The 2024 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift route has been revealed in Paris at a presentation in the Palais des Congrès. Audrey Cordon-Ragot and team management attended the presentation.
From Rotterdam in the Netherlands to the 21 switchbacks of Alpe d’Huez, the stage race promises to be truly epic. The third edition of the race in its modern state, the Tour is the jewel in the Women’s WorldTour calendar and the biggest race in the world. The route includes crosswind stages, an early time trial, a stage resembling an Ardennes Classic, hilly days for breakaways and a weekend in the high Alps.
Starting in Rotterdam, the riders will tackle a flat but wind-smashed sprint, before a shorter sprint stage and individual time trial on the same day and an Ardennes Classics-style stage that takes the race to Belgium. The race then crosses into France for two leg-sapping hilly days in the saddle, leading up to a truly epic finale in the Alps.
The final weekend will be one of the toughest faced in any stage race ever, with the riders taking on the climb to La Grand-Bornand before the finale atop one of the most feared names in the sport – Alpe d’Huez.
TOUR DE FRANCE FEMMES AVEC ZWIFT 2024 STAGE-BY-STAGE
10/12 Stage 1 | Rotterdam – La Haye (124km) Flat
If one were to look ‘pan flat’ up in the dictionary, this stage profile would be the image. Don’t be fooled by its tame-looking parcours, the famous Dutch crosswinds will certainly blow, causing the first challenge for the riders. Although it will likely finish in a bunch sprint, there may well be splits that affect the entire race.
10/13 Stage 2 | Dordrecht – Rotterdam (67km) Flat
The first in a double day, stage 2 is also likely to be battered by crosswinds. With more splits likely, some GC riders could take it easy before the time trial in the afternoon and thus be caught out by splits caused by their rivals and sprinter’s teams fighting for the win.
10/13 Stage 3 | Rotterdam – Rotterdam (6.3km) ITT
The first time trial in the early stages of the Tour de France Femmes in its modern form, the flat, short test against the clock will suit aerodynamic experts, but at just 6.3km, powerful riders and sprinters may also get in on the action.
10/14 Stage 4 | Valkenburg – Liège (122km) Hilly
With an elevation gain of 2000 metres, stage 4 is practically the Amstel Gold Race and Liège-Bastogne-Liège one-day Classics sandwiched together. A total of eight categorised climbs, including the Cauberg, the Côte de la Redoute and the Côte de la Roche aux Faucons, provides the first chance for riders to go for the polka dot jersey before the finish in Liège. It will likely finish in much the same way as ‘La Doyenne’, with either a solo break or a reduced group sprint of favourites.
10/15 Stage 5 | Bastogne – Amnéville (150km) Hilly
Back into France for a chance for a breakaway to potentially out-fox the peloton and use the rolling roads to Amnéville to stay ahead. A rising finish will suit the puncheurs.
10/16 Stage 6 | Remiremont – Morteau (160km) Hilly
A hilly finale rather than mountainous, riders will nonetheless have to be vigilant on the relentless final 30km to Morteau. With the mountains on the horizon, GC riders may well take a back seat and let a breakaway fight for victory.
10/17 Stage 7 | Champagnole – La Grand-Bornand (167km) Mountains
Alpe d’Huez may dominate the headlines but the longest stage of the race is just as testing. The Tour de France Femmes enters the Alps for the first time and will tackle the 5.4km at 5.1% Col de Saint-Jean-de-Sixt and 7km at 5.1% Montée du Chinaillon on the way to the finish at La Grand-Bornand.
10/18 Stage 8 | La Grand-Bornand – Alpe d’Huez (150km) Mountains
The Tour de France Femmes will draw to a close in incredible style. 14km at an average of 8% with 21 switchbacks, Alpe d’Huez is a climb steeped in cycling legend. 32 years after Leontien van Moorsel overhauled Jeannie Longo on its slopes in the Tour de Féminin, more history will be created on this icon. The final day is undoubtedly for the climbers and GC favourites.
