2024 Giro d’Italia and Tour de France Routes

Much has been made in the last few weeks of the Giro and Tour routes for next year. I find the hype a little bit tiresome as the cycling press desperately searches for news in the off-season.

That being said, I’m quite excited about the route for next year’s Tour. It offers more mountain stages than normal and more time trialing kilometers than in recent years. But more than the stage profiles, often the riders make the race. And with the Big Four looking like they will all angle for the Tour next year, it could be a showdown for the ages.

Still, frustratingly (from my perspective) at this point, Jonas is the heavy favorite and something would have to change for him to not win again next year. The route suits him even more and he is always flying in July. He completed his Bond Villain character arc by accepting the Velo d’Or award this week in a black turtleneck, hair slicked and pale, gaunt complexion giving him the appearance of a vampire. I think most of the cycling world would be happy to see Pogi reclaim his throne next year, or somebody else usurp it from Jonas.

I am a bit disappointed in the Giro route for next year, and it will be a race for second-tier GC riders to contest. There is an intensifying discussion about Sepp Kuss competing for the victory, and you would absolutely love to see that. I am not sure the route totally suits him, but he can beat a lot of the guys that would likely ride it.

When the races roll around an eternity from now, I will actually delve deeper into the elevation profiles, interesting facts and history of the regions and cities visited, and preview the riders with a shot at winning each stage, the jerseys, and contending for the General Classification.

But for now, we have a long winter ahead here in the Northeast United States. I’m still hemming and hawing about my plans for this project and others during the next few months. Lack of bike racing to watch and write about is having a negative effect on my mental health… which is part of why I have to find excuses to publish new content.

Jamie