Tour de France 2024 won't finish in Paris for first time in 120-year history

By Olivia Mustafa, ITV News Trainee

A route shake-up will see the Tour de France 2024's finish line in Nice, as the race ends outside of Paris for the first time in its 120-year history.

Next summer's tour will begin in Florence, Italy on June 29 and finishes in Nice on July 21 as the French capital focuses on final preparations for the Paris Olympics.

The 3,400km route will move from Italy through the Alps and into France, culminating in a final-day time trial from Monaco to Nice.

British cyclist Mark Cavendish said details of the new route left him in "shock" as he looked for opportunities to win a record-breaking 35th stage of the race.

Organisers have said there are as many as eight flat stages, but Cavendish warned it would be much harder in reality due to the threat of breakaways, crosswinds, and the mountain tests that come between.

“It’s so hard,” he said. “I am actually in a bit of shock! There’s a few (sprint opportunities), but you’ve got to get to them, that’s the problem.”

Organisers have offered up a balanced route for 2024, aiming to create a more open race in the battle for the yellow jersey.

From Italy, the race crosses the Alps via the Sestriere and Col du Galibier to reach France on stage four, but there are then further sprint opportunities into Saint-Vulbas and Dijon.

After a 25km individual time trial through the Bourgogne Cote d’Or vineyards, there is another flat stage into Colombey-les-Deux-Eglises a day later.

The 199km stage nine, starting and finishing in Troyes, includes 47km on gravel.

After a rest day in Orléans the Tour heads to the Pyrenees via the Massif Central, with sprint opportunities expected on stages 12 and 13 into Villeneuve-sur-Lot and then Pau.

Stage 14 crosses the Col du Tourmalet and the Hourquette d’Ancizan, and stage 15 tackles just shy of 5,000 metres of climbing across the Col de Peyresourde, Portet d’Aspet and Col d’Agnes on Bastille Day.

The battle for yellow will be decided with a series of Alpine battles before ending with a Monaco to Nice time trial.

Cavendish said: " I know the first kilometres really well, but it makes no difference because it starts hard, finishes hard and is all hard…

“I think Torino should offer the chance for sprinters. It is a difficult Tour de France, you know, it could be more comfortable.”

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