Preview Tour de France 2024 | This lies ahead for the all-time greats of this cycling world!

The 2024 Tour de France kicks off a week earlier than usual, and thank goodness. After the Giro d'Italia, we're eager to start off what is perhaps the highest-profile Tour de France ever. Tadej Pogacar, Primoz Roglic, Remco Evenepoel, Mathieu van der Poel, perhaps Jonas Vingegaard and Wout van Aert too, and an incredibly strong UAE-Team Emirates. What will the greatest cyclists in the world face when they start in Florence on June 29? IDLProCycling.com breaks it down for you.

Tour de France 2024: Course, climbs, times and favorites

The Tour de France has taken a different path into summer over the past years, and 2024 is no exception. Shorter stages, more elevation, and like the Giro d'Italia, a significant number of time trial kilometers. There's also no finish in Paris due to the Olympics starting there. We finish in Nice, which is rather telling with even more mountains and a tough race against the clock.

After three days in Italy (where we honor legends like Gino Bartali, Marco Pantani and Fausto Coppi), we will have already completed two climbing stages, with the Galibier cheekily following on day four. The sprinters get their chance four times in the first week. On day seven we have a 25.3 km time trial on the menu, and day nine brings gravel in Troyes. Day ten might see echelons forming, and in the second week, the Central Massif and the Pyrenees await. In the last week, we head through the Alps to Southern France, finishing in Nice.

Stage 1 - Saturday, June 29, 2024: Florence - Rimini (206 km)

The opening stage can be compared in difficulty to 2023, when we also had to do some serious climbing on day one in the Basque Country. With seven categorized climbs, this definitely won't end in a sprint, but the top of the last climb is only about thirty kilometers from the finish. Therefore, the yellow jersey is also a serious option for fast men who can handle a climb. Kind of like Liège-Bastogne-Liège, perhaps? Let's see...

Climbs
49.7 km: COL DE VALICO TRE FAGGI (12.5 km at 5.1%)
77.8 km: CÔTE DES FORCHE (2.5 km at 6.2%)
98.3 km: CÔTE DE CARNAIO (10.5 km at 4.6%)
135.6 km: CÔTE DE BARBOTTO (5.8 km at 7.6%)
157.3 km: CÔTE DE SAN LEO (4.6 km at 7.7%)
167.1 km: CÔTE DE MONTEMAGGIO (4.2 km at 6.6%)
179.7 km:CÔTE DE SAN MARINO (7.1 km at 4.8%)

Times
Start: 12:40 PM
Finish: around 5:49 PM

Favorites
Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
Tom Pidcock (INEOS Grenadiers)

Stage 2 - Sunday, June 30, 2024: Cesenatico - Bologna (199.2 km)

If day one was unpredictable, day two is certainly no different. There are six climbs waiting, with the summit of the last one much closer to the finish. However, these climbs are more like short steep hills, making this a perfect day for punchers who either barely made it or didn't on day one. The big question, however, is whether the GC contenders will use the steep San Luca (well-known from the Giro dell'Emilia) to really shake things up?

Climbs
74.0 km: CÔTE DE MONTICINO (2.0 km at 7.5%)
88.8 km: CÔTE DE GALLISTERNA (1.2 km at 12.8%)
138.5 km: CÔTE DE BOTTEGHINO DI ZOCCA (1.9 km at 6.9%)
150.7 km: CÔTE DE MONTECALVO (2.7 km at 7.7%)
167.8 km: CÔTE DE SAN LUCA (1.9 km at 10.6%)
186.1 km: CÔTE DE SAN LUCA (1.9 km at 10.6%)

Times
Start: 12:35 PM
Finish: around 5:19 PM

Favorites
Tadej Pogacar (UAE-Team Emirates)
Primoz Roglic (BORA-hansgrohe)
Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step)

Stage 3 - Monday, July 1, 2024: Plaisance - Turin (230.8 km)

The last full stage on Italian soil is gonna be a long one. About 230 kilometers with no obstacles... Yet, a sprint finish among the classic sprinters is not guaranteed, thanks to a tricky finale in Turin. Who will have fresh legs after two tough days of climbing?

Climbs
No.

Times
Start: 11:35 AM
Finish: around 5:12 PM

Favorites
Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco-AlUla)
Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek)

Stage 4 - Tuesday, July 2, 2024: Pinerolo - Valloire (139.6 km)

Has the Tour start ever been this tough? We doubt it. After three long and demanding days in Italy, we bid farewell to Europe's Boot from Pinerolo and head towards France. We do so while tackling a few well-known monsters... After the training ground Sestrière and the Col de Montgenèvre, the riders climb the Col du Galibier on day four, with its summit at 2,642 meters! We'll sprint for bonus seconds at the top before finishing in the valley below.

Climbs
50.4 km: SESTRIÈRES (39.9 km at 3.7%)
71.1 km: COL DE MONTGENÈVRE (8.3 km at 5.9%)
120.7 km: COL DU GALIBIER (23.0 at 5.1%)

Times
Start: 1:15 PM
Finish: around 5:20 PM

Favorites
Tadej Pogacar (UAE-Team Emirates)
Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious)
Tom Pidcock (INEOS Grenadiers)

Stage 5 - Wednesday, July 3, 2024: Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne - Saint-Vulbas (177.4 km)

Those poor sprinters have suffered for four days but will finally get their second chance at sprinting success on day five. After the ultra-long stage in Italy on day three, we can call this a typical Tour stage. Along the way, there are two climbs suited for breakaway riders with a desire to escape, before the big guns hash it out in a sprint in Saint-Vulbas.

Climbs
104.6 km: CÔTE DU CHEVAL BLANC (1.5 km at 4.3%)
142.8 km: CÔTE DE LHUIS (3.0 km at 4.8%)

Times
Start: 1:30 PM
Finish: around 5:26 PM

Favorites
Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco-AlUla)
Fabio Jakobsen (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL)

Stage 6 - Thursday, July 4, 2024: Mâcon - Dijon (163.5 km)

Another sprint opportunity, the third one in six days! Expect that the breakaway will not get much room here, as such flat stages are not often seen in this Tour for the sprinter's teams.

Climb
10.0 km: COL DU BOIS CLAIR (1.6 km at 6.0%)

Times
Start: 1:50 PM
Finish: around 5:28 PM

Favorites
Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco-AlUla)
Fabio Jakobsen (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL)

Stage 7 - Friday, July 5, 2024: Nuits-Saint-Georges - Gevrey-Chambertin (25.3 km, time trial)

A delightful time trial for the true specialists on day seven, undoubtedly circled in red on the calendars of men like Remco Evenepoel and Tadej Pogacar. Here they can gain a lot of time on the lightweight riders, who simply can't push as many watts in such a rolling time trial of 25.3 kilometers. With no less than three intermediate points, the viewer will be perfectly informed of the time differences along the way.

Times
Start first rider: 1:05 PM
Finish last rider: around 5:29 PM

Favorites
Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step)
Tadej Pogacar (UAE-Team Emirates)
Juan Ayuso (UAE-Team Emirates)

Stage 8 - Saturday, July 6, 2024: Semur-en-Auxois - Colombey-les-Deux-Eglises (183.4 km)

The day after the individual time trial seems like a perfect opportunity for the breakaway riders, perhaps for the first time in this Tour. It's a day of constant up and down, making it very difficult for sprinter's teams to control the race. A fast-paced stage with a tough battle for the breakaway might just be in store.

Climbs
24.1 km: CÔTE DE VITTEAUX (2.0 km at 7.3%)
32.5 km: CÔTE DE VILLY-EN-AUXOIS (2.4 km at 5.5%)
38.8 km: CÔTE DE VERREY-SOUS-SALMAISE (2.9 km at 6.0%)
96.7 km: CÔTE DE SANTENOGE (1.1 km at 8.1%)
122.4 km: CÔTE GIEY-SUR-AUJON (1.2 km at 8.4%)

Times
Start: 1:20 PM
Finish: around 5:30 PM

Favorites
Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious)
Magnus Cort Nielsen (Uno-X Pro Cycling)

Stage 9 - Sunday, July 7, 2024: Troyes - Troyes (199 km)

This is the day that has been talked about for a long time. According to many who have scouted it, it's not too difficult, but gravel in a grand tour guarantees nervousness and spectacle. There's always at least one man who falls or has mechanical problems, impacting the standings. And what will the GC contenders do in such a stage? Avoid losing time, or aim for time gains?

Climbs
51.7 km: CÔTE DE BERGÈRES (1.7 km at 5.2%)
69.6 km: CÔTE DE BAROVILLE (2.8 km at 4.8%)
107.5 km:CÔTE DE VAL FRION (2.2 km at 5.0%)
121.2 km: CÔTE DE CHACENAY (3.0 km at 4.3%)

Times
Start: 1:35 PM
Finish: around 6 PM

Favorites
Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Alberto Bettiol (EF Education-EasyPost)

Stage 10 - Tuesday, July 9, 2024: Orleans - Saint-Amand-Montrond (187.3 km)

Sprinting? That's a certainty, yes. But how large will the group be that sprints for the stage win? The tenth stage was identified during the course presentation as a possible day for echelon action. If the wind is right, the riders can brace themselves right after the first rest day.

Climbs
No.

Times
Start: 1:25 PM
Finish: around 5:35 PM

Favorites
Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco-AlUla)
Fabio Jakobsen (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL)

Stage 11 - Wednesday, July 10, 2024: Évaux-les-Bains - De Lioran (211 km)

The Tour de France does not necessarily seek out 200-kilometer stages, but on day eleven they had no choice. The organizers wanted a challenging finale, so a logical line had to be drawn between Évaux-les-Bains and De Lioran.

Climbs
79.8 km: CÔTE DE MOUILLOUX (1.9 km at 6.3%)
89.7 km: CÔTE DE LARODDE (3.8 km at 6.0%)
168.7 km: COL DE NÉRONNE (3.8 km at 9.1%)
180.0 km: PUY MARY (5.4 km at 8.1%)
196.4 km: COL DE PERTUS (4.4 km at 7.9%)
208.2 km: COL DE FONT DE CÈRE (3.3 km at 5.8%)

Times
Start: 11:30 AM
Finish: around 5:12 PM

Favorites
Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost)
Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious)
Maxim Van Gils (Lotto-Dstny)

Stage 12 - Thursday, July 11, 2024: Aurillac - Villeneuve-sur-Lot (203.6 km)

Another delightful stage for the breakaway riders, though it could just as well be that some sprinter's teams try something here. The course undulates in the second half of the stage, but it's not so tough that a breakaway must necessarily stay clear of the peloton. Sprinters without a stage win yet might try their luck here, by shaking off the really fast men or tiring them out.

Climbs
62.8 km: CÔTE D'AUTOIRE (2.7 at 5.9%)
84.3 km: CÔTE DE ROCAMADOUR (2.0 km at 5.8%)
135.5 km: CÔTE DE MONTCLÉRA (2.0 km at 4.6%)

Times
Start: 12:50 PM
Finish: around 5:28 PM

Favorites
Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck
Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek)
Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty)

Stage 13 - Friday, July 12, 2024: Agen - Pau (165.3 km)

What would a Tour de France be without Pau? Well, that's what the organizers must have thought. The Pyrenees are approaching, and we always stop by this South-French city. As often, it's the finish of what should normally be a sprint stage.

Climbs
127.0 km: CÔTE DE BLACHON (1.5 km at 6.9%)
136.3 km: CÔTE DE SIMACOURBE (1.8 km at 6.4%)

Times
Start: 1:50 PM
Finish: around 5:30 PM

Favorites
Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco-AlUla)
Fabio Jakobsen (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL)

Stage 14 - Saturday, July 13, 2024: Pau - Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla d'Adet (151.9 km)

The Pyrenees form a two-part sequence in this Tour de France, with a true D-Day for the GC contenders on Saturday. We ascend above 2,000 meters over the Tourmalet and finish on the challenging Lary-Soulan Pla d'Adet. After a relatively calm second week, this is an ideal chance to sharpen the race and shake up the standings!

Climbs
89.6 km: COL DU TOURMALET (19.0 km at 7.4%)
123.4 km: HOURQUETTE D'ANCIZAN 8.2 km at 5.1%)
151.9 km: SAINT-LARY-SOULAN - PLA D'ADET (10.6 km at 7.9%)

Times
Start: 1:20 PM
Finish: around 5:32 PM

Favorites
Tadej Pogacar (UAE-Team Emirates)
Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Primoz Roglic (BORA-hansgrohe)

Stage 15 - Sunday, July 14, 2024: Loudenvielle - Plateau de Beille (197.7 km)

Part two in the Pyrenees is longer, less demanding along the way, but with a finish on the epic and mythical Plateau de Beille. Right from the start, we start with a climb, but the many valleys will ensure that the GC contenders likely hold their fire until the final climb. With a steep ascent of nearly eight percent over fifteen kilometers, there's enough opportunity to gain or lose time here...

Climbs
7.0 km: COL DE PEYRESOURDE (6.9 km at 7.8%)
50.0 km: COL DE MENTÉ (9.3 km at 9.1%)
65.4 km: COL DU PORTET D'ASPET (4.3 km at 9.6%)
138.6 km: COL D'AGNÈS (10.0 km at 8.6%)
197.7 km: PLATEAU DE BEILLE (15.8 km at 7.9%)

Times
Start: 12:05 PM
Finish: around 5:41 PM

Favorites
Tadej Pogacar (UAE-Team Emirates)
Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Primoz Roglic (BORA-hansgrohe)

Stage 16 - Tuesday, July 16, 2024: Gruissan - Nimes (188.6 km)

After the second rest day, we start off gently. In principle, because if the wind picks up, things could get wild as we head towards Nimes. The sprinters will be on high alert, but so should the GC men.

Climb
112.6 km: CÔTE DE FAMBETOU (1.2 km at 5.0%)

Times
Start: 1:30 PM
Finish: around 5:41 PM

Favorites
Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco-AlUla)
Fabio Jakobsen (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL)

Stage 17 - Wednesday, July 17, 2024: Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateau - Superdévoluy (177.8 km)

Breakaway riders haven't had many opportunities in this Tour de France yet, but they might get some room on day seventeen. With everything that's still to come in the third week, a strong breakaway could go for it here, with the best climbers needing to finish it off. But hey, with all the big GC contenders and the general state of cycling in 2024, they might just claim another stage for themselves in a very challenging finale.

Climbs
145.7 km: COL BAYARD (6.8 km at 7.3%)
166.3 km: COL DU NOYER (7.5 km at 8.1%)
177.8 km: SUPERDEVOLUY (3.8 km at 5.9%)

Times
Start: 12:45 PM
Finish: around 5:11 PM

Favorites
Tadej Pogacar (UAE-Team Emirates)
Axel Laurance (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost)

Stage 18 - Thursday, July 18, 2024: Gap -Barcelonnette (179.5 km)

If day seventeen didn't end up being for the breakaway riders, then day eighteen certainly should. This truly is an ideal stage for all types of riders, from classics specialists and fast men to climbers. They can battle it out on the less steep climbs as we head towards a very tough final weekend in this Tour.

Climbs
32.2 km: COL DU FESTRE (3.9 km at 6.3%)
57.5 km: CÔTE DE CORPS (2.1 km at 7.2%)
97.3 km: COL DE MANSE (5.1 km at 3.6%)
121.0 km: CÔTE DE SAINT-APOLLINAIRE (7.0 km at 5.5%)
139.1 km: CÔTE DES DEMOISELLES COIFFÉES (3.6 km at 5.4%)

Times
Start: 1:20 PM
Finish: around 5:43 PM

Favorites
Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Arnaud De Lie (Lotto-Dstny)

Stage 19 - Friday, July 19, 2024: Embrun - Isola 2000 (144.6 km)

Two days before the end of the Tour, we find ourselves in the location where UAE-Team Emirates planned its last altitude training. This stage will certainly play the GC men against each other fiercely. All while we reach the roof of the Tour at 2,802 meters on the Cime de la Bonette, topping it off with the climb to Isola 2000. No steep grades like in the Pyrenees in the second week, but the lack of oxygen will certainly have the peloton gasping for air.

Climbs
42.6 km: COL DE VARS (18.8 km at 5.7%)
87.5 km: CIME DE LA BONETTE (22.9 km at 6.9%)
144.6 km:ISOLA 2000 (16.1 km at 7.1%)

Times
Start: 12:30 PM
Finish: around 4:44 PM

Favorites
Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Tadej Pogacar (UAE-Team Emirates)
Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step)

Stage 20 - Saturday, July 20, 2024: Nice - Col de la Couillole (132.8 km)

The last road stage to make another move, although the time trial on Sunday will also be on the minds of the GC leaders. Maybe a day for the breakaway riders to stay ahead? Or will we see another war, with everyone racing at a killer pace towards the last uphill finish of this spectacular Tour?

Climbs
24.7 km: COL DE BRAUS (10.0 km at 6.6%)
59.8 km: COL DE TURINI (20.7 km at 5.7%)
95.9 km: COL DE LA COLMIANE (7.5 km at 7.1%)
132.8 km: COL DE LA COUILLOLE (15.7 km at 7.1%)

Times
Start: 1:55 PM
Finish: around 5:30 PM

Favorites
Tadej Pogacar (UAE-Team Emirates)
Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step)
Primoz Roglic (BORA-hansgrohe)

Stage 21 - Sunday 21 2024: Monaco - Nice (33.7 km, time trial)

A time trial to finish, how delightful!! The final stage features a tough race against the clock towards Nice, featuring an 8.1-kilometer climb. It's up and down, with only the beginning and end offering a chance to bring out the big engines. Who will take the stage? And who will win the Tour?

Climb
11.2 km: LA TURBIE (8.1 km at 5.6%)

Times
Start first rider: 2:40 PM
Finish last rider: around 7:30 PM

Favorites
Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step)
Tadej Pogacar (UAE-Team Emirates)
Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike)