Tour de France 2024: Everything To Know

Tour de France 2024: History, Results, Leaderboard, Teams, Points, Memorable Performance And Everything To Know

The 2024 Tour de France promises to be a thrilling journey for cycling enthusiasts worldwide. Here are the key highlights:

- The race commenced in Florence, Italy, on June 29, 2024.
- Cyclists will pedal their way through picturesque landscapes, challenging terrains, and iconic cities.
- The grand finale awaits in the beautiful coastal city of Nice, France, on July 21, 2024.

- For the first time in Tour de France history, the race will not culminate in (or near) Paris.
- Why? Well, the City of Lights is busy preparing for the 2024 Summer Olympics, which kick off on July 26.
- So, Nice takes center stage as the final destination this year.

USA: NBC Sports holds the broadcast rights. You can stream every stage on Peacock and Fubo. Stages 8, 14, and 20 will also be broadcast live on NBC.
UK: Watch live on Discovery+, Eurosport, free-to-air channel ITV 4, and streaming service ITV X. S4C will air the action in Wales.
Australia: Exclusive free-to-air and digital broadcast rights on SBS TV channel and SBS On Demand.

The Grand Depart begins in Florence, Italy, and riders make their way into France by Stage 4.
Key stages include:
- Stage 1: Florence to Rimini (hilly)
- Also Stage 7: Individual time trial from Nuits-Saint-Georges to Gevrey-Chambertin
- Stage 11: Mountain stage from Évaux-les-Bains to Le Lioran
- Also Stage 20: Individual time trial from Monaco to Nice

- Cyclists will tackle two time trials and conquer four mountain ranges.
- From the rolling hills of Tuscany to the French Riviera’s coastal roads, the route promises drama, sweat, and triumph.
- Check out the official route map for stage distances, profiles, bonus points, and prize money.

Punched in the Kidney (1975):
- Eddy Merckx, a legendary cyclist, was leading the 1975 Tour when a spectator jumped from the crowd and punched him in the kidney during the 14th stage.
- Despite losing precious time, Merckx rode down the mountain to identify the assailant.
Cycling and Dogs Don’t Mix (2007):
- German cyclist Marcus Burghardt collided with a wandering Labrador retriever during the 2007 Tour.
- Burghardt flipped over his handlebars after hitting the dog’s backside but thankfully escaped serious injury.
We Think We’ll Just Take a Seat (1998):
- The infamous 1998 Tour involved a doping scandal that led to arrests and disqualifications.
- In protest, riders dismounted their bikes mid-stage and sat for two hours until reaching the Champs Elysees, where less than half the field completed the Tour.
Riding Through Hay Fields (2003):
- Lance Armstrong, a dominant force from 1999 to 2005, took a memorable detour during the 2003 Tour.
- His decision to cut across a hay field to avoid a crash became a legendary moment in Tour history.

- As wheels spin and hearts race, riders will chase glory.
- Each stage brings its own challengessteep climbs, breakneck descents, and sprints to the finish line.