Cycling in Yorkshire & Beyond
Cycling in Yorkshire & Beyond
Stage 1 of the Tour de France 2024 is a 206km road race.
It starts in Florence, birthplace of Gino Bartali, and finishes in Rimini on the Adriatic coast.
In between, there's more than 3,600m of climbing, which is unusual for a first Tour de France stage. The final categorised ascent is in San Marino, 25km before the finish line.
Given the difficulty of the stage, the first yellow jersey may go to a GC contender.
Race Details | Poll | Map & Profile | Timings | Videos | Food & Drink | Route Notes | Favourites
| Date | Saturday 29th June 2024 |
|---|---|
| Stage classification | Hilly |
| Distance | 206km |
| Intermediate sprint | TBC |
| Climbs | Col de Valico Tre Faggi Côte des Forche Côte de Spinello Côte de Barbotto Côte de San Leo Côte de Montemaggio Côte de Saint-Marin |
Vote for one of the main contenders to win Stage 1 (to be added later).
This is a map of the route of Stage 1, Tour de France 2024.
This is a zoom-able map of the route of Stage 1 of the 2024 Tour de France.
Note: this routemap was produced a long time in advance of the race, and could be subject to changes.
This is the profile of Stage 1 Tour de France 2024.
| Caravan | Fast Schedule | Slow Schedule | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start Time (départ fictif) | |||
| Start Time (départ réel) | |||
| Intermediate Sprint | |||
| Climb | |||
| Finish Line (206km) |
This is a video of the route.
One speciality in Florence is tagliatelle funghi porcini et tartufo - tagliatelle pasta with porcini mushrooms and truffles.
Another is ribollita, meaning 'reheated'. It is a soup made with stale bread, tomatoes, beans and other seasonal vegetables. There's a similar dish called pappa al pomodoro.
To accompany the stage, you should drink Chianti wine - from the Monti Chianti between Florence and Siena.
Chianti wine has been produced since the 1200s, and the area growing the (Sangiovese) grapes was officially designated by Tuscan Grand Duke Cosimo III in 1716.
Chianti Classico is defined by its aromas of wild berries, earthiness, spices and tannins.
It goes particularly well with pappa al pomodoro.
The stage starts in Florence (départ fictif).
Florence, or Firenze, is the capital of the Tuscany region. It has 360,000 inhabitants.
The origin of the name of the city is uncertain. One theory is that a soldier called Florio was killed here, and he gave his name to the place. Another is that the city's name is related to the Latin word for flowers, and refers to flowering plants which grew here.
Florence originated as a colony for veteran Roman soldiers, established in 59BC.
After the disruptions of the Barbarian invasions, it was conquered by Charlemagne in 774 and became part of the March of Tuscany.
It was a centre of trade and finance in the Middle Ages. The Florentines invented double-entry bookkeeping, which will be exciting to all you accountancy fans out there, and the Florentine gold florin financed the development of industry all over Europe.
Florentine bankers provided capital to the Pope, including for the construction of their provisional capital in Avignon.
The Italian banking family, the Medici, ruled the Republic of Florence for periods from the 1400s onwards. Two Medicis became Pope, and Catherine de Medici married Henri II of France, then became Regent of France after his death.
From 1569 to 1737, the Medicis were Grand Dukes of Tuscany.
Florence is usually thought of as the birthplace of the Renaissance.
Famous writers from Florence include Dante, Petrarch, Boccaccio, Machiavelli and Guicciardini. As a result of their cultural influence, the Florentine dialect became the basis of standard Italian, and the national literary language.
Florence was the capital of the early Kingdom of Italy (1865-71), between the first capital, Turin, and the current capital, Rome.
The economy of Florence is founded on tourism. The centre of Florence is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
At the heart of this is the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, or Il Duomo, built by Filippo Brunelleschi with the largest brick-and-mortar dome in the world.
The Ponte Vecchio was built in the 1300s, and features shops on the edges of the bridge. It links the Uffizi to the Medici residence, the Palazzo Pitti. It was the only Florentine bridge not blown up by the Germans in World War II.
The Uffizi are Florence's most famous art gallery. The building (uffizi = offices) was used as government offices for centuries. The displays are based on the Medicis' own art collection.
The Galleria dell'Accademia houses a Michelangelo collection, including his famous statue of David.
A bronze cast of Michelangelo's David stands at Piazzale Michelangelo, a square designed by Giuseppe Poggi and built in 1869. It is in Oltrarno, on the south bank of the river Arno, and it gives a panoramic view over the city.
The Palazzo Pitti, in the Boboli Gardens, is a big museum with more of the Medicis' collection, and other Renaissance works.
The peloton heads east out of Florence to San Jacopo al Girone, on the Arno river. The départ réel is just after San Jacopo, on the Via Aretina.
The first 30km or so are flat.
The riders follow the Arno to Pontassieve, then they shadow the river Sieve to Rufina and Dicomano.
Soon after Dicomano, the first climb begins, the Col de Valico Tre Faggi.
It's 12.5km at an average 5.1%. The summit is at 930m, and comes after 49km raced.
There's then a long descent, initially following the Fosso del Forcone, then later the Rabbi river.
The race reaches Premilcuore.
After following the Fiume Rabbi further downstream, the next climb on Stage 1 looms.
The next climb is of the Monte delle Forche, called the Côte des Forche by the Tour de France organisers.
It's 2.5km at an average 6.2%, to a height of 430m, reached after 78km raced.
The descent is to Galeata, then down the Bidente river to Santa Sofia.
Then the next climb begins, the Côte de Spinello.
The climb is to the village of Spinello, above Santa Sofia. It's 7.1km at an average 6%, reaching a height of 707m after 95km raced.
Next there's a long descent via San Piero in Bagno and along the Fiume Savio to the Lago di Quarto.
The race route continues downhill to Sarsina, Monte Castello and Mercato Saraceno.
The next climb is the Côte de Barbotto. Barbotto is the hamlet before the top of Monte Spelano.
The climb is 5.8km at an average 7.6%, to a height of 584m after 136km raced.
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Now Stage 1 descends to Perticara and Novafeltria, ready to start the next climb.
The next climb is the Côte de San Leo, 4.6km at 7.7% to a height of 572m after 158km raced.
There's a descent, but the climbs come thick and fast now. The next one is the Côte de Montemaggio.
The Côte de Montemaggio is 4.2km at an average 6.6%, to a height of 508m after 167km raced.
The riders pass into San Marino and through Chiesanuova, then down to Fiorentino.
The next climb is up to the town of San Marino, and the Tour de France calls it the Côte de San Marin.
It's 7.1km at an average 4.8%, to a height of 648m after 180km raced.
Then it's downhill on the Via Venticinque Marzo (25th March) to Serravalle. Soon after, the race leaves San Marino.
After Serravalle, the road flattens out and heads for the Adriatic coast.
Via Gabrielle Chiabrera takes the riders to the seaside. There's a left turn onto the seafront road, Lungomore Giuseppe di Vittorio.
The finish line is on the beach road near its junction with Via Roma.
Wout van Aert is capable of winning pretty much any type of stage. If he is in the leading group as it approaches the finish line, he is likely to win a sprint.
If only climbers and GC contenders are left, Tadej Pogacar could be favourite.
Who do you think will win Stage 1 of the 2024 Tour de France in Rimini?
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