Tour de France 2024: 7 must-watch levels

Excluding a pair of relaxation days, the Tour de France is a 21-day occasion. We advocate you watch as a lot of it as potential, but additionally perceive that spending three weeks in the midst of summer time watching males in lycra pants driving a motorbike by cities with names like Gignac, Minot, or Chorges — sure, these are all actual — may show to be a problem.

However, fear not, good friend! We’re right here to assist.

We took an in depth take a look at this yr’s route, and out of the 21 levels picked seven that definitively fall within the must-watch class. What standards did we use? Primarily the course itself, and what we count on to see on every particular person stage.

So, with out additional ado, let’s dive proper in.

Stage 1: Florence > Rimini (Sat 6/29)

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For the primary time in its 111-year historical past, the Tour de France is ready to start out in Italy. And it’s about to kick off with a bang: the primary of three-and-a-half levels on Italian soil covers 206 kilometers whereas that includes over 3,800 meters of elevation achieve.

Arguably the toughest opening stage in current reminiscence, we’d already see some common classification motion on Day 1. As a result of relentless nature particularly over the ultimate 75 kilometers, the large race favourite, Slovenian Tadej Pogačar, may already attempt to check his opponents led by two-time defending champion Jonas Vingegaard — the same tactic he employed throughout his dominant Giro d’Italia displaying earlier this yr.

Pogačar, who himself is a two-time Tour winner, just lately talked about his form can be “even higher than what I anticipated.” Given this and the truth that Vingegaard was amongst a number of GC contenders to crash onerous again in April, the 25-year-old may attempt to put his early mark on the stage.

Stage 4: Pinerolo > Valloire (Tue 7/2)

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Whether or not or not Pogačar enters Day 4 as wearer of the yellow jersey stays to be seen. No matter his standing relative to the remainder of the final classification subject, nevertheless, the 140-kilometer border-crossing stage from Pinerolo to Valloire is the primary high-mountain check of this week’s Tour.

The three,900 meters of elevation achieve is likely to be a bit deceptive — the primary two labeled climbs are usually not notably tough — however the ascent to the legendary Col du Galibier might be the right GC battle floor. By no means earlier than has the Tour reached such heights this early in a race, which could simply immediate Pogačar and his climber-heavy UAE Crew Emirates squad to attempt to gentle some fireworks.

If Vingegaard particularly reveals any weak point on the hilly first two levels of the race, the fourth may show a problem. He and his Visma | Lease a Bike staff must be on excessive alert over the past 40 kilometers.

Stage 9: Troyes > Troyes (Solar 7/7)

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A overwhelming majority of this yr’s Tour de France takes place on asphalt roads, however there may be one notable exception. On July 7, the cyclists will hit the gravel roads across the metropolis of Troyes. The stage itself just isn’t the toughest by way of elevation achieve — solely round 2,000 — however the floor beneath the wheels may result in some chaos.

In whole, there are 14 gravel sectors totaling 32 kilometers. That doesn’t sound like loads, however a puncture or crash on the unsuitable time on what shall be a nervous day for the complete peloton may spell doom for common classification contenders. You received’t have the ability to win the Tour on Stage 9, however you very effectively may lose it.

Stage 15: Loudenvielle > Plateau de Beille (Solar 7/14)

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In terms of vertical meters gained, that is the toughest stage of the complete 2024 Tour de France. This 198-kilometer monster will see riders climb greater than 5,000 meters within the French Pyrenees between Loudenvielle and Plateau de Beille.

Whereas it appears unlikely there shall be a lot common classification motion earlier than what seems to be a brutal mountaintop end, the constructed up fatigue up till that time may result in some critical cracks. Each single GC rider, even when they’re named Tadej Pogačar, Jonas Vingegaard, Primož Roglič, Remco Evenepoel, or Carlos Rodriguez, must carry their A-game to Stage 15.

All eyes will naturally be on these and different riders atop the standings at this level, however we can even carefully observe the race towards the so-called broom wagon: with some critical climbing to be executed and a 7-kilometer check proper out of the gate, each rider making the time lower just isn’t a foregone conclusion.

Stage 19: Embrun > Isola 2000 (Fri 7/19)

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Stage 19 is relatively quick at solely 145 kilometers, however it is going to see over 4,500 meters of climbing cut up between three difficult peaks. Tops amongst these is the very best level ever reached by the Tour de France: at 2,802 meters, the Cime de la Bonette shall be crossed for simply the fifth time in race historical past and the primary since 2008.

Regardless of being the very best paved highway in France, nevertheless, it’s merely an appetizer for what initiatives to be a high-octane end to Isola 2000. Variations shall be made on the 16-kilometer ascent, and riders will get dropped. The query is: who, and by whom?

If Jonas Vingegaard needs to win his third straight maillot jaune, that is the place the hyper-talented climber must go on the offensive. Likewise, if Tadej Pogačar needs to regain his Tour de France supremacy, he may attempt to use this stage as both a launching pad or a ultimate dagger to his competitors.

Stage 20: Good > Col de la Couillole (Sat 7/20)

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The mountains will not be fairly as excessive as on yesterday, and 133 kilometers is a fairly average distance. Stage 20 will nonetheless be an entertaining affair on tough terrain. In actual fact, by way of vertical achieve per kilometer, that is the hardest stage within the Tour.

The riders will go up and down all through the day earlier than ending on the Col de la Couillole. Given the character of the stage, and the very fact that it’s the ultimate mountain check earlier than a closing-day particular person time trial, motion is assured — particularly if the GC battle remains to be considerably shut at this level within the race.

Stage 21: Monaco > Good (Solar 7/21)

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For the primary time since 1989, when American Greg LeMond stole the yellow jersey from Frenchmen Laurent Fignon by simply 8 seconds, the Tour de France will finish with a person time trial. This one will take the riders from the world’s second-smallest nation to the French metropolis of Good over a hilly 34-kilometer parcours.

The massive 4 taking part on this race — Pogačar, Vingegaard, Roglič, and Evenepoel — are all robust towards the clock and able to gaining simply sufficient time on a great day. And although a repeat of the LeMond-Fignon state of affairs might sound unlikely, 20 days of racing and the riders taking part implies that something can occur on Day 21.