The final stage of the Tour de France is the most iconic aspect of the most famous cycling race in the world. Even casual fans can immediately picture the scene: a route that takes in the landmarks of Paris, culminating with a pulsating sprint along the Champs-Élysées. The Tour first took place in 1910 and every one of the race’s 110 editions have concluded in the French capital. But not the 111th.
On Saturday, the 2024 Tour de France will begin in Florence. The location of the Grand Départ is appropriate for an unusual edition of the race; it is the first time in history the Tour has begun in neighbouring Italy. The peloton will cross the Italian countryside before navigating anti-clockwise around France and finishing by the Mediterranean in Nice – with the 21st stage taking place outside of Paris for the first time. The Tour will also conclude with an individual time trial, rather than a sprint – for the first time since 1989.
