difficult option: Peyresourde, Menté, Col de la Core, LaTrape, Col d'Anges, Plateau de Beille) (but most likely not all of the cols mentioned)

restday
stage 16: flat
stage 17: high mountain (well more medium mountain, but it's in the alps) (something like the Dauphinee stage is likely, Moissiere was rumoured to appear for the first time in the tour, but the easier option Bayard is possible as well, followed by Col du Noyer and Superdevoluy)

stage 18: flat (yes, a waste of opportunities, but considering state 17, 19, 20 and 21, its very unlikely that it is something more than a sprint or barodeur stage)
stage 19: high mountain (Vars, Bonette and 2/3 of Lombarde), something like the 2016 Giro stage, but with finish in Izola 2000)

stage 20: high mountain (Col de Braus, Col de Turini, Col de la Colmiane, Col de la Couillole)

stage 21: (mountainious) ITT (Turini, Col d'Eze)

I believe stage 5 will also be a high mountain stage.

 

[gavia88]

Yep, I'm aware of the alternatives, but just find it less likely they will do Galibier already on stage 4. So I think Mont Cenis and Telegraphe is more likely.

Well, that was actually what I was thinking as well first. However, Galibier as a big name probably sells better to the audience, without being really a super hard climb (Lautaret + Galibier south is actually just a 1st category climb if you look at climbing points) and even Sestiere could financialy be a better option to cross during the stage.

 

[gavia88]

I believe stage 5 will also be a high mountain stage.

which makes you think that? I don't think it will be a pure flat stage neither, but if the finish is in Saint-Vulbas or in Ambérieu-en-Bugey, medium mountain is the maximum possible.

 

[OlavEH]

and even Sestiere could financialy be a better option to cross during the stage

They could also cross Sestriere on the way to Mont Cenis.

 

[gavia88]

They could also cross Sestriere on the way to Mont Cenis.

of course

 

[Froome]

which makes you think that? I don't think it will be a pure flat stage neither, but if the finish is in Saint-Vulbas or in Ambérieu-en-Bugey, medium mountain is the maximum possible.

Just a feeling mine. Normally they do 2/3 consecutive stages in that zone of the alps and in the Pyrenees.
Is there some possibility that the finish in saint vulbas or Ambérieu-en-Bugey is instead on stage 6?

 

[OlavEH]

8	sa. 6 juillet 2024	MuséoParc Alésia (Alise-Sainte-Reine)	Troyes
9	di. 7 juillet 2024	(environs) Troyes	Orléans ou environs ?
R1	lu. 8 juillet 2024	repos à Orléans / en Loiret
10	ma. 9 juillet 2024	Orléans / Bellegarde / Vendôme / Vimory ?	Saint-Amand-Montrond
11	me. 10 juillet 2024	Evaux-les-Bains	Le Lioran
12	je. 11 juillet 2024	Aurillac	Montignac-Lascaux
13	ve. 12 juillet 2024	en Dordogne ???	Pau
14	sa. 13 juillet 2024	Pau ?	Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla d'Adet
15	di. 14 juillet 2024	Loudenvielle ?	Plateau de Beille ?
R2	lu. 15 juillet 2024	repos à Narbonne
16	ma. 16 juillet 2024	Narbonne ou environs ?	Nîmes
17	me. 17 juillet 2024	zone Avignon /Orange /Bagnols-sur-Cèze /Bollène /Carpentras /Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux ?	Super-Dévoluy
18	je. 18 juillet 2024	Gap	Barcelonnette
19	ve. 19 juillet 2024	Embrun	Isola 2000 ?
20	sa. 20 juillet 2024	Nice	Col de la Couillole	132 km ✅​
21	di. 21 juillet 2024	Monaco 🇲🇨	Nice	35,2 km ✅ CLM individuel​

The first stages are very good. I find it strange if they will do two flat stages the second weekend.

The main mountain stages (14, 15, 19 and 20) on the other hand is just lazy stage design. 4 big mountain stages where either pacing of the stages, amount of flat before the last climb or doing the biggest climb as the last makes it not very likeley with much happening before that. Of course we can still get some action with riders like Vingegaard and Pog, but I really hope they at least try to create something more interesting.