If the 2024 Tour de France route presentation got you dreaming about next summer then why not start planning your trip to the greatest sporting event on the planet? This week's Cycling Weekly magazine brings you all the key information on the best stages to watch both the men's race and the Tour de France Femmes that starts immediately after the Olympic Games in Paris.
>>>>Subscribe to CW magazine before 14 November and receive a £10 M&S voucher (UK only)
This is the 111th Tour de France, and for race director Christian Prudhomme those three ones have real significance. He describes it as a race of firsts, breaking new ground by having its Grand Départ in Italy, the huge ascent of the Col du Galibier in its opening week, a sortie onto the gravel roads bisecting Champagne’s vineyards, and, what’s undoubtedly the most extraordinary innovation of all, a finish away from Paris, the finale taking place far to the south in Nice.
The race gets under way on June 29 in Florence, the home city of two-time Tour winner Gino Bartali, one of the sport’s great climbers. Following a finish in Rimini the route makes its way west and the French border where it meets the mighty Alps for the first of two visits to the mountain range.
For British fans the race has taken on extra significance now that Mark Cavendish has delayed his retirement to once again attempt to win a 35th stage and take outright the stage win record he currently shares with Eddy Merckx.
The Manxman will however have his work cut out as many commentators have labelled this one of the toughest routes in decades, with perhaps just five stages identified as likely sprint stages. We look at these stages in more depth in this week's magazine.
The Tour de France Femmes Avec Zwift, in just it's third edition is already breaking with tradition with a later start date after the Paris Olympics, a two-stage day and four out of the eight stages taking place in the Netherlands and Belgium.
Not only will the Dutch fans be able to cheer defending champion Demi Vollering on home soil, they'll be out in force to cheer her up Dutch Mountain - Alpe d'Huez for a mouth watering final day summit finish. The first time the women's peloton has taken on the climb.
Also in this week's magazine we have coverage of the UK's hill climb championships in the Lake District, 12 reasons to try some off-road riding this autumn and winter, take a look at whether road bikes have reached 'peak aero' and find out how Alice Towers cycling career was shaped by her motobike racing father.
Subscribe to Cycling Weekly magazine before 14 November to get a 57% discount on the cover price and receive a £10 M&S voucher (UK only)
