The 111th edition of cycling's most popular pro-stage race, the Tour de France, will kick off in Florence, Italy and cross the final line in Nice, France, for the first time in half a century. For the first time, it will not end in Paris on the Champs-Élysées because the Olympic Games will be held in Paris during that same period.
So, what's in the box for this year's edition?
Prepare for a thrilling journey as the riders tackle a total distance of 3,492 km and climb 52,000m of elevation gain. Over the 21 stages from Saturday, June 29, to Sunday, July 21, there will be eight flat stages, four hilly stages, seven mountain stages with four summit finishes, and two individual time trials.
The first two stages will be hilly and bound to shake up the peloton, and the sprinters are expected to come to the fore on the third day only after that. The Tour finishes in Nice in the south of France with a mountain stage and an individual time trial for the mountain goats in the peloton to bring the Tour to a dramatic close.
Which mountains can we expect this year to have us on the edge of our seats?
Brace yourself for drama on the Apennines (Italy), the Italian and French Alps, Massif Central and the Pyrenees, with four summit finishes at Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla d'Adet, Plateau de Beille, Isola 2000 and Col de la Couillole. The riders must climb above 2000m on the Galibier on stage 4, and the Tourmalet on stage 14, but stage 19 will undoubtedly be the ‘thin air stage’. The Cols are the 2,109m Col de Vars, the 2,802m Cime de la Bonette, the highest paved road in France, and the 2.024m climb to the finish at the Isola 2000 mountain resort.
Tour de France fun facts
The winners' Jerseys
The yellow jersey, maillot jaune, is the most coveted and prized in the Tour. The yellow jersey came about because it was the colour of the sports daily newspaper that L'Auto-Vélo, the race's sponsor and predecessor to L’Équipe, was printed on. The award goes to the rider who finishes the race in the least amount of time and, as a result, tops the General Classification (GC) leaderboard.
Above: The winners' jerseys
The points winner will don the green jersey or maillot vert. It originated in 1953 on the Tour de France's 50th anniversary and is awarded to the rider winning intermediate sprints or 'hot spots' and recorded in the points classification. The points offered will vary depending on the type of stage that provides the most points, mostly on flat and sprint stages when sprint opportunities present themselves. The points are added together after each stage and also accumulate from points from earlier stages. The jersey is green because the original sponsor was a lawnmower and garden company.
The rider who succeeds in climbing to the summits first is awarded the King of the Mountains (KOM) jersey or maillot à pois rouges with points, and the more brutal the climb, the more points awarded. The categories start from 4, the least difficult, 1 being the most challenging and Hors catégorie (HC) representing the most difficult KOM categorisation. The HC category awards the first eight riders, and category four climbs award only the first riders over the top. However, the points get doubled if the stage has a mountain-top finish. These points are added after each stage and at the end of the Tour. The jersey, characterised by its prominent white with red dots, originated in 1975. The original sponsor was Chocolat Poulain, one of the oldest chocolate brands in France, and the wrapper of the chocolate bar had polka dots on it.
The white jersey, introduced in 1975, goes to the best and fastest under-26 rider. The earliest young riders to earn the white jersey were Marco Pantani, Alberto Contador, Egan Bernal, and Tadej Pogačar. They laid the foundation for their career successes and became potential future stars.
The final two category awards with no jersey are for the most combative rider and the best Team classification.
Tour Winners Fun Facts
The most overall winners of the Tour
Jacques Anquetil, Bernard Hinault, Miguel Indurain, Eddy Merckx (all 5)
The most overall stage wins
Eddy Merckx, Mark Cavendish (34)
2024 Tour route segments on ROUVY
Below are selected segments from some of the stages from this year’s Tour de France routes that you can enjoy riding on ROUVY on the same days as the pro peloton. To join, simply download the ROUVY app, select the 'Vive la France Spotlight, and choose what you want to ride. Experience the thrill and excitement of the Tour de France from your home, at your own pace, and on some of the same routes as the pros.
Below are some segments from a few important stages of the Tour de France to watch out for and ride on ROUVY.
Stage 1 with a start in Italy
Colle Tre Faggi
With a start in Scopeti, a city in Tuscany, Florence, you’ll begin your climb to the Colle Tre Faggi, with an ascent of 12.5 kilometres and an average gradient of 5%, followed by a descent to Premilcuore in the rustic and beautiful region of Emilia-Romagna.
- Ride the route: COLLE TRE FAGGI | ITALY
Above: Before the descent to Premilcuore in the rustic and beautiful region of Emilia-Romagna in Stage 1.
Colle Monte delle Forche
Ride a gentle climb to the Colle Monte delle Forche, one of the hills of the Forlì Apennines. A downhill follows this 2.5 km climb at 6.2% through picturesque scenery in Italy’s northern Emilia-Romagna region.
- Ride the route: COLLE MONTE DELLE FORCHE | ITALY
San Piero to Castello Colonnata
Nestled in Emilia Romagna, San Piero in Bagno starts a gently flowing downhill route over 25 km into a valley of natural and picturesque beauty with woodlands, mountains, and lakes. The road ends in Mercato Saraceno in the Province of Forlì-Cesena in Emilia-Romagna in Italy.
Above: Riding in Emilia Romagna, San Piero in Stage 1
- Ride the route: SAN PIERO TO CASTELLO COLONNATA | ITALY
Barbotto to San Marino | Italy
The picturesque segment includes four rolling hills in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and offers a visual feast of diverse and scenic landscapes. This stretch is the most challenging part of the route, with four climbs: the Colle de Barbotto, the San Leo, and Montemaggio, before the final push to San Marino.
- Ride the route: BARBOTTO TO SAN MARINO | ITALY
Stage 2
La Mura San Carlo to Carteria
Cycle for 15 km through the scenic, beautiful, rolling Italian countryside with one short climb on an easy course outside Bologna, the historic capital of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy.
Above: Cycle in Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy in Stage 2
- Ride the route: LA MURA SAN CARLO TO CARTERIA | ITALY
Cote de Montecalvo
After a flat section, you’ll ascend a climb to Cote de Montecalvo over 2.7km at an average of 7.7% and 309 m and then descend in the direction of Bologna over scenic, rural Italian countryside of rolling meadows, rustic villages and farmlands.
- Ride the route: COTE DE MONTECALVO | ITALY
Errano to Imola
This challenging route is suited to the puncheurs on a beautiful course near Imola, Italy. Tackle two short, punchy climbs, the first with numerous switchbacks, and finish at the famous Imola Circuit, officially called the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari.
- Ride the route: ERRANO TO IMOLA | ITALY
Stage 8
Villenotte to Saint-Seine-l'Abbaye
Cycle through the beautiful French countryside with picturesque views while traversing the hilly terrain of the Côte-d’Or, a département in Burgundy where the climbs are short and not that steep. You will tackle the Côte de Vitteaux, Côte de Villy-en-Auxois and the Côte de Verrey-sous-Salmaise.
- Ride the route: VILLENOTTE TO SAINT-SEINE-L'ABBAYE | FRANCE
Crenay to Colombey-les-Deux-Églises
Ride on flat to rolling picturesque countryside and over the Côte de Eufigneix. This 2.2 km climb at 4.5% is crested 15 kilometres before the finish line in Colombey-les-Deux-Églises, in the Haute-Marne department in north-eastern France, best known as the home of Charles de Gaulle.
- Ride the route: CRENAY TO COLOMBEY-LES-DEUX-ÉGLISES | FRANCE
Stage 9
Vendeuvre-sur-Barse to Baroville
This route passes through the beautiful rural scenery and quaint villages of the Aube department in north-central France. It is over hilly terrain with unpaved and gravel sectors. The first climb is over the Côte de Bergères; the second gravel sector includes the Côte de Baroville.
- Ride the route: VENDEUVRE-SUR-BARSE TO BAROVILLE | FRANCE
Loches-sur-Ource to Chacenay
Starting in Loches-sur-Ource, a commune in the French department of Aube, cycle on a hilly route with unpaved gravel roads in natural wilderness and rural countryside with magnificent scenery of the French countryside.
- Ride the route: LOCHES-SUR-OURCE TO CHACENAY | FRANCE
Éguilly-sous-Bois to Clérey
Enjoy an easy route with a few short climbs from Éguilly-sous-Bois to outside Troyes in northeastern France. Over 43 km, you’ll ride through picturesque landscapes of rural farmlands and small villages, with the final stretch over gravel roads.
Above: Cycle gravel sectors in Troyes in northeastern France in Stage 9.
- Ride the route: ÉGUILLY-SOUS-BOIS TO CLÉREY | FRANCE
Villy-en Trodes to Clérey
From Villy-en Trodes to Cléry, cycle on a flat route with unpaved gravel sections, leading you through picturesque rural countryside with farmland and small villages over 21km.
- Ride the route: VILLY-EN TRODES TO CLÉREY | FRANCE
Stage 11
Salers to Pas de Peyrol
Puy Mary Pas de Peyrol will be climbed from Evaux-les-Bains to Le Lioran. You can ride a hilly segment from the beautiful and scenic route via Saint-Paul-de-Salers up a pleasant climb in a picturesque valley, first over the Col de Neronne and then the Puy Mary Pas de Peyrol. The final 2km of the Pas de Peyrol has a severe sting in the tale to the summit.
Above: In Stage 11, climb the famous Puy Mary Pas de Peyrol from Evaux-les-Bains to Le Lioran.
- Ride the route: SALERS TO PAS DE PEYROL | FRANCE
Stage 14
Col du Tourmalet from Luz-Saint-Sauveur
The Col du Tourmalet, located near the border between France and Spain, is one of the most famous climbs in the Tour de France. It is often called the Jewel of the Pyrenees. The climb from Luz-Saint-Sauveur is over 18.7km long, with an average grade of 7%, and has 1,399 meters of ascent. This climb, the first of three on Stage 14 of the Tour, will test the pro riders' mental and physical limits.
Above: Climb the iconic Col du Tourmalet from Luz-Saint-Sauveur on Stage 14.
- Ride the route: COL DU TOURMALET FROM LUZ SAINT SAUVEUR | FRANCE
La Hourquette d'Ancizan
You will depart from Sainte-Marie de Campan in southwestern France and ascend a challenging 16km, followed by a thrilling downhill to Ancizen. In this stage of the Tour, the riders will have already conquered the Tourmalet and will still need to finish at a summit.
- Ride the route: LA HOURQUETTE D'ANCIZAN | FRANCE
Saint-Lary-Soulan to Pla d'Adet
Tackle the brutal Pla d’Adet climb, with breathtaking views, over 10km and an average gradient of 8% in the southeast of the Hautes-Pyrénées. The first stage in the Pyrenees takes the riders to the summit finish here. The riders would have already ascended the Col du Tourmalet and Hourquette d’Ancizan, with a further 30km to finish this climb.
Above: Conquer the brutal Pla d’Adet climb, with breathtaking views in Stage 14 and the summit finish.
- Ride the route: SAINT-LARY-SOULAN TO PLA D'ADET | FRANCE
Stage 15
Sabart to Plateau de Beille
After a long flat section, you will ascend the Plateau de Belle climb from Château-Verdun, culminating in a summit finish after 16 km. As you ascend, the summit unveils a magnificent view of the plateau and the majestic, snow-capped peaks of the surrounding Pyrenees.
- Ride the route: SABART TO PLATEAU DE BEILLE | FRANCE
Stage 19
Cime de la Bonette
Conquer a segment of the legendary climb starting from Jausiers, situated within the scenic Alps-Maritimes and Alps-de-Haute-Provence on the second-highest paved road in the Alps and the highest point reached by the Tour de France. The road ends on a loop around the summit with panoramic views.
Above: Tackle a segment of the legendary Cime de la Bonette on ROUVY from stage 19.
- Ride the route: CIME DE LA BONETTE FROM LANS | FRANCE
