The 2024 Tour de France breaks with some traditions, mainly because of the Olympic Games in Paris.
The 111th edition of the world’s most famous cycling tour ends five days before the start of the Summer Games on July 21 in Nice and thus for the first time since 1905 not on the Champs Elysees in France’s capital Paris.
According to the organizers on Thursday (December 1st, 2022), the last stage in Nice will be held as an individual time trial. This could be the final section in contrast to the usual “Tour d’Honour” after Paris will once again be decisive for the outcome of the tour. The Tour of France, which was brought forward by a week due to the Olympics, begins on June 29 in Florence and thus for the first time in the history of the Tour in Italy.
Sports historical dimensions
The temporary farewell to Paris has dimensions of sporting history. The “Grand Boucle” still in Ville d’Avray and only afterwards always in the His-Metropolis. In Paris, the finish line was in the Prinzenpark Stadium until 1968, then in the Cipal Velodrome and since 1975 on the Champs Elysees.
In a time trial fell last in 1989 trip-Decision. In a legendary final, the American Greg LeMond turned a 50-second deficit on the French overall leader Laurent Fignon into an eight-second advantage in a fight against the clock.
2025 return to Paris
In the Olympic year, a “mountain-oriented” stage is also planned to kick off the final weekend on the day before the final Nice take place as a starting point. Nice has been a stage of the tour 37 times so far. 1981 and 2020 was the Nobel place at the French Riviera already to trip-Beginning scene of “grand department“.
2025 should the trip again after Paris to return. In view of the anniversary of the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the Champs Elysees the organizers already indicated special actions.