Tour de France 2024: How does the biggest cycling race in the world work?

The Tour de France, or simply "the Tour", is still the biggest and most prestigious cycling race in the world. This year, the Tour de France starts on Saturday June 29th 2024 in the Italian city of Florence and finishes on Sunday July 21st in Nice. That means the famous finish on the Parisian Champs-Elysees won't happen this year, because Paris is busying itself with the Olympics this summer. But how does this epic cycling race work exactly? In this blog you'll discover everything you need to know about the Tour de France 2024!

The contestants

A total of 22 cycling teams will join the Tour de France in 2024. This includes all eighteen World Tour teams and four Pro teams. Competing in the biggest cycling race in the world certainly isn't for anyone, not even for all cyclists who have a contract with a Pro team.

The organisers of the Tour de France determine which teams are allowed to compete based on the points scored during the cycling season. Plus, the organisers will select a number of teams to join using a so-called "wildcard". These teams haven't scored enough points during the season, but deserve to compete anyway according to the organisers of the Tour.

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What is the route like in 2024?

The Tour de France is a cycling race through France (and sometimes neighbouring countries) consisting of different stages. In 2024, the first three stages are in located in Italy, which is unique in the Tour's history. The Tour takes three weeks in total and encompasses 21 stages, plus rest days to allow cyclists to recuperate. This year, the total length of the Tour is over 3.500 kilometres.

The route of the Tour de France is divided into multiple kinds of stages, including time trials, sprint stages and mountain stages.

Time trials

A time trial is a stage in which cyclists start individually and have to complete the route as quickly as possible. This year, one of the most crucial time trials takes place on the final day, between Monaco and Nice. This time trial features a demanding route and could determine the final outcome of the Tour.

Sprint stages

Sprint stages give the fastest cyclists, the sprinters, the chance to distinguish themselves. These stages are usually on flat terrain and end in a mass sprint. For sprint specialists like Jasper Philipsen and Mads Pedersen, these stages are important opportunities to score a stage win.

Mountain stages

Mountain stages are where the Tour really shines. In 2024, the route includes as many as 65 climbs, divided across the Alpenines, the Alps, the Pyrenees and the Massif Central. This is where the largest time differences between cyclists arise, and where climbing specialists like Tadej Pogacar and Primoz Roglic compete with each other.

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Types of cyclists

Every cyclist has his own speciality, like time trials, sprinting or climbing. Some cyclists, like Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel, are all-rounders and these are the cyclists who have a chance of winning the Tour. To win the Tour, a cyclist has to do well in both climbs and time trials.

Sprinters

Sprinters excel on flat stages and aim to win the green jersey, which is awarded to the best sprinter. Points are awarded during intermediate sprints and the final sprint during every stage, which contribute to the final ranking. During mass sprints, the best sprinters are launched by their teammates with the goal of the team's best sprinter finishing first. A real mass sprint can be spectacular, because things can get rough. This sometimes results in intense crashes, and sprint finals are bound to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Climbers

Climbing specialists aim to win in the mountain ranking and strive to win as many points as possible during climbing stages. These points are handed out based on difficulty of the climb, which ranges from the fourth category to the "uncategorised" category (HC/Hors category).

The jerseys

You could wonder why on Earth anyone would want to race through France for three weeks while taking such a tough route. The answer is simple: the jerseys. After the last stage, the jerseys for each classification are handed out. The best sprinter receives the green jersey, the polka dot jersey is given to the cyclist who scored the most points on mountain stages, and the best young cyclist (under 26) receives the white jersey. And last but not least: the best cyclist in general receives the coveted yellow jersey.

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Top contenders and other famous contestants

The current list of participants includes well-known cyclists like Tadej Pogacar, Primož Roglič, Mathieu van der Poel and Remco Evenepoel. Jonas Vingegaard, the current champion, sustained an injury but remains a top contender. The most famous sprinters currently on the list are Jasper Philipsen, Mads Pedersen and our own Fabio Jakobsen and Dylan Groenewegen.

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Have fun!

Now that you're familiar with the most important rules of the Tour de France, you can enjoy the largest cycling race in the world this summer. The tactics of the cycling teams and the entire entourage make the Tour a special spectacle. The best cyclist doesn't always win, but the smartest does.