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Tour de France 2024 route revealed

The 2024 Tour de France will feature four summit finishes and two time trials, as well as a hilly start in Italy, gravel roads, and an unprecedented finale in Nice

Patrick Fletcher

Deputy editor.

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The 2024 Tour de France route map

The parcours for the 111th edition of Tour de France was officially unveiled in Paris’s Palais des Congrès on Wednesday, with race organisers ASO once again rolling out a route that suits the climbers over the rouleurs.

There’s enough on offer for the sprinters – six or seven solid opportunities – and terrain for puncheurs and baroudeurs, but the focus becomes increasingly mountainous as the race heads towards its final third.

The 2024 Tour de France will cover a total distance of 3,405.6km, with the focus on climbing underlined by the total of 52,000 metres of elevation gain. That's slightly down on the 2023 total but still over 10,000m more than the recently-revealed Giro d'Italia 2024 route .

The 2024 Tour starts with three stages in Italy and crosses into France via the Alps before venturing north for the first time trial and a heavy helping of gravel. The second week takes the race down towards the Pyrenees via the Massif Central, for a double-header of summit finishes before the final week unfolds in the Alps.

Read more: Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift 2024 route revealed

Four summit finishes is a heavy helping, with Pla d’Adet and Plateau de Beille coming back-to-back in the Pyrenees at the end of the second week, before Isola 2000 and La Colmiane feature in the Alps the final week. You could even make a case for it being five, with a finish at Superdévoluy also appearing in the Alps.

All that climbing is balanced out – although whether that is the case is a perennial debate – by two time trials, the first a 25km rolling effort near Dijon towards the end of the first week, the latter a hilly 35km affair to close the entire race.

Read more: Astana Qazaqstan's faith in Mark Cavendish will pay off at the Tour de France

It was already known, but that final day is the major novelty of the 2024 Tour de France, as the race concludes outside of Paris for the first time in its long history, due to the impending Olympic Games in the French capital. Not only does it swerve Paris, it also swerves the procession-and-sprint format that had become embedded on the Champs Elysées, with the first final day time trial since the iconic 1989 finale meaning the battle for the yellow jersey will come down to the very last day.

In lining up the most intense final day in modern history, the organisers have not made the rest of the final week any more gentle in compensation. In fact, this is arguably the toughest final week of the Tour de France in recent memory, too.

Four of the six stages are potentially pivotal days for the general classification. The climbs to Superdévoluy on stage 17 and the 4,500 metres of climbing en route to La Colmiane on stage 20 come either side of an explosive high-altitude affair that finishes at Isola 2000. Rivalling that for the honour of ‘Queen stage’ of the 2024 Tour is stage 15’s trip to Plateau de Beille, which is the sixth major mountain pass of the day. At over 200km and with more than 5000m of elevation gain, it’s a Bastille Day monster.

Read more: Carlos Rodríguez 'I want to improve on my fifth place at the Tour de France'

When you consider that the Plateau de Beille stage forms a Pyrenean double header right ahead of that final week, that makes five summit finishes and one hilly time trial in the space of the final eight stages. This is a well and truly backloaded Tour de France.

And yet, it’s also one of the toughest starts in the race’s history, too. The 3,600 metres of elevation gain on the road from Florence to Rimini are the most of an opening stage, and more than in the Basque Country last year. On top of that, stage 4 takes the race into France via the Alps, and there’s no light touch, with a long climb to Sestrière and then the mythical Col du Galibier (2,642m) before the finish in Valloire –" Never before has the Tour been so high, so soon," said race director Christian Prudhomme.

One of the standout features of the opening week, and of the whole route, is the gravel stage around the Côte des Bar areas of Champagne country, with no fewer than 14 sectors of dusty white gravel to be tackled on a stage that starts and finishes in Troyes.

In short, it's a route with an intense start, an even more intense final third, and plenty of thrills in between.

Tour de France week 1: Italy, time trial, and gravel

The opening stages of the 2024 Tour de France

Despite the backloaded nature of the route, the 2024 Tour de France starts out in tough, hilly fashion.

For the third year in a row, we have a foreign Grand Départ, with Florence doing the honours and seeing the race off for a stage that finishes in Rimini, where 1998 Tour de France winner Marco Pantani died almost 20 years ago. It’s a hilly affair as the route crosses the Apennines, with over 3000 metres of elevation gain before the last of seven categorised climbs tops out in San Marino before the 25km run down to the Adriatic coast.

Stage 2 takes place in the Emilia-Romagna region and is a puncheur’s paradise. Starting in Pantani’s home town of Cesenatico, the route runs northwest to Bologna to borrow from the route of the Giro dell’Emilia, with a double ascent of the steep and striking San Luca climb (1.9km at 10.6%), followed by a fast and twisting 10km run to the line.

After another hilly start to the Tour – even if not on the same level as 2023’s visit to Bilbao – the sprinters will have their chance on stage 3, which contains three categorised climbs but none that are realistically going to prevent a bunch finish in Turin, which also plays a leading role in the start of the 2024 Giro d’Italia .

Stage 4 starts in Pinerolo and heads for France. The only way in is via the Alps, so we have an early visit to the mountains, and it doesn't shy away from the biggest mountains, despite coming so early. The stage starts with a long near-40km haul to Sestrières, before the shorter Col de Montgenèvre and then the mighty Galibier (23km at 5.1%), followed by a 19km descent to Valloire.

Stages 5 and 6 then start to take the race northbound up France’s eastern flank, with finishes in Saint-Vulbas and Dijon looking like sprint opportunities.

Stage 7 is the first individual time trial. Starting in Suits-Saint-Georges, it heads in a roundabout way up to Gevrey-Chambtertin, on rolling roads that cut alongside the vineyards of one of the many French areas famed for its winemaking. At 25km long, it's a medium-length test that will truly shape the general classification for the first time.

Stage 8 takes the race from Semur-en-Auxois to Colombey-Les-Deux-Eglises for what could be another sprint finish, but it’s stage 9 – the last of the opening week – that catches the eye with its gravel roads. Troyes hosts not only the start but also the finish of this stage, which heads into the Côte des Bars area of Champagne country and its dusty white vineyard tracks.

This stage was inspired by the Tour de France Femmes, which used the same tracks on a dramatic stage of its inaugural edition two years ago. But whereas the women covered four sectors that day, here we have 14 sectors, the first coming after 40km and the last 10km from the line.

With the risk of punctures and mechanicals high, not to mention the stress and stretched nature of the bunch on those tracks, it'll be one of the most intense and highly-anticipated days of the entire race.

While we’ve had plenty of cobblestones, this will be the largest helping of gravel in the race’s modern history. The last bit of rough stuff – beyond the short stretch atop the Super Planche des Belles Filles – was the stoney off-road section beyond the Plateau des Glières used on stage 18 in 2020.

Read more: Remco Evenepoel 'We've learned a lot ahead of next year's Tour de France'

Tour de France week 2: Journeying south to the Pyrenees

© Velo Collection (TDW) / Getty Images

Tadej Pogačar leads Jonas Vingegaard through the Pyrenees at the 2021 Tour de France

The second week is largely a transition to take us down to the Pyrenees for the high-mountain weekend doubleheader. Troyes – 100km south of Paris – is the most northerly point of the 2024 Tour and, after a rest day in Orléans, the race will head south for four days.

The first of these, stage 10, looks like a sprint opportunity in Julian Alaphilippe’s hometown of Saint Amand Montrond, but crosswinds are well known in this area and the Tour was memorably ripped to shreds there in 2013, with Mark Cavendish beating Peter Sagan from a front echelon of a dozen riders. 

Stage 11 takes us into the Massif Central, a medium mountain range in the middle of France, where we’ll have a repeat of the 2016 stage to Le Lioran, via the Puy Mary and Col du Perthus and Col de Font de Cère. Greg Van Avermaet won from the breakaway that day and while this is not one of the more obvious GC flashpoints, the scale of climbing (4,500m) and distance (just shy of 200km) make this a very real pitfall for anyone even slightly below their best.

Stage 12 takes the race out of the Massif Central and southwest for a breakaway winner or a sprint in Villeneuve-sur-Lot, while stage 13 completes the southerly haul with another flat stage from Agen to Pau. This will likely be another day for the sprinters when the peloton arrives in Pau, an oft-visited staging post of the Tour, known as the gateway to the Pyrenees.

Starting from Pau the next day, stage 14, the first Pyrenean stage of the race, finishes on Pla d’Adet, marking the 50th anniversary of the first visit and Raymond Poulidor’s victory there in 1974. The climb was last used in 2014, with Rafal Majka winning the stage and Vincenzo Nibali strengthening his grip on the yellow jersey. Measuring more than 10k.6m at an average gradient of 7.9%, it’s a tough hors-catégorie-rated ascent, and it's not on its own, with the iconic Col du Tourmalet (19km at 7.4%) – the Tour's most-used climb – and the Hourquette d'Aancizan (8.2km at 5.1%) coming ahead of the final climb.

That, however, pales in comparison to what’s to come on stage 15, a 198km mountain epic. The sheer difficulty of this stage may discourage riders from taking too many risks in the days prior. The astonishing route scales the Peyresourde (6.9km at 7.8%), from the gun, followed by the vicious Col de Menté (9.3km at 9.1%), the shorter Col de Portet d’Aspet (4.3km at 9.7%), and Col d’Agnès (10km at 8.2%), all before the final haul to Plateau de Beille – 15.8km at 7.9%. The climb was last used in 2015 in the Tour won by Chris Froome and although there weren’t too many GC fireworks that day, the level of climbing beforehand makes this a different beast entirely.

Tour de France week 3: All-action finale in the Alps

The Alps take centre stage during the final week of the 2024 Tour de France

After the second rest day, the final week starts out with a well-worn ‘transition’ from the Pyrenees towards the Alps, with the peloton heading east along the southern border. In the Alps, three further summit finishes lie in wait, along with that all-important final-day time trial.

Having already been driven east to Gruissan for the rest day, the riders will continue to Nîmes on stage 16 likely for a sprint finish in sweltering heat. From there, it’s straight into the climbing, with stage 17 finishing in the ski resort of Superdévoluy on the western fringes of the High Alps. The resort has never featured in the Tour, and it’s arguably the tamest of the final-week mountain stages, coming down late to the Col du Bayard (6.8km at 7.3%), the Col du Noyer (7.5km at 8.4%) and then a short hop up to the finish at Superdévoluy (3.8km at 5.9%).

Stage 18 is something of a parenthesis, avoiding any big mountains on the road from Gap to Barcelonette. It's a hilly stage in which a breakaway looks destined to contest the stage honours.

It’s back towards the Italian border on stage 19 as things really intensify on the road to Isola 2000. The stage starts in Embrun and quickly heads for the Col de Vars (18.8km at 5.7%, 2,120m), before the Cime de la Bonnette (22.9km at 6.9%, 2,802m) marks the lung-busting high point of the 2024 Tour. The stage concludes with a final ascent to Isola 2000 (16.1km at 7.1%). The heady altitude of this stage will put this comparatively short 145km ride on a par with the stage 15 epic in the Pyrenees.

Stage 20 begins on the south coast for the double-headed finale in Nice, but the mountains are not in the rearview mirror yet, as the route sends the riders straight back inland to the Alpes-Maritimes in the hinterland of Nice. The Col de Braus, Col de Turini, and Col de la Colmiane all feature ahead of a summit finish on the Col de la Couillole (15.7km at 7.1%), which was the final climb of this year’s Paris-Nice. With 4,500m of elevation crammed into 132km, it promises thrills.

For the first time since 1989, the yellow jersey will not be decided on that penultimate day. Instead, the Tour will be raced until the very last metre. Much will depend on the race situation, but the concluding time trial in Nice offers a huge chance for the tables to turn, with a demanding all-round test on the Côte d’Azur. Instead of hugging the coast road between Monaco and Nice, the 35km course quickly nips inland to head up the La Turbie (8.1km at 5.6%) and Col d’Eze (1.6km at 8.1%) before a long descent back to the coast and a short run up and down the Promenade des Anglais to finish the Tour.

The Champs Elysées are hallowed ground for the Tour de France, but the Olympics have offered a convenient excuse for potentially one of the most thrilling finales we’ve seen in years.

Tour de France 2024 Stages

Stage 1: Firenze - Rimini | 206km

Stage 2: Cesenatico - Bologna | 200km

Stage 3: Piacenza - Torino | 229km

Stage 4: Pinerolo - Valloire | 138km

Stage 5: Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne - Saint-Vulbas | 177km

Stage 6: Macon - Dijon | 163km

Stage 7: Nuits-Saint-Georges - Gevrey-Chambertin | 25km (ITT)

Stage 8: Semur-en-Auxois - Colombey-Les-Deux-Eglises | 176km

Stage 9: Troyes - Troyes | 199km

REST DAY 1 - Monday 8 July

Stage 10: Orléans - Saint-Amand-Montrond | 187km

Stage 11: Evaux-Les-Bains - Le Lioran | 211km

Stage 12: Aurillac - Villeneuve-sur-Lot | 204km

Stage 13: Agen - Pau | 171km

Stage 14: Pau - Saint-Lary-Soulan (Pla d’Adet) | 152km

Stage 15: Loudenvielle - Plateau de Beille | 198km

REST DAY 2 - Monday 15 July

Stage 16: Gruissan - Nîmes | 187km

Stage 17: Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux - Superdévoluy | 178km

Stage 18: Gap - Barcelonnette | 179km

Stage 19: Embrun - Isola 2000 | 145km

Stage 20: Nice - Col de la Couillole | 133km

Stage 21: Monaco - Nice | 35,2km (ITT)

Jonas Vingegaard

• Team Team Visma | Lease a Bike
• Nationality Denmark
• UCI Wins 35
• Height 1.75m

Tadej Pogacar

• Team UAE Team Emirates
• Nationality Slovenia
• UCI Wins 73
• Height 1.76m

• Nationality United Kingdom
• UCI Wins 25
• Height 1.73m

Remco Evenepoel

• Team Soudal Quick-Step
• Nationality Belgium
• UCI Wins 54
• Height 1.71m

Primoz Roglic

• Team BORA-hansgrohe
• UCI Wins 82
• Height 1.77m

Mark Cavendish

• Team Astana Qazaqstan Team
• UCI Wins 168

Jasper Philipsen

• Team Alpecin-Deceuninck
• UCI Wins 56

Geraint Thomas

• Team INEOS Grenadiers
• UCI Wins 27
• Height 1.83m

Tour de France

• Dates 29 Jun - 21 Jul
• Race Length 3,492 kms
• Race Category Elite Men

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Tour de France won’t finish in Paris for first time in more than a century because of the Olympics

This photo provided by the Tour de France organizer ASO (Amaury Sport Organisation) shows the roadmap of the men’s 2024 Tour de France cycling race. The race will start in Florence, Italy, on June 29, 2024, to end in Nice, southern France on July 21, 2024. (ASO via AP)

This photo provided by the Tour de France organizer ASO (Amaury Sport Organisation) shows the roadmap of the women’s 2024 Tour de France cycling race. The race will start in Rotterdam, Netherlands, on Aug. 12 2024 to end in Alps d’Huez, French Alps, on Aug. 18, 2024. (ASO via AP)

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PARIS (AP) — The final stage of next year’s Tour de France will be held outside Paris for the first time since 1905 because of a clash with the Olympics, moving instead to the French Riviera.

Because of security and logistical reasons, the French capital won’t have its traditional Tour finish on the Champs-Elysees. The race will instead conclude in Nice on July 21. Just five days later, Paris will open the Olympics.

The race will start in Italy for the first time with a stage that includes more than 3,600 meters of climbing. High mountains will be on the 2024 schedule as soon as the fourth day in a race that features two individual time trials and four summit finishes.

There are a total of seven mountain stages on the program, across four mountain ranges, according to the route released Wednesday.

The race will kick off in the Italian city of Florence on June 29 and will take riders to Rimini through a series of hills and climbs in the regions of Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna. That tricky start could set the scene for the first skirmishes between the main contenders.

Riders will first cross the Alps during Stage 4, when they will tackle the 2,642-meter Col du Galibier.

“The Tour peloton has never climbed so high, so early,” Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme said.

And it will just be just a taste of what’s to come since the total vertical gain of the 111th edition of the Tour reaches 52,230 meters.

The next big moment for two-time defending champion Jonas Vingegaard and his rivals will be Stage 7 for the first time trial in the Bourgogne vineyards. The first rest day will then come after a stage in Champagne presenting several sectors on white gravel roads for a total of 32 kilometers that usually provide for spectacular racing in the dust.

Tour riders will then head south to the Massif Central and the Pyrenees, then return to the Alps for a pair of massive stages with hilltop finishes, at the Isola 2000 ski resort then the Col de la Couillole, a 15.7-kilometer (9.7-mile) ascent at an average gradient of 7.1%.

There should be suspense right until the very end because the last stage, traditionally a victory parade in Paris for the race leader until the final sprint takes shape, will be a 34-kilometer (21.1-mile) time trial between Monaco and Nice.

“Everyone remembers the last occasion the Tour finished with a time trial, when Greg LeMond stripped the yellow jersey from the shoulders of Laurent Fignon on the Champs-Elysees in 1989, by just eight seconds,” Prudhommne said. “Thirty-five years later, we can but dream of a similar duel.”

There are eight flat stages for the sprinters, leaving plenty of opportunities for Mark Cavendish to try to become the outright record-holder for most career stage wins at the sport’s biggest race.

The route for the third edition of the women’s Tour will take the peloton from the Dutch city of Rotterdam, starting Aug. 12, to the Alpe d’Huez resort. The race will feature eight stages and a total of 946 kilometers.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports

The Tour de France 2024

A tour like never before.

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The Tour de France 2024

Le Tour 2024 - A GUIDE TO THE ROUTE

Tour de France 2024 -stage details  

Tour de France 2024: Route and stages

Read about the route of the 2024 Tour de France.

Another interesting read: records & winners Tour de France.

Please click on the links in underneath scheme for in-depth information on the stages.

Tour de France 2024 – stages

Tour de france 2024: route, profiles, more.

Click on the images to zoom

More about the Tour de France

Tour de france 2024: the route.

Tour de France 2024 Route stage 1: Florence - Rimini

Tour de france 2024 route stage 2: cesenatico - bologna, tour de france 2024 route stage 3: piacenza - turin, tour de france 2024 route stage 4: pinerolo - valloire.

The Tour de France: A Brief History

The Tour de France is an undeniably remarkable cycling event that encourages riders from all over the globe to stretch their personal physical limits and resilience.

Beginning with the first edition in 1903, the race has been through many changes, such as adding new stages and routes, and has become the massive race we know today.

In this blog, we will explore the history of this thrilling race, including the early years, the golden age where French and Italian cyclists dominated, and the modern era of cycling. It’s an inspiring journey that celebrates human achievement’s incredible power.

Humble Beginnings

The Tour de France was an incredibly audacious venture brought to life by Henri Desgrange, editor of the French sports newspaper L’Auto from 1900-1932.

Inspired by his background in cycling and organising sports events, Desgrange saw great promise in the six-day races in the United States and decided to take a chance to do something even more remarkable – a multi-stage race around France!

So it all started with Desgrange’s race announcement in January 1903. Fast forward half a year, and the first race kicked off with six stages and 2,428 km of terrain to cover in 19 days.

It was a thrilling challenge of stamina, with riders overcoming tough terrain and unpredictable weather conditions. 60 riders embarked on the race, and only 21 completed it.

Maurice Garin, a Frenchman, emerged victorious, winning three stages and finishing over two hours ahead of the runner-up and fellow Frenchman, Hippolyte Aucouturier.

The Early Years

The wild ride begins, full of controversy, discontent, and chaos. Riders resorted to cheating and sabotage in a desperate attempt to gain an edge. At the same time, the race organisers worked fruitlessly to maintain order.

The government suspended the race during World War I and II. Yet, it still managed to experience tremendous growth in popularity.

Race organisers added new stages, new riders emerged as stars, and the race helped establish cycling as a major global sport.

The first official Tour de France race takes place, consisting of six stages covering 2,428 km. Maurice Garin of France wins the race.

Mountain stages are introduced, with riders navigating the Pyrenees and the Alps.

The Tour’s organisers introduced the yellow jersey to allow spectators to identify the race’s leader quickly.

However, it was in mid-July 1919, almost a month into the race, that the jersey was awarded.

Before the yellow jersey was introduced, the race leader would wear a green armband to signal their position.

What does the yellow jersey mean?

Organisers introduced the yellow jersey (Malliot jaune) as a means for spectators to identify the race leader quickly. Organisers introduced the yellow jersey (Malliot jaune) as a means for spectators to identify the race leader quickly.

However, in mid-July 1919, almost a month into the race, they awarded the jersey.

During the Dreyfus affair , a major political scandal in France, the cost of advertising space in a leading sports paper skyrocketed, causing advertisers to become unhappy.

Advertisers withdrew their support in response to the rising cost of advertising and dissatisfaction with the paper’s support of Dreyfus. Instead, they backed the rival publication L’Auto, funded by the same advertisers.

Interestingly, L’Auto used yellow newsprint, leading some to speculate that the iconic yellow colour of the Tour de France’s yellow jersey was to match the distinctive colour in the paper purposely.

The Golden Age

The golden age of the Tour de France was a time of unparalleled greatness. French and Italian cyclists reveled in glory and became the source of national pride.

People were out in droves, cheering their heroes on and relishing their country’s great success.

It was a breathtaking sight – all around, people seemed to have come out of their homes in masses, the air thick with their passionate cheers in honour of the cycling champions, a unified spirit of love and admiration for their nation reigning strong.

Golden moments

Gino Bartali, an Italian cyclist, had a moment of glory when he achieved his second victory.

This monumental achievement was met with extreme joy from the Italian people, especially after the sorrow following the end of World War II. His victory is heroic, and he remains celebrated as a national hero in Italy.

The world held its breath as Frenchman Louison Bobet accomplished unprecedented greatness.

Bobet made history with his remarkable feat of becoming the first rider ever to win three consecutive races, an incredible accomplishment that set him apart and pushed the boundaries of what others believe can be achieved.

The legendary Jacques Anquetil rose to the challenge and achieved the impossible!

His feat of a record-breaking 5th win is a remarkable testament to his skill and unyielding dedication, making him one of the greatest athletes the world has ever seen!

His accomplishment will forever be remembered and celebrated.

The Modern Era

The Tour de France of today looks drastically different from the humble event that began in France many years ago.

Just think, what was once a mere French event is now a global phenomenon, attracting riders from all corners of the world, each showing remarkable finesse and high competition standards.

Unforgettable highlights

The triumphs of French rider Laurent Fignon in 1983 and 1984 were legendary!

Famed for his daring and unorthodox approach to cycling, Fignon utilised aerodynamic equipment and a low riding position for a unique advantage over his competitors.

His feats of cycling prowess remain the stuff of legends.

The cycling world was devastated by the doping scandal, with multiple riders testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.

This led to urgent action from race organisers, taking necessary steps to prevent further cheating and bringing in stricter testing protocols and punishments for cyclists who violate the rules.

What an incredible moment for Australia when Cadel Evans, who had already tasted defeat twice in 2007 and 2008, finally won in 2011! This victory had a lasting impact on cycling in Australia, inspiring a new generation of riders and cycling enthusiasts.

The legend continues

The Tour de France stands head and shoulders above other sporting events – its real presence on the world stage continues its strength.

It remains the go-to competition for top cyclists worldwide, a gruelling challenge that tests every aspect of their skill and strength.

People come from near and far to witness this awe-inspiring event, and it continues to captivate the hearts and minds of millions across the globe.

New routes and stages

In recent years, organisers have updated the course design to make the race even more exciting and captivating, including the following:

On this historic day, the 109th edition marked its inaugural start in Yorkshire, England, thus beginning a new era for the world-renowned race.

Following the English Channel crossing, the riders continued through France, with a challenging mountain stage in the Vosges and a grand finale on the towering Puy-de-Dôme volcano.

The Tour de France included a particularly difficult stage that ended with a climb up the iconic Mont Ventoux. An unfortunate motorbike incident occurred at Challet Reynard near the summit.

Several riders, including overall race winner Chris Froome, had to run with their bikes to complete the stage.

The twenty-first stage provided a thrilling conclusion as riders faced a challenging ascent of the Col du Portet in the Pyrenees, with steep inclines and decreased oxygen levels at higher altitudes.

The race began in the enchanted region of Brittany and culminated in the City of Love – Paris, as is tradition! Yet, this year the cyclists were presented with new obstacles, including:

• The daunting Mont Ventoux
• The steep ascent up the Col du Portet in the Pyrenees!

With a booming start from Copenhagen, the 2022 tour began its epic 3,328km journey through Belgium, France and the Alps.

After battling six gruelling mountain stages and five altitude finishes, riders faced their final challenges in the Pyrenees mountains before the action-packed final stage on the Champs-Elysées in Paris.

This is a testament to how passionate the organisers are about creating a challenging and beautiful route that celebrates the diverse landscape of France and surrounding countries.

Experience the Ultimate Tour de France Tour

We are absolutely in love with France – the people, its unique art and culture, its incredible food and wine , its long and fascinating history, the beautiful outdoors, the magnificent mountains and its unparalleled enthusiasm for the world’s biggest sporting event.

We are excited to show you the dream Tour de France experience, including our loop rides of:

• Alpe D’huez
• Mont Ventoux, Paris
• Many more breathtaking locations around France.

View our Ultimate Tour de France cycling tour details for more information on an experience you won’t forget!

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How long is the Tour de France?

The 2023 Tour de France will cover 3,405 kilometres. We take a look at the historic distances of the Tour de France

The Tour de France has long been considered the crowning glory of the cycling calendar. Taking place over three weeks in July, the race features 21 stages, varying in length and style from day to day.

Typically with two rest days, the Tour de France usually lasts a total of 23 days, typically taking in around 3,500km in distance. 

In the 2023 race takes place from 1st July to 23rd July and clocks in at 3,405 kilometres starting from Bilbao, Spain with two punchy stages in the Basque Country that will most likely not end in a bunch sprint.

After eight flat stages, four hilly stages and eight days in the high mountains including four summit finales and a single time trial, the race will finish as is traditional, in Paris on the Champs-Élysées.

Three Grand Tours

The Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España make up the 'Grand Slam' of professional road racing. In terms of prestige and history, the Tour de France is top of the pile when it comes to Grand Tours, and as a result, it’s the most renowned. Is that reflected in the distance it covers, though?

Not this year. The Giro d’Italia takes the prize for the longest Grand Tour of 2023, at 3,448 kilometres, with La Vuelta a España the shortest at 3,153.8 kilometres. 

How hard is the Tour de France? Tour de France 2023: Everything you need to know Tour de France 2023 – Analysing the contenders

In recent years, though, the Giro and the Tour have been uncannily similar, in terms of their overall distances. The average overall distance from 2000-2020 was 3,490 kilometres over the three weeks for the Giro d’Italia and 3,491 kilometres for the Tour de France. 

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La Vuelta remains consistently the shortest in overall distance for a Grand Tour, with its average distance over the same period a mere 3,195 kilometres, just under 300km shorter than either of its counterparts.

Longest Race in History

Historically speaking, you might assume that the Tour de France has become harder over the years, to compensate for the peloton’s access to rapidly-improving resources including diet and nutrition, performance apparel, and of course the equipment. 

This isn’t strictly the case. Overall, distances have come down over the years  although the number of stages has increased. 

The first three editions of the Tour were relatively short, all at under 3000km. In fact, the shortest ever editions of the Tour de France were the first two, in 1903 and 1904, both the same length at 2,428 km. It’s worth noting though, that this distance was divided into just six stages. 

From then on, overall distance increased dramatically. Between 1911 and 1929, riders covered over 5000km each year. The longest edition of the Tour de France took place in 1926 and clocked in at an eye-watering 5,745 km (almost the distance from Paris to New York).

This remained the case for some time, total kilometres regularly exceeding 4000km all the way through to the 1980s.

The Giro and the Vuelta tell similar stories of extremes. The longest Giro d’Italia was  the 1954 edition at 4,337km, and the longest Vuelta was 4,407km. Ultimately, though, neither come close to the Tour de France’s mammoth distances of old.

This also applies to the length of individual stages. While the longest stage of this year’s Tour will be a 220km slog from Binche to Longwy, it pales in comparison to what riders of the past had to contend with. 

The longest-ever stage of the Tour was the fifth stage of the 1919 edition; it was a whopping 482 kilometres long, over twice the distance that the riders will cover in this year’s longest stage. Once again, the Tour de France proves itself the ultimate Grand Tour, as the longest stages the Giro and the Vuelta can boast are 430km and 310km ,respectively.

How far is the 2023 Tour de France route?

These days, what the Tour lacks in overall distance compared with years gone by, it more than makes up for in varied days and challenging terrain. After the shortest edition of the Tour de France in 20 years last year, this year's route covers 3,405 kilometres.

However, the challenges that face the nearly 200 riders expected to compete across the span of a 23-day Grand Tour do not begin and end with sheer distance. There is the small matter of elevation gain – a very different proposition measured in metres – which will test the riders’ legs as they claw their way up France's most iconic climbs.

The race typically ascends a total 48,000 metres, the equivalent of climbing Mount Everest five and a half times.

Tour de France distances covered from 2013 to 2022 

• Tour de France 2023: 3,405 kilometres (2116 miles)
• Tour de France 2022: 3,328 kilometres (2,068 miles)
• Tour de France 2021: 3,414 kilometres (2,122 miles)
• Tour de France 2020: 3,484 kilometres (2,165 mile)s
• Tour de France 2019: 3,366 kilometres (2,091 miles)
• Tour de France 2018: 3,351 kilometres (2,082 miles)
• Tour de France 2017: 3,540 kilometres (2,200 miles)
• Tour de France 2016: 3,529 kilometres (2,193 miles)
• Tour de France 2015: 3,360 kilometres (2,088 miles)
• Tour de France 2014: 3,661 kilometres (2,275 miles)
• Tour de France 2013: 3,404 kilometres (2,115 miles)
• Tour de France 2012: 3,497 kilometres (2,173 miles)

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Katy is a freelance writer and journalist. She has published interviews, features, and previews in Cycling News, Rouleur, Cyclist Magazine and the British Continental. She also writes opinion pieces on her own website writebikerepeat.com and is a frequent contributor to the Quicklink podcast. 

She is obsessed with the narrative element of bike racing, from the bigger picture to the individual stories. She is a cyclocross nut who is 5% Belgian and wonders if this entitles her to citizenship. Her favourite races are Ronde van Vlaanderen and La Vuelta.

In her spare time Katy is a published short fiction and non-fiction author.

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After the uncertain and chaotic 2020 season, the Tour de France returns to its normal mid-summer time slot in 2021, albeit a week early to accommodate the rescheduled 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

Join  PRO  to watch the  2021 Tour de France  live and on demand in Canada on FloBikes. Exclusive highlights and content will be available to our worldwide audience!

Race organizers moved the Grand Départ up a week this year to accommodate the start of the rescheduled 2021 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo. The inclusion of two significant time trials for the 2021 route will favor an all-around general classification contender, while GC hopefuls who prefer the mountains are expected to struggle.

Daunting Opening Stages

The Grand Départ takes place in the region of Brittany in Brest for the fourth time, a record for hosting the Grand Départ outside of Paris. To say that the region loves cycling is certainly an understatement. Four Tour de France champions have hailed from Brittany, Lucien Petit-Breton, Jean Robic, Louison Bobet  and the last French Tour de France champion, the Badger himself, Bernard Hinault. 

It’s been a painful 36 years since then, with many French hopefuls from Thomas Voeckler to Julian Alaphilippe trying their best but ultimately coming up short in retaining yellow through to Paris. Hinault's last victory in 1985, began in Brittany as well, where he was the victor of the first stage that year. Perhaps the luck will turn around for the home country in the 108th edition next month. 

Stage 1 will take the peloton through a 187km postcard tour of the coastal department of the region, with a windy summit up Monts d’Arrée, passing a 17th century chapel to wake up the legs. A punchy, 3-km climb awaits at the finish in Landerneau making its debut in the Tour to award the first yellow jersey. 

The highlight of the journey through Brittany will include a double climb up the 2km climb up the Mûr de Bretagne on stage 2, mirroring a similar route in 2018. Beyond Landerneau, the stage 3 finish in Pontivy and the stage 4 start in Redon are also making their Tour debut. 

First Time Trial Comes Early

The Tour waves adieu to Brittany, heading to the countryside of Changé for the first race of truth of this season’s route. At 27km, it is the longest first-week time trial held in the Tour since 2008. The region will hold special significance for a popular debutant in the peloton, Alpecin Fenix's Mathieu Van Der Poel . His father, Adrie, won his first of two Tour stage wins of his career here in 1987. Stage 5 will likely establish the main protagonists in the fight for yellow. 

Sprints And Mountains Round Out First Week

The sprint finish in Chateauroux for stage 6 has seen its share of thrilling finishes in Tour history. Mark Cavendish celebrated two victories here in 2008 and 2011, and before him Mario Cipollini won in 1998. It is yet to be determined if the Manx Missele will make his return to the Tour, chasing a record 31st stage win.  Should Deceuninck – Quick Step name him as a part of their Tour squad, stage 6 will surely be a target for the sprint veteran. Stage 7 will serve up the longest stage at 248km in the Tour in 21 years! To add some extra spice to the long trek, the route will hope to lure the climbers out of the bunch to battle up the Signal d’Uchon, making its Tour debut, with pitches of up to 18% gradient. 

There will be no recovery for the legs the following day for stage 8, as the Tour reaches the first mountain stage of 2021, and the first iconic climb – the Col de Colombière. Julian Alaphilippe will be eyeing this stage, recalling his first Tour stage victory at the Aravis resort the last time the Tour finished here in 2018. The first week ends in Tignes, the sight of the dramatic and abrupt stage cancellation in 2019 when Egan Bernal made his move that would eventually earn him the title as the first Latin American Tour champion. Bernal opted to skip the Tour this season, in turn to race the Giro d’Italia.  2018 Tour Champion Geraint Thomas will lead INEOS Grenadiers efforts in chasing a second Tour victory for him. 

Ventoux Looms Large

Expect another thrilling sprint finish for stage 10 in Valence, a town where Team DSM’s Romain Bardet earned his first professional victory at the 2014 Drôme Classic. The Frenchman has will not be present to contest the stage, with the Vuelta a España on his race calendar. Peter Sagan also took a commanding stage victory here in 2018 ahead of Alexander Kristoff and Arnaud Démare. The 3-time World Champion will hope racing three weeks at the Giro d’Italia did not sap too much energy as he battles for another stage honor. 

A double helping of the Giant of Provence awaits the riders for the third climbing stage of the Tour for stage 11, five years after a windy visit for the Tour. The climb has since become a Regional Natural Parc. The finish is set in Malaucène after a long and tricky descent off the mountain. The town has celebrated the Tour passing through many times, but only ever hosted an intermediate sprint line in 2013, which Sagan won. Going further back in Tour history to 1955,  Ferdi Kübler experienced a complete breakdown beginning in Malaucène, falling several times up the road to Avignon before eventually retiring from the race.

Mid-Race Sprints, Breakaways, High Altitude

Before establishing itself as a favorite among sprinters like stage winners Alexander Kristoff (2014),  Caleb Ewan (2019), and Mark Cavendish (2008), Nimes was the site of a dramatic finish in the early years of the Tour in 1909. The newspaper headline and organizer of the Tour, L’Auto read, “If it isn’t you, it has to be your brother!” Ernest Paul earned a stage victory here in 1909, breaking a 5-stage winning streak of his half-brother, François Faber. Ewan will hope to rekindle his winning luck here for another stage victory to add to his list of palmarès. 

The sixth sprint finish awaits the peloton for stage 13 in Carcassonne, Yaroslav Popovych took a solo victory in 2006, escaping the day’s breakaway with only 3km to go. The 14th stage takes the riders on a rollercoaster journey making their way to the Pyrenees, before finishing for the first time in Quillan. Another Tour debut for stage 15 with a start in Cèret, includes a first stop in the Pyrenees – Orientales area since 2009. Racing fans will recall Thomas Voeckler’s victory in Perpignan. It will be the only time the Tour leaves France in 2021. 

Following the second rest day, the tired legs in the peloton will be thankful a hilly stage 16 awaits them in a day that should favor a breakaway. The finish in Saint-Gaudens is where the late Tom Simpson earned the first yellow jersey for a British rider in 1962. The battle for the GC resumes from the bottom of the Pyrenees as opportunities to gain time began to dwindle.  The second half of stage 17 recalls the lightening stage in 2018 that was a mere 65km long, and the first summit finish at Col du Portet won by Colombian Escarabajo, Nairo Quintana. An exhilarating battle awaits up the highest pass in the French Pyrenees, either for a climber hunting a stage win, or the GC contenders fighting for precious seconds. 

The Iconic Tourmalet May Prove Decisive

The Tour returns to its capital of the Pyrenees for the start of stage 19 in Pau and the final climbing stage of the 108th edition. Two giants of the Pyrenees are on tap: the Tourmalet and Luz Ardiden, where the final battle for points in the king of the mountain classification will be won. The summit finish on Luz Ardiden was the scene of the dramatic and controversial finish of Bernard Hinault alongside his American teammate, Greg Lemond. The sole American Tour de France champion seem to have held back his efforts in order to keep the yellow jersey on the shoulders of Hinault.  Yet another thrilling finish was that of French favorite Richard Virenque in 1994, who earned a stage victory following what many fans saw as his most beautiful breakaway of his career. 

Those sprinters who have survived the mountains, will have a final sprint opportunity on stage 19 in Libourne before the infamous grand finale on the Champs – Élysées in Paris.  The GC contenders will likely spend the day protected in the peloton, and surrounded by their domestiques, saving their legs for the final time trial and battle for the yellow jersey the following day. 

Another Penultimate Stage Time Trial

Set against the backdrop of the beautiful wine vineyards of France, the region will host the final 31km race against the clock to determine the winner of the yellow jersey. The course lends itself to the time trial specialists and a thrilling GC battle among contenders like Geraint Thomas and Primoz Roglič who will be eager to erase his memories of a disastrous penultimate stage last season. 

Bernard Hinault clocked the fastest time on what was a 59km coarse in the 1978 Tour, earning the first of his five Tour victories, while Jan Ullrich conquered his first stage win ahead of the great Miguel Indurain, clocking an average speed of 50.433km/h on the 63km course in 1996. 

Celebrations In Paris

After a celebratory start and parade-like atmosphere for the yellow jersey and other classifications, the Tour will make its grand finale for the 47th time on the Champs-Élyées. The 8 laps around the grand monuments of Paris will take the peloton past the grand Louvre Museum for the third time in recent history before another thrilling sprint finish to conclude the 3,383km across France.  

• Mark Cavendish
• Mathieu van der Poel
• Geraint Thomas
• Julian Alaphilippe

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Recovery During the Tour de France Is a Top Priority for the Pros. Here’s How They Do It.

We take a detailed look at pros’ methods for maintaining stamina during a stage race like the Tour.

So, we dug into how top cyclists get through those long weeks of racing by picking the brains of pro team staff members and pro cyclists themselves. Even if you don’t have a stage race on the schedule, you can learn from the pros’ recovery tactics—plus, it’s fun to find out what exactly happens after a stage finish.

Rehydrate and Refuel

If you watch the finish line of any stage, you’ll notice that soigneurs (those team staffers at the finish line) are quick to pass bottles to the riders as they cross the line. Often, they’re filled with a carb-based sports drink that includes protein in it, though some may contain straight water or just electrolytes , depending on the rider’s preference (and how nauseous they are post-sprint).

When the next race is less than 24 hours away, immediately getting hydration and fuel back in the tank is vitally important, says Human Powered Health’s dietitian Mathis Fluit. Since races like the Tour require switching hotels almost every stage, meaning the riders won’t have immediate access to their rooms, riders will often have another meal or hefty snack , like rice and chicken or granola and yogurt , on the team bus heading back to the hotel.

Spin the Legs Out Immediately

You may have seen riders get back onto their bikes after finishing a stage—on stationary trainers or rollers , that is. And you might be wondering why the heck riders are finishing 100-plus mile stages and then getting onto stationary trainers or rollers . It seems like they’ve already ridden enough, right?

But as Human Powered Health’s pro rider, Marjolein van’t Geloof, who’s a physiotherapist in addition to being a WorldTour bike racer, explains, often riders finish with a sprint , so they actually need a few minutes to cool down and prep their legs for another day of racing—an easy session on the trainer will do that.

“It’s really important to get on rollers and spin out your legs , just for 10 to 15 minutes,” she says. “You’re helping your legs flush the lactate out and set yourself up to feel better the next day.”

Team buses are often equipped with a shower, so riders are able to quickly clean up and get changed after a stage—important for hygiene and avoiding saddle sores , which is critical for getting through a multi-week race.

Canyon//SRAM’s Alice Towers says that once racers get to the hotel postrace, the team staff will have already checked in for riders and put suitcases in their respective rooms. That often means riders head straight to their rooms to relax, snack , take a longer shower, or have a nap .

Eat All the Carbs

Riders need to be eating steadily throughout the day, on and off the bike, says Fluit. Most of their calories will come from simple carbs , typically in the form of white rice, pasta, and oatmeal.

Riders limit fiber , and because of that, vegetables like broccoli will only appear in small quantities at night. Typically, both right after the race and dinner later on include rice- or pasta-based meals, often with chicken or red meat as the protein source . “It’s not necessarily even tomorrow that riders need to worry about when it comes to eating. They’re thinking about seven stages from now,” says Fluit. “If you’re low on calories or carbohydrates for one day, that’s going to catch up with you after a few days.”

Get in Protein, Too

Cyclists push their muscles to their absolute limit in a race like the Tour de France, and that means recovery requires protein in order to repair that damaged tissue. There’s an endurance athlete cliché of chicken breasts and rice for every meal, and it’s surprisingly accurate if you look at how Tour racers eat the night after a stage. They’ll also be drinking protein in their recovery shakes —usually between 20 and 30 grams in a bottle, along with carbohydrates and electrolytes—says Fluit.

Plan on Early Bedtimes

“The main thing for recovery is just getting as much sleep as you can possibly get,” says Phil Gaimon, former WorldTour pro and host of his new podcast, Watch the Tour de France with Phil Gaimon. “All of the extras like ice baths and massage are great. But nothing is better than an extra 15 minutes of sleep. Racers know that and so they're focused on getting to bed as early as possible.” Because of this, many riders travel with their own pillows, eye masks, and ear plugs—and are also just great sleepers!

Limit Social Media

Some riders are fine scrolling the Twitter comments (*shudder*). Others prefer to keep their phones on airplane mode. But for the most part, riders have a routine with how they treat newsfeeds and social media during these races. “I avoid checking any news about the race,” says Canyon//SRAM’s Kasia Niewiadoma. “I like to be as minimally distracted as possible, because I know that the more I read, the more stories that are created in my head and the more I’m thinking about it. And that just keeps me awake at night. We talk about the race at the team meeting, of course, but I don't want to do any extra investigation around it.”

Take an Ice Bath

Tadej Pogačar made headlines this year with his speedy postrace ice baths, but he’s not the only one who relies on them.

“I was always a big fan of the ice baths , which the team didn’t enable at all back then,” Gaimon says. “I’d have to make eight laps of taking the ice bucket from the hotel to my bathtub. And eventually, my teammates would also want to use the bathtub after me! It definitely helps after a hot stage. It reduces your inflammation and relaxes your central nervous system. I would always sleep better if I did the ice bath. And I see a lot of racers doing it now.” (Gaimon later created IceLegs in order to make cooling off easier for riders.)

Get a Massage

The WorldTour teams all have team physiotherapists, massage therapists, or soigneurs on staff to help riders recover faster with daily massage after each stage. “It’s the best part of the day!” says Canyon//SRAM’s Elise Chabbey, who’s also an M.D. “Most riders will get a massage, but the type of massage depends on what’s happening the next day. If the next day’s stage is not so important, the therapist can really push on the legs to try to release the muscles. But if the next day is really important, they’ll be a bit more gentle. It’s a really nice time during the hectic week: It’s a moment where you can really relax and think about something else and talk about something else.”

Set Yourself Up at Night to Ride in the Morning

Remember how Gaimon mentioned getting as much sleep as possible? That means having everything ready to roll for the next morning: Kit laid out, knowing exactly what you’re having in terms of coffee and breakfast —anything that buys you a few more minutes of sleep in the morning.

“If we had to have bags out of the room and be at breakfast at 8 a.m., I would have all my stuff packed and ready to go with my alarm set for 7:55 and literally roll out of bed and into the breakfast room,” he says.

Spin on Rest Days

You’d think on a rest day , riders really, really wouldn’t want to pedal their bikes. And yes, some will skip the ride in order to allow minor irritations, like saddle sores or road rash from a crash to heal, but many will opt for a very relaxed-paced spin to flush out the legs. These rides are short and social—and as Gaimon notes, many teams will use them as a chance to do events with sponsors.

Riders will spend most of their rest days with legs up, relaxing and (no surprise here) eating.

Find a Way to Mentally Bounce Back

The top-level pros don’t get where they are by bemoaning a race gone wrong. As any pro cyclist will tell you, you lose many, many more races than you win. That means if a stage doesn’t go according to plan, you discuss it with the team at the evening team meeting, then you move on.

“To be honest, all the bad days make me more motivated and stronger,” says Niewiadoma. “You learn from races, and when you make a mistake, you really don’t want to find yourself in that position again. So that makes you want to be better the next day.”

Get Comfortable With Monotony

Imagine you just rode more than 100 miles up a bunch of mountains, then sprinted your heart out at the finish line. And that you’d been doing that for two weeks straight. Sure, that massage, quick spin to flush out the legs, and a healthy meal made by the team chef while chatting with your teammates and/or loved ones via FaceTime sounds great. But the reality?

“Typically for most riders, it’s rice and chicken post race, back to the hotel for a massage and then dinner,” says Derek Gee , the young Canadian who became one of the most talked-about riders of the Giro d’Italia. “For me, I was completely cracked on eating rice every day so I finished every stage with yogurt and cereal and I never really enjoy massage or find it helpful. So my postrace was just lying in bed and relaxing, eating more cereal.”

Molly writes about cycling, nutrition and training, with an emphasis on women in sport. Her new middle-grade series, Shred Girls, debuts with Rodale Kids/Random House in 2019 with "Lindsay's Joyride." Her other books include "Mud, Snow and Cyclocross," "Saddle, Sore" and "Fuel Your Ride." Her work has been published in magazines like Bicycling, Outside and Nylon. She co-hosts The Consummate Athlete Podcast.

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Tour de France after all? Wout van Aert said in December that is practically not an option

Wout van Aert won't be participating in the Giro d'Italia, missing his second major goal of the year after the most important spring classics, as he announced in a video message. The Belgian of Visma | Lease a Bike now has just one main goal left, out of the ones he listed during the team's day in December. And that is exactly why a simple assessment towards the Tour de France could now suddenly turn out quite differently...

Van Aert took a different approach last winter. He significantly cut down on his cyclo-cross season, focused even more on road racing, and made even more selective choices than before. Everything was focused on preparing for the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. No Paris-Nice or Tirreno-Adriatico for him, but instead, a high-altitude training camp. Then, everything went awry on just his eleventh race day of 2024, after a hard crash in Dwars door Vlaanderen. Van Aert broke a collarbone, seven ribs and his sternum.

The fractures are healing well, the superstar states on the official channels of Visma | Lease a Bike. "But my ribs are still a limiting factor. At this point, I cannot train at all. I'm trying to do my first pedal strokes on the bike, but it is not enough for serious training," he tells us, explaining why he is skipping the Giro.

Van Aert was set to ride the Tour of Italy for the first time, having participated in every edition of the Tour de France since 2019. After nine stage wins, wearing the yellow jersey, and securing the green jersey (2022), Van Aert felt it was time for a change. Jonas Vingegaard, his good friend and versatile teammate, was left disappointed. If he recovers in time from his crash in the Tour of the Basque Country, he will have to go for his third consecutive Tour victory without Van Aert's support.

Continue reading below the photo!

Will Van Aert stand by his earlier decision?

Or perhaps not? Now that Van Aert is missing the Giro, the Tour de France suddenly seems entirely possible. Just like for Vingegaard, this would obviously require sufficient time to train and get into top shape leading up to the Tour de France. The problem is that Wout's third and only remaining big goal for 2024 was (and is) not the Tour, but rather the time trial at the Olympic Games in Paris. He shared this in December during an open interview with IDLProCycling.com , among others. "In the championships, I often come across guys who have prepared 100 percent for the time trial, whereas I often came from another race and then did the best I could. I've never done a race like that with thorough preparation," he explained.

The Tour de France finishes on July 21, 2024, in Nice. The Olympic time trial is scheduled for July 27. "Without the Tour, I have the time to prepare 100 percent for the time trial. That's what I'm looking forward to," Van Aert honestly said. In fact, he even saw the Tour as an obstacle for his competitors to achieving the gold in Paris. "Because of the Olympic Games, I wanted to choose a different approach. The Olympic time trial is the Saturday after the Tour de France, so I don't think the guys who do the Tour can show the maximum of their capabilities in that time trial. A training camp leading up to the time trial is a much better preparation."

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To order presentation-ready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers visit http://www.djreprints.com.

https://www.barrons.com/news/vingegaard-and-evenepoel-must-beat-the-clock-to-start-tour-de-france-07e439ea

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Vingegaard And Evenepoel Must Beat The Clock To Start Tour De France

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Race against time: Jonas Vingegaard crowned his second Tour de France victory in 2023 by taking the stage 16 time trial in just over 32 minutes and now faces a 12-week race to be fit to defend his title

Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel face a race against time to be ready for the Tour de France after breaking bones in a crash in the Tour of the Basque Country.

Vingegaard, the double defending champion, and Evenepoel, the 2022 Spanish Vuelta winner, had their preparations for the Tour turned upside down in a split second on a Basque mountainside on Thursday.

The Tour, which starts on 29 June in Florence, has been billed as the battle of cycling's 'Fantastic Four'.

A third member of that quartet, Primoz Roglic, was also among the fallers as a dozen riders slid off on a downhill corner, some of them landing in a roadside ditch.

Roglic, a Slovenian, escaped with cuts and bruises after his second crash in two days. Vingegaard and Evenepoel both collected multiple fractures.

The Dane suffered rib and collarbone fractures and lung damage. Evenepoel, a Belgian, broke his collarbone and shoulder blade.

The fourth fantastic star, Tadej Pogacar a double Tour de France winner, is not racing in the Basque countryside as he trains for a Giro d'Italia-Tour de France double.

The Slovenian sent his best wishes for a speedy recovery to his "peloton mates".

A year ago, Pogacar entered the Tour de France barely recovered from a fractured wrist following a crash at Liege-Bastogne-Liege at the end of April. He stayed in contention for a fortnight, but then slumped, partly due to a lack of basic preparation.

Vingegaard and Evenepoel face the same challenge.

"It's too early to say, we'll have to wait days or even weeks before saying anything about the Tour," Frans Maassen, the Dane's sporting director at Visma-Lease a bike, said on Friday.

He said the two-time Tour winner had "had a very good night".

"Of course he's in pain, but his legs and head are fine. We dare to look ahead, said Maasen, adding that it could have been "much worse".

Evenepoel was heading back to Belgium on Friday for further tests.

"Given the circumstances, it's okay. His participation in the Tour should not be in danger", said Klaas Lodewyck, sporting director of Evenepoel's Soudal-Quick Step team.

Evenepoel sent out a video on Thursday evening.

It means he is certain to miss Liege-Bastogne-Liege, which he has won the last two years, and the Amstel Gold one-day classics in April.

"He's disappointed. The Amstel Gold and Liege-Bastogne-Liege were two big objectives for him," said Lodewyck.

While some riders can recover and work themselves into racing shape faster, it generally takes eight to ten weeks.

That time frame suggests Vingegaard and Evenepoel could return for the Criterium du Dauphine at the beginning of June, a week-long event which traditionally serves as a dress rehearsal for the Tour.

But their preparations have been disrupted and the full physical and psychological toll will not be clear for a while.

"When you fall, there are physical injuries but there are also, and above all, mental scars," wrote former French rider Pierre Rolland on X on Friday.

"I'm not ashamed to say that after my last big crash at the Tour de France in 2016, the rest of my career was synonymous with apprehension and anxiety."

A week ago, French star Julian Alaphilippe said he was "much more apprehensive" since he hit a tree at Liege-Bastogne-Liege in 2022.

"It's a cruel sport, which demands a lot of sacrifice and where everything can fall apart at a stroke", he said.

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