The Tour de France, or just Le Tour, is the world's most significant bike race and is one of cycling's three Grand Tours, along with the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España. 

Staged over three weeks and 21 individual stages, the Tour is one of the world's most gruelling endurance events and sees cycling's strongest all-round riders battle it out across varied terrain for the prestige of claiming the yellow jersey of the overall winner.

The 2024 Tour, the 111th edition, follows the modern trend of starting outside its home nation. In the past decade, the Grand Départ has taken place in Belgium, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Denmark and Germany, as well as France, and for 2024 it will be staged in Florence, the capital of Italy's Tuscany region.

Traditionally, the Tour has finished with a processional ride into Paris and sprint finish on the Champs-Élysées. However, race organisers ASO (Amaury Sports Organisation) have been forced to try a new approach to the race route as the 2024 Olympics will be held in Paris at the same time, meaning the Tour has been ousted from its Champs-Élysées spot on the 21st stage.

Jonas Vingegaard for team Jumbo-Visma defended his title in the 110th edition, winning the yellow jersey by 7 minutes and 29 seconds. He is yet to confirm whether he will defend his title for a third year running, but it has been rumoured that Remco Evenepoel (Soudal–Quick-Step) will be targeting the 2024 Tour de France. 

TOUR DE FRANCE ROUTE 2024

The Tour de France is not a race that bucks tradition often. One of the things that makes it such a famous and hallowed sporting institution is its history, and, having now run for 120 years, it has been long and firmly established what works for the race. Yet the 2024 edition will mark one significant break from tradition as, for the first time ever, the race will finish in Nice rather than Paris. For the first time in decades, the Tour won’t end with a closing party along the Champs-Élysées of the nation’s capital, but rather with a time trial in Nice that could cause a late twist in the race for the yellow jersey.

While that change has been enforced by the external reason of the Olympics being hosted by Paris, the similarly novel decision for Italy to host the Grand Départ for the first time was the organiser's choice. Given that Italy hosts its own Grand Tour just a couple of months beforehand, the nation has never been high on the list of places for the Tour to visit but gets a chance to show off some of its most beautiful northern towns during the first four stages of the race. 

Even as the race heads into France, there are some more unconventional surprises in store. Most notably, a gravel stage at the end of the first week is sure to prove controversial, exciting some with its promise of thrilling, unpredictable racing over terrain not usually featured at the Tour, and angering others for being treacherous and too dependent on the whims of fortune.

In other respects, this Tour is like any other, with all the hallmarks that make the race what it is. The Pyrenees and the Alps will, as ever, feature, this time with the Pyrenees featuring first (leaving aside a brief crossing of the Alps as the riders travel into France from Italy during the first week). In these mountain ranges, there will be four summit finishes and enough mountains to encourage the climbing specialists among the GC contenders.

Yet there will also be a return to more time trialling after last year’s paltry total of just over 20km. This time, there will be two rather than one stage against the clock, amounting to 60km in total. There might be a lot of climbing in store, but these stages should make for a well-balanced GC race with something for everyone.

Stage one: Florence - Rimini, 206km

Stage two: Cesenatico - Bologne, 200km

Stage three: Plaisance - Turin, 229km

Stage four: Pinerolo - Valloire, 138km

Stage five: Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne - Saint-Vulbas, 177km

Stage six: Mâcon - Dijon, 163km

Stage seven: Suits-Saint-Georges - Gevrey-Chambertin, 25km

Stage eight: Semur-en-Auxois - Colombey-les-Deux-Églises, 176km

Stage nine: Troyes - Troyes, 199km

Stage 10: Orléans - Saint-Amand-Montrond, 187km

Stage 11: Èvaux-Les-Bains - Le Lioran, 211km

Stage 12: Aurillac - Villeneuve-Sur-Lot, 204km

Stage 13: Aged - Pau, 171km

Stage 14: Pau - Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla d'Adet, 152km

Stage 15: Loudenvielle - Plateau de Beille, 198km

Stage 16: Gruissan - Nimes, 187km

Stage 17: Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux - Superdévoluy, 178km

Stage 18: Gap - Barcelonnette, 179km

Stage 19: Embrun - Isola 2000, 145km 

Stage 20: Nice - Col de la Couillole, 133km

Stage 21: Monaco - Nice, 34km

See the full route stage-by-stage

TOUR DE FRANCE TEAMS 2024

It has not yet been announced which teams will be in Florence for the start, but we expect the normal 22 teams, each with eight riders. Out of the 22 teams, 18 will be from the WorldTour, two will qualify as the top-ranked from the second-division teams, and two will be selected as wildcards by the organisers.

TOUR DE FRANCE HISTORY 

The Tour de France will be in its 111th edition in 2024, first starting in 1903. Having only stopped for the two world wars, the Tour rose to become the premier event of the cycling calendar and is now one of the most-watched sporting events in the world. The Tour has changed significantly since its first iteration, but at its heart remains a gruelling test of physical and mental endurance for the participants.

Such is the Tour's prestige, overall wins and stage wins are often defining moments in the careers of riders. Some riders however have shaped the history of the Tour through their exceptional exploits, winning the general classification multiple times throughout their careers. Jacques Anquetil (1957 - 1964), Eddy Merckx (1969 - 1974), Bernard Hinault (1978 - 1985) and Miguel Indurain (1991 - 1995) hold the joint record of five for the most Tour wins, while Indurain is the only rider to win his titles in five-consecutive years. American Lance Armstrong held the record of seven until he had his titles stripped in 2012 after admitting to doping. 

Chris Froome is the only current rider with more than one Tour de France overall victory, having secured four titles between 2013 and 2017.

As for stage wins, Eddy Merckx's record of 34 was matched in 2019 by Britain's Mark Cavendish, who is undoubtedly the most successful sprinter in Tour de France history. Cavendish attempted to take this record by securing a final stage win before he retired at the end of the year, however, he crashed on stage eight and broke his collarbone, forcing him out of the race.

In the other classifications, Peter Sagan has a record seven victories in the green jersey points competition, while former French rider Richard Virenque has the same number in the polka-dot jersey of the King of the Mountains.

Most Tour de France wins: 

• 5 wins - Jacques Anquetil (1957 - 1964), Eddy Merckx (1969 - 1974), Bernard Hinault (1978 - 1985) and Miguel Indurain (1991 - 1995)
• 4 wins - Chris Froome (2013 - 2017)
• 3 wins - Philippe Thys (1913 - 1920), Louison Bobet (1953 - 55), Greg LeMond (1986 - 1990)

Recent Tour de France winners: 

• 2023 - Jonas Vinegaard, Jumbo-Visma
• 2022 - Jonas Vingegaard, Jumbo-Visma 
• 2021 - Tadej Pogačar, UAE Team Emirates
• 2020 - Tadej Pogačar, UAE Team Emirates
• 2019 - Egan Bernal, Team Ineos
• 2018 - Geraint Thomas, Team Sky
• 2017 - Chris Froome, Team Sky
• 2016 - Chris Froome, Team Sky
• 2015 - Chris Froome, Team Sky
• 2014 - Vincenzo Nibali, Astana ProTeam
• 2013 - Chris Froome, Sky Procycling
• 2012 - Bradley Wiggins, Sky Procycling
• 2011 - Cadel Evans, BMC Racing Team
• 2010 - Andy Schleck, Saxo Bank
• 2009 - Alberto Contador, Astana
• 2008 - Carlos Sastre, CSC ProTeam
• 2007 - Alberto Contador, Discovery Channel
• 2006 - Oscar Pereiro, Caisse d'Epargne