2024 is full of historical firsts, with the Tour de France’s Grand Depart making a debut from Florence in Italy, winding its way through Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, the Republic of San Marino (another first) and Piedmont during the first three stages before climbing over the Alps back into France in stage four.
Then, there is the finish. Yet another first. The traditional parade through Champs-Élysées in Paris is being swapped for the sun-drenched seaside of Nice due to the clash with organising the Olympics in the French capital.
The crash in April at Itzulia Basque Country, involving last year’s Tour winner Jonas Vingegaard, Jay Vine, Primož Roglicˇ, and Remco Evenepoel, who is expecting to make his Tour de France debut, has shifted the power game somewhat. And following Pogacar’s stunning Giro win, can the 25yo do the double?
The course itself has been described as one of the hardest Tour de France routes by Mark Cavendish, who is looking to add to his 34 stage wins. The entire race – and 2024 season for that matter – is all about
