The organizers of the Tour de France revealed that the 2024 edition, because of the Paris Olympic Games, will end in Nice with a time trial stage in the streets of the Mediterranean city, which had not happened since 1989 when the American Greg Lemond gave the return to the general classification in the final time trial ahead of the Frenchman Laurent Fignon, by only eight seconds.
The 111th edition, forced to move its celebration from the Champs Elysées for the first time since 1975 to host the celebration of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, will mean crossing two borders, since it is scheduled to begin on June 29 in the Italian city from Florence.
The stage 21 time trial, which organizers believe could be a live competition involving possible changes in the lead, will take place between Monaco and Place Masséna in Nice on July 21, five days before the opening of the Olympic Games in the capital of France.
Details of the penultimate stage 20 have also been revealed: it will take place on a hilly course from Nice to Col de la Couillole. The announcement was made in the presence of the mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, and the member of the International Olympic Committee, Prince Albert II of Monaco.
This historically unusual Tour, which will have its Grand Departure in the Italian city of Florence, will conclude with a weekend on the French Riviera. The 132km mountain stage on the penultimate day will be tight and tough, the forecast is.
After passing the Col de Braus, the peloton is ready to tackle the climb to the Col de Turini, where Egan Bernal wore the yellow jersey in 2019 as did Primoz Roglic in 2022. The riders will then return to the Col de La Colmiane before fight on the Col de la Couillole.
The field will then cross the borders again for a few kilometers, this time for a brief visit to Monaco. The Principality hosted a time trial as the opening stage of the 2009 Tour.
Source: Mike Rowbottom, www.insidethegames.com