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Tour de France Tour de France 2024 route rumours and announcements

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tobydawq

tobydawq

Nov 16, 2013
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Netserk said:
BREAKING NEWS!

It has leaked that Sophie Ricourt asked @Mayomaniac to design a Barcelonnette stage that would be the queen stage of the race, held on the last Thursday of the race. He asked her if she would pay for some roadworks, and she replied: "I'll do anything, just make sure it's a memorable stage!"

And so he granted her wish and traced a stage starting and ending in Barcelonnette:

ridewithgps.com

Barcelonnette > Barcelonnette

220.0 km, +6478 m. Bike ride in Barcelonnette, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
ridewithgps.com ridewithgps.com

NNbStHw.png
Click to expand...

There is a valley after the last descent, it will be like Pyrenees in 2009 Tour.
 
Unterlenkerfahrend

Unterlenkerfahrend

Jun 11, 2021
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At first I was annoyed about stage 20 but given that they had to finish in the region I'm actually okay with it. Col de la Couillole is a meh MTF and all the other climbs are also too shallow but at least it's not a _/ \/ design and given that it's after three weeks these "soft" climbs can do more damage than expected. Also no major flats in between which should help with far range moves.
ITT hard to judge without knowing the rest of the race.
 
O

OlavEH

Oct 19, 2011
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Are there any chance we can see Tougnete + Loze in 2024? Or will they wait at least one year more with that since they are doing Loze this year.

It will certainly be very interesting to see how the full route for this Tour will be. Given the Grande Depart stages previously revealed and the finish in Nice, I hoped that they would do something more original than "standard" Tour routes the later years. But with the ITT and last MTF now revealed, I seriously doubt it. It will be about as standard as it gets, disregarding the fact that they don't finish in Paris.

First I don't understand why the last stage has to be a ITT, it would have been more interesting with a hilly stage simimlar to the PN-finish. There should rather have been an ITT of 50-60 km on the first day the last week. And also the Couillole MTF the day before an ITT also reduces the chances for anything other than a attack the very last kms on Couillole.

I guess there could be a big mountain stage on stage 18 or 19, but I will be suprised if it happens. If they include Bonette the most probable is perhaps something like a Dignes-les-Bains to St.Etienne-de-Tinee stage climbing only Allos and Bonette. On stage 19 which would make it even worse.

A general design layout which would be very good, would be something like this:

Stage 4: A fairly big mountain stage from Torino or surroundings to France. Like Torino to Briancon via Pra Martino, Sestriere and Montgenevre.
Stage 5-14: Rest of France. Jura, Massif Central, Vosges, outskirts of the Pyrenees.
Stage 15: Queen stage with big MTF in the Pyrenees. Preferably Col de Portet.
Stage 16: 50-60 km ITT.
Stage 17: Big mountain stage in Massif de Chartreuse with a HTF to the Bastille similar to the Criterium Dauphin stage this year.
Stage 18: Hilly stage to Gap.
Stage 19: Big Mercantour mountain stage including one or both of Cayolle and Bonette.
Stage 20: Hilly stage with flat(ish) finish to Cote d'Azur.
Stage 21: Hilly stage Nice - Nice similar to PN finish.
 
Devil's Elbow

Devil's Elbow

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OlavEH said:
Are there any chance we can see Tougnete + Loze in 2024? Or will they wait at least one year more with that since they are doing Loze this year.
Click to expand...
Tougnete is still paved only from one side (Les Menuires, the west side), the route from Méribel was originally planned to open last year but construction still hasn't started yet and I've seen rumours that that part of the project may be cancelled completely. I hope they don't use it unless and until both sides are open, as the west side ends with 700 metres at 19% whereas the rest of the cycling path is mostly around 10% - would be the world's worst HC MTF and that's including fake HC Arcalis.
 
O

OlavEH

Oct 19, 2011
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Devil's Elbow said:
Tougnete is still paved only from one side (Les Menuires, the west side), the route from Méribel was originally planned to open last year but construction still hasn't started yet and I've seen rumours that that part of the project may be cancelled completely. I hope they don't use it unless and until both sides are open, as the west side ends with 700 metres at 19% whereas the rest of the cycling path is mostly around 10% - would be the world's worst HC MTF and that's including fake HC Arcalis.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I was aware that is still only the western side that was paved, but I thought that the route to Meribel was in line for being completed this year.

We'll see what happens, but I agree with you that it shouldn't be used as a MTF. I guess that ASO would plan to use it together with Loze and possible as the same way as this year; a descent finish to Courchevel.

Anyway I wouldn't hope they used it in 2024. For that version I hope that they skip the Central and Northern Alps completely. Just enter France and do a finish MTF/HTF for stage 4 and return for the last stages in the Southern Alps and Mercantour.
 
Y

yaco

Jun 20, 2015
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OlavEH said:
Are there any chance we can see Tougnete + Loze in 2024? Or will they wait at least one year more with that since they are doing Loze this year.

It will certainly be very interesting to see how the full route for this Tour will be. Given the Grande Depart stages previously revealed and the finish in Nice, I hoped that they would do something more original than "standard" Tour routes the later years. But with the ITT and last MTF now revealed, I seriously doubt it. It will be about as standard as it gets, disregarding the fact that they don't finish in Paris.

First I don't understand why the last stage has to be a ITT, it would have been more interesting with a hilly stage simimlar to the PN-finish. There should rather have been an ITT of 50-60 km on the first day the last week. And also the Couillole MTF the day before an ITT also reduces the chances for anything other than a attack the very last kms on Couillole.

I guess there could be a big mountain stage on stage 18 or 19, but I will be suprised if it happens. If they include Bonette the most probable is perhaps something like a Dignes-les-Bains to St.Etienne-de-Tinee stage climbing only Allos and Bonette. On stage 19 which would make it even worse.

A general design layout which would be very good, would be something like this:

Stage 4: A fairly big mountain stage from Torino or surroundings to France. Like Torino to Briancon via Pra Martino, Sestriere and Montgenevre.
Stage 5-14: Rest of France. Jura, Massif Central, Vosges, outskirts of the Pyrenees.
Stage 15: Queen stage with big MTF in the Pyrenees. Preferably Col de Portet.
Stage 16: 50-60 km ITT.
Stage 17: Big mountain stage in Massif de Chartreuse with a HTF to the Bastille similar to the Criterium Dauphin stage this year.
Stage 18: Hilly stage to Gap.
Stage 19: Big Mercantour mountain stage including one or both of Cayolle and Bonette.
Stage 20: Hilly stage with flat(ish) finish to Cote d'Azur.
Stage 21: Hilly stage Nice - Nice similar to PN finish.
Click to expand...

They are not going to have 6 consecutive mountainous stages broken up by a 50 or 60 ITT - You want a long ITT than you have it in stage 10 which is right in the middle of the race.
 
O

OlavEH

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yaco said:
They are not going to have 6 consecutive mountainous stages broken up by a 50 or 60 ITT - You want a long ITT than you have it in stage 10 which is right in the middle of the race.
Click to expand...
They could skip one of the hilly stages for a flatter one. And/or move the ITT as you say. But the main point should be stage 15, 17 and then a big Mercantour stage either on stage 19 or 20. And that the last stage in Nice is not an ITT.
 
F

Fyr3

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I can easily see a format like so:
4 | Pinerolo to Les Deux Alpes (Pramartino, Sestriere, Montgrnevre, Les Deux Alpes)
Interchangeable with one big mountain stage depending on configuration of route e.g Tignes after Cenis and Iseran.
5 | Bourg 'Oisans style start for a stage similar to St Etienne 2022.
6-9 | Rest day somewhere in the north after a Vosges stage somewhere towards the end of the week that is probably another planche des belles filles summit finish.
10-15 | Second week starts with time trial and some Normandy, transition stages through Massif Central like Le Lioran 2016. Since iirc stage 15 will be July 14th, expect some big arrival like Col de Portet or return of Superbagneres. Maybe only one Pyrenean
stage this year?
16-21 | week starts of slow with a sprint, but then a Ventoux arrival style 2016. Then a rolling trap stage like the one cancelled this year at Paris nice for stage 18. 19 can be a route from Barcelonette to Barcelonette with Allos / Champs / Cayolle. Then 20/21 as known already.

If week 3 feels too crowded and too many transfers an alternative arrangement might be to have a second rest day on the Tuesday and squeeze in a descent finish to Foix on stage 16 or similar. Then the same as above but removing the Barcelonette stage.
 
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Rob5091

Rob5091

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2024 is supposed to be "Remco friendly" so more tt kms less big mountain stages (nothing over 150 km) and plenty of sprint/breakaway days so the GC guys can rest and give up the yellow jersey.
The most interesting thing might well be those 3 first stages in Italy (over 200km a first since 2017). I pity the people in western France who will probably not see a Tour stage there until France comes up with a sprinter worthy of the name.
 
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BR2

BR2

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Why would the Tour make a Remco friendly route? He's not French or on a French team. The Tour is the biggest race, it doesn't need to attract him as long as he has never won it. He needs it.
It would make sense to have more time trialing again, and the "shorter stages" are a demand often made. But tayloring the route for him? Nah, don't think so.
 
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SHAD0W93

SHAD0W93

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BR2 said:
Why would the Tour make a Remco friendly route? He's not French or on a French team. The Tour is the biggest race, it doesn't need to attract him as long as he has never won it. He needs it.
It would make sense to have more time trialing again, and the "shorter stages" are a demand often made. But tayloring the route for him? Nah, don't think so.
Click to expand...
To be fair, Wiggins got served up a TT heavy route so anything is possible.
 
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Extinction

Extinction

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Rob5091 said:
2024 is supposed to be "Remco friendly" so more tt kms less big mountain stages (nothing over 150 km) and plenty of sprint/breakaway days so the GC guys can rest and give up the yellow jersey.
The most interesting thing might well be those 3 first stages in Italy (over 200km a first since 2017). I pity the people in western France who will probably not see a Tour stage there until France comes up with a sprinter worthy of the name.
Click to expand...
I can't understand this trend towards short stages (and pro GT stages less than 150 km repeatedly are short), to be honest. Part of the exceptional challenge and spectacle of a GT, is the attrition factor, which demands long, 200+ km stages. It's what, in addition to the high mountains and TTs, separates the GC men from the boys; better if a high mountain stage is also over 200 km. Is it to make the Tour more "humane"? If so, well then, that goes against the very tough premise of the race in the first place. Besides the Tour stages were already shortened a century ago and again in the late 80s. Shortening them yet again seems like killing the spirit of the event. Is it for television broadcasting? Then start coverage later. Is it to diminish the incentive for doping? Without discussing the matter here, let's just say I don't think the length of stages is a factor. Is it because today's cyclists don't want long days in the saddle? If so, they aren't the hard men of yore and should take up "playing cards" (Merckx) instead of racing bicycles for a living.
 
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