Tour de France Tour de France 2024 route rumours and announcements

[Nick2413]

Is it true that a TT in the GTs can't exceed 60km these days.
Not sure if it's true but I thought I read it somewhere.....

needs UCI approval to go longer

I’ll eat my hat if we ever see that request made

 

[Mayomaniac]

needs UCI approval to go longer

Yeah, but the Tour, with a French UCI President, could get anything Approved, If they wanted...

 

[Max Rockatansky]

needs UCI approval to go longer

ASO is way more powerful than UCI. They could do whatever they want.

Right now, there is a rumor about a TT on day 7. Gevrey-Chambertin to Nuits-Saint-Georges. But there is nothing known about the distance or if it is an ITT or TTT.

 

[RedheadDane]

Right now, there is a rumor about a TT on day 7. Gevrey-Chambertin to Nuits-Saint-Georges. But there is nothing known about the distance or if it is an ITT or TTT.

Isn't there a rule that a TTT can be no later than stage 4, or something? After that mess some years ago, when the TTT was on stage 9, and a team like Orica had already lost 3 riders by the time.
Of course, the only way to be 100% certain teams don't lose riders before a TTT in a stage race is to always have it on stage 1.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

Isn't there a rule that a TTT can be no later than stage 4, or something? After that mess some years ago, when the TTT was on stage 9, and a team like Orica had already lost 3 riders by the time.
Of course, the only way to be 100% certain teams don't lose riders before a TTT in a stage race is to always have it on stage 1.

I am not sure, if there is a rule like this. It would make sense to not have a TTT that late, yes.

Other question. What is your take on stage 18 from Gap to Barcelonnette? They could troll people and do some loops to make this the last stage for sprinters, which will be stage 16 as it looks at the moment.

Or you make a trilogy of climbs with Cayolle, Champs and Allos. Col des Champs was in the Tour last time in 1975, Col de la Cayolle in 1973. There won't be fireworks here, but a stage like this would make days 18-21 a bit more difficult.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Other question. What is your take on stage 18 from Gap to Barcelonnette? They could troll people and do some loops to make this the last stage for sprinters, which will be stage 16 as it looks at the moment.

Or you make a trilogy of climbs with Cayolle, Champs and Allos. Col des Champs was in the Tour last time in 1975, Col de la Cayolle in 1973. There won't be fireworks here, but a stage like this would make days 18-21 a bit more difficult.

I'm guessing a stage that is possible to bring to a mass sprint, but also a great possibility for the breakaway guys. With some proper climbs here the Tour will be extremely backloaded, wouldn't it?

 

[Monsi]

I am not sure, if there is a rule like this. It would make sense to not have a TTT that late, yes.

Other question. What is your take on stage 18 from Gap to Barcelonnette? They could troll people and do some loops to make this the last stage for sprinters, which will be stage 16 as it looks at the moment.

Or you make a trilogy of climbs with Cayolle, Champs and Allos. Col des Champs was in the Tour last time in 1975, Col de la Cayolle in 1973. There won't be fireworks here, but a stage like this would make days 18-21 a bit more difficult.

I'm leaning more on the sprinter/breakaway day for stage 18. I don't think they'll have four consecutive mountain stages on stages 17-20 and then a hilly/borderline mountain time trial on stage 21.

 

[gavia88]

France Blue has an article about the 2024 route:

https://www.francebleu.fr/sports/cy...-parcours-probable-de-la-111e-edition-3575680

and the map from the article:

 

[ashhutch1997]

France Blue has an article about the 2024 route:

https://www.francebleu.fr/sports/cy...-parcours-probable-de-la-111e-edition-3575680

and the map from the article:

So Troyes is getting 2 stage finishes, seems a bit ridiculous given the amount of applicants ASO must get for hosting.
All in all, given the possibilities this is pretty disappointing. Way to many HC MTF's, which gives PTSD flashbacks to the 2014 Giro.

Anyway, given that we will have a stacked field, it'll still be a fun race to watch like the last few years.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

It looks like they copied it from Velowire without giving any credit.

 

[roundabout]

I'll believe the 2 stage finishes in Troyes only when they are announced tomorrow.

 

[Rob5091]

Spoiler alert!
This is how I see it going down - Remco loses a lot of time in Bologna because of "The Beautiful Wife Syndrome", Vingegaard loses a lot of time on stage 3 as he's not used to riding 3 consecutive 200 km stages, Pogacar loses a minute to Roglic in crosswinds on stage 16, and then beats Roglic by 59 seconds in Nice and is declared the winner as the GPS timing is all off kilter. Well, that's the Netflix script anyway.

 

[gavia88]

really weird to have 2 stages finishing in Troyes. Almost as if it is some kind of last minute change, because the first plan didn't work out well. Not that it's not happing before (especially in Grand-Departs), but in this construction I can't remember quickly an example from the past.

 

[gavia88]

In potential 10 flat stages (not that I think there will be 10 flat stages):

Stage 3: confirmed flat stage in Torino
Stage 5: if the finish really is in St. Vulbus a lot of chance this could be a sprint as well. But there are possibilities to make it more a breakaway stage than a sprint stage.
Stage 6: finish in Dyon, could be another sprint stage. However, there are possibilities to go through the hills of the cote d'or.
Stage 8: finish I in Troyes. Could be spiced with hills and gravel sections. But more likely that will be the sunday stage. So most likely flat.
Stage 9: finish II in Troyes. Could be spiced with hills and gravel sections.
Stage 10: sprint (maybe echelons)
Stage 12: sprint, but could be hilly as well
Stage 13: sprint
Stage 16: sprint (but chances of echolons near the coast)
Stage 18: last flat stage for the finale 3 stages (2x mountain + 1 ITT). The could make it a bit more for breakaway than sprint as well if they want to avoid a full mass sprint.

I think 2 stages in Troyes really suggest that we could have at least one hilly and with gravel. Most likely the exit from the Alpes, the passage in the cote d'or, the exit from the central massive or the stage to Barcelonette will be at least spiced a little bit so that it will be not 9 full mass sprints, but at least 1 for the breakways and 1 more fitting for a reduced mass sprint, but still most likely at least 7 obvious changes for the sprinters as it looks like now.

 

[Froome]

In potential 10 flat stages (not that I think there will be 10 flat stages):

Stage 3: confirmed flat stage in Torino
Stage 5: if the finish really is in St. Vulbus a lot of chance this could be a sprint as well. But there are possibilities to make it more a breakaway stage than a sprint stage.
Stage 6: finish in Dyon, could be another sprint stage. However, there are possibilities to go through the hills of the cote d'or.
Stage 8: finish I in Troyes. Could be spiced with hills and gravel sections. But more likely that will be the sunday stage. So most likely flat.
Stage 9: finish II in Troyes. Could be spiced with hills and gravel sections.
Stage 10: sprint (maybe echelons)
Stage 12: sprint, but could be hilly as well
Stage 13: sprint
Stage 16: sprint (but chances of echolons near the coast)
Stage 18: last flat stage for the finale 3 stages (2x mountain + 1 ITT). The could make it a bit more for breakaway than sprint as well if they want to avoid a full mass sprint.

I think 2 stages in Troyes really suggest that we could have at least one hilly and with gravel. Most likely the exit from the Alpes, the passage in the cote d'or, the exit from the central massive or the stage to Barcelonette will be at least spiced a little bit so that it will be not 9 full mass sprints, but at least 1 for the breakways and 1 more fitting for a reduced mass sprint, but still most likely at least 7 obvious changes for the sprinters as it looks like now.

What about col de portes before saint vulbas?

They can make a real mountain stage if they go by: saint jean maurienne-col du grand cucheron-col du granier or col de marocaz -col de l'epine- col de portes-saint vulbas, about 190 km.

I want to believe that they will do two mountain stages in a row like last year. The tour woul get to backloaded with one mountain stage on stage 4, one medium stage on stage 11(le lioran) and then everything in the last week/final second week.

 

[roundabout]

What about col de portes before saint vulbas?

They can make a real mountain stage if they go by: saint jean maurienne-col du grand cucheron-col du granier or col de marocaz -col de l'epine- col de portes-saint vulbas, about 190 km.

I want to believe that they will do two mountain stages in a row like last year. The tour woul get to backloaded with one mountain stage on stage 4, one medium stage on stage 11(le lioran) and then everything in the last week/final second week.

This is a good breakdown of potential climbs (http://legruppetto.fr/forum/viewtopic.php?p=3277062#p3277062), with perhaps 1 small modification from me for stage 1

E1:3/4 2C climbs
E4: Sestriere (2C), Montgenèvre (2C), Galibier (HC)
E11: Neronne (2C), Peyrol (1C), Perthus(2C)
E14: Tourmalet (HC), Ancizan(2C), Pla d'Adet(HC)
E15: Peyresourde (1C), Menté (1C), Aspet (2C), Lers (1C), Beille (HC)
E17: Bayard (2C), Noyer (1C)
E19: Vars (1C), Bonnette (HC), Isola (HC)
E20: Braus (1C), Colmiane (2C), Turini (1C), Couillole (HC)
E21: Turbie (2C)
HC:7
1C:8
2C:12/13

It's already 27/28 climbs of 2C and above so any additional mountain stages would probably mean watering down stage 15 (the obvious candidate). But maybe it is possible to snip a climb here and a climb there to eke out another difficult stage, but I doubt that it would be stage 5 as it would mean 4 non-sprint days in the first 5 stages.

However there is probably no room on the route for an additional difficult stage unless it is stage 5.

 

[ashhutch1997]

really weird to have 2 stages finishing in Troyes. Almost as if it is some kind of last minute change, because the first plan didn't work out well. Not that it's not happing before (especially in Grand-Departs), but in this construction I can't remember quickly an example from the past.

Angoulême in 2007 I think? Had a road stage finish then a ITT finish the next day.

 

[Escarabajo]

It does not look like many mountain stages. Maybe they add quite a few medium mountain stages. Otherwise it looks like many sprint stages.

 

[tobydawq]

I'll believe the 2 stage finishes in Troyes only when they are announced tomorrow.

Yeah, I really don't believe that either. What would be the point?

 

[tobydawq]

It seems like half of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will be ridden in the Netherlands. Seems a bit odd to stage that many stages there for an 8 day race...

 

[Ulle97]

Spoiler alert!
This is how I see it going down - Remco loses a lot of time in Bologna because of "The Beautiful Wife Syndrome", Vingegaard loses a lot of time on stage 3 as he's not used to riding 3 consecutive 200 km stages, Pogacar loses a minute to Roglic in crosswinds on stage 16, and then beats Roglic by 59 seconds in Nice and is declared the winner as the GPS timing is all off kilter. Well, that's the Netflix script anyway.

Apologies if this has been explained before but can someone please explain what Beautiful wife syndrome means?

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Angoulême in 2007 I think? Had a road stage finish then a ITT finish the next day.

With road stage then TT, it's not completely unique even outside of the start of the race - the Vuelta did the same at Destilerías DYC in 1994, for example - but with back to back road stage finishes the only example I can think of is the double Alpe d'Huez finish of 1979.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

It seems like half of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will be ridden in the Netherlands. Seems a bit odd to stage that many stages there for an 8 day race...

There will still be more race days in France, as 2 of the 4 Dutch/Belgian stages will take place on the same day, although that doesn't really make it less ridiculous.

I was hoping the 4th stage would be a cobbled one in the north of France, but at least it looks like there will be more than one mountain stage.

 

[Gigs_98]

It does not look like many mountain stages. Maybe they add quite a few medium mountain stages. Otherwise it looks like many sprint stages.

If the route is loaded with hilly stages I don't think that's a bad thing.

The big questionmark to me is Barcelonette. If they make that a mountain stage I think the route is way too backloaded and they mess up the soft mountain stage the day before. I can see why people woul prefer a mountain stage there anyway but I would seriously prefer it to be flat (or even better with medium mountains). The route would then be pretty soft mountain wise but I really like the non mountain stage rumours so far (really good hilly/medium mountain stages, gravel, crosswind) and those are much more likely to be races hard if the route isn't even more backloaded than it already looks.

 

[Escarabajo]

If there is a dirt/gravel stage it would be cool.