Tour de France Femmes 2024: Route revealed for iconic race including stages in Belgium and the Netherlands
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Updated 25/10/2023 at 19:58 GMT
The 946.3 kilometre route for the 2024 Tour de France Femmes has been revealed by race directors Christian Prudhomme and Marion Rousse. It features a mixture of flat stages, an individual time trial, two hilly stages, two mountain stages and a finale in the Alps. It has also been moved from late July to mid August to accommodate the Olympics, with the eight-stage race running from August 12-18.
'Have to see what the best option is' - Kopecky 'unsure' if she will race Tour de France Femmes
The route for the 2024 Tour de France Femmes has been officially unveiled.
In what will be the third edition of the modernised women’s Tour de France, competitors will battle it out across eight stages and seven days from August 12 to August 18.
Riders will have to navigate the 946.3 kilometres route that begins with the Grand Départ in the Netherlands before crossing into Belgium and finishing in France.
Host cities for one of the world’s most iconic races include Rotterdam, The Hague, Drodrecht, Valkenburg, Liege and Bastogne before it concludes in the Alps.
It has been split up into three flat stages for sprinters, one individual time trial, two hilly stages, two mountain stages and a climax at the top of Alpe d’Huez.
The route was revealed in Paris on October 25 by race directors Christian Prudhomme and Marion Rousse at the same time as the men’s Tour de France, and also features a date change to accommodate next year’s Paris Olympics, which runs from July 26-August 11.
Speaking about the Grand Départ, Rosse said: "The stage begins with a 40km loop that features two trips through a long and newly built tunnel beneath the waters of the River Scheur – the tunnel will be formally opened on this great occasion.
"The riders will then find themselves in flat and wind-exposed terrain, the route running between tulip fields and through urban areas.
"The last five kilometres, which are wide and free of significant difficulties, will lead to a final straight on an avenue that’s perfect for a bunch sprint."
Riders will then have to tackle two stages on August 13, with the 67km road race from Dordrecht to Rotterdam followed by a 6.3km individual time trial.
Stage 4 starts in Valkenburg and finishes in the Belgian city of Liege and features 122km of hills which includes eight categorised ascents.
The fifth stage is flatter but still has five categorised ascents across 150km from Bastogne to Amneville.
Stage 6 will continually demand more from riders over 160km and five categorised ascents, before the race heads into the Alps.
The longest phase of the race at 167km, Stage 7 is the first in the mountains and finishes at Le Grand-Bornand.
Finally, Stage 8 includes three ascents across the 150km, with the Alpe d'Huez providing a fitting backdrop for what promises to be a thrilling finale.
"A truly beautiful mountain stage with two big climbs. The highest point of this third edition of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift comes on the Col du Glandon (1,924m), which will be tackled via its hardest side (19.7km at 7.2%).
"Then, for the grand finale, we have the mythical 21 hairpins Alpe d’Huez, where the 2024 champion is destined to emerge," Rousse added.
Demi Vollering of SD Worx finished atop the General Classification standings this year to claim her first Major Tour overall victory.
Her team-mate Lotte Kopecky finished second, while Poland’s Katarzyna Niewiadoma clinched third.
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