Breaking away from early tradition due to the Olympic Games, the 2024 Tour de France Femmes is set to shift its racing calendar, taking place from 12th to 18th August 2024 instead of following the men’s Tour de France. Sources indicate that the race, overseen by Marion Rousse, could make history by possibly concluding with a summit finish at the iconic Alpe d’Huez for the first time. Le Dauphiné Libéré, a French newspaper, suggests that the event’s rumoured destination is far from coincidental. Hôtel des Grandes Rousses, situated at the heart of the Alpe d’Huez resort, is already fully booked for the final weekend of the race.
This prospective 2024 edition will definitely commence in Rotterdam, marking the Tour de France Femmes’ first international start. The Dutch city will host three out of the eight stages (with a pair of stages on one day planned) with the remainder of the route to be revealed on 25 October.
Past editions of the women’s Tour have embraced other mountain ranges, including the Vosges two years ago, and the Pyrenees just last year. In the latter, the Col du Tourmalet served as the finishing climb during the penultimate stage where Demi Vollering seized the yellow jersey and maintained it through to the final time trial in Pau. This year’s potential venture into the Alps would add a new geographical chapter to the increasingly high-profile race.
Main photo credit: Charly Lopez
