The calendar of the Olympic Games (July 26-August 11, 2024) will, that summer, impose adaptations on all organizers of cultural or sporting events.
Like the Tour de France (June 30-July 21, 2024) which will innovate.
For the first time since 1903, the Grande Boucle will arrive far from Paris.
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It will necessarily be a different Tour
“Summarizes Christian Prudhomme, the director of the Tour who, this Thursday announced in Nice that the arrival of the Tour 2024 would be judged in Nice.
A great first in the history of the Grande Boucle born in 1903. With a time trial, instead of the traditional parade on the Champs-Élysées.
Information on the 111th Tour 2024, in particular for the theater of the big start, could follow in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, the director of the Tour explains the aesthetic and sporting choice of Nice.
To discover
Tour de France 2023: the map and ten things to remember on the route
The general classification of the Tour de France
Why Nice?
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First of all, there is an exceptional geographical location in terms of the setting, the aesthetics and the areas of expression offered to the runners.
We have seen it since 1933 during the last stage of Paris-Nice which is often played out in seconds.
And there are strong links between the Tour and Nice.
The city, the metropolis and Christian Estrosi had played a decisive role when it was necessary, for the Tour to exist, to change the dates with a departure from Nice on August 29, it was not what we had envisaged a few years earlier. .
But Christian Estrosi immediately said yes to the shift, here we go, we go for it and that set the tone.
Afterwards, we were launched, on the rails.
And all the elected officials said yes.
This is what, with the strength of state services, has allowed the Tour to exist.
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No closing parade in 2024, but a time trial
A final time trial, 35 years later.
The organizers have aspired for many years to bring the suspense as far as possible.
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And to stay in the register of suspense, the last stage will be a time trial, which has not happened on the Tour since 1989, it will be 35 years, it ended with the smallest gap between the first and second in the final general classification, the famous 8 seconds of the unforgettable duel between Greg LeMond and Laurent Fignon.
So we're going to use the particularity of Nice on the last day but also the day before, we're going to be traveling the roads in the hinterland.
The stage will start on Saturday from Nice.
And the last day, during the time trial, in Nice, we won't do everything from the bottom up... It will be Sunday July 21, it's the Belgian national holiday.
It's a bit of a coincidence, but it still looks a bit like an invitation for Mr. Evenepoel (the world champion has,
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The adaptive strength of the Tour
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We will be delighted to return to Paris in 2025, for the fiftieth anniversary of the arrival on the Champs-Elysées.
There, from Nice, we will find ourselves at the foot of the mountain, we will not have the transfer to return to Paris.
And the protagonists will have plenty to do.
With the beauty of the frame and a profile to use.
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The last stage far from Paris, a first that could appeal to others?
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I don't know at all.
We are going to do everything to achieve this final finish in 2024. I do not doubt for a single second that it will be a great success, we will draw the consequences.
It's going to be something that's never been, because there's only been Paris since 1903. And a city that's had both the big start and the final finish, it'll be the first outside of Paris…
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The start of the 110th edition of the Tour de France will be given from Bilbao on Saturday July 1, 2023.
