Tour de France 2024 Femmes: The Grand Boucle to Start from Rotterdam Just after the Paris Olympics

The 2024 edition of the Tour de France Femmes will kick off from Rotterdam on August 12, the day after the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics, announced Marion Rousse, the director of the event. This will be the first time the women’s race will have a foreign start. “It seemed logical to us that the flagship nation of women’s cycling could host the world’s greatest cycling race,” she explained in a press release.

Three out of the eight stages will take place in the Netherlands, including two on the same day, featuring a time trial through the streets of Rotterdam. The race will conclude on Sunday, August 18. The full route will be unveiled on October 25.

This foreign start will be a first for the Tour de France Femmes, which was resurrected last year with a start in Paris. The 2024 edition posed a challenge due to the Paris Olympics taking place from July 26 to August 11, making it impossible to organize the women’s Tour directly after the men’s Tour, as is currently the case. Next year, the men’s Tour de France will also start a week earlier, from Florence, Italy.

The decision to start the Tour de France Femmes from Rotterdam demonstrates the growing importance and recognition of women’s cycling. The Netherlands has long been a powerhouse in women’s cycling, producing world-class athletes and hosting prestigious races such as the Amstel Gold Race and the Women’s Tour of Flanders.

By choosing Rotterdam as the starting point, the organizers are not only acknowledging the cycling heritage of the Netherlands but also showcasing the city’s infrastructure and commitment to promoting cycling. Rotterdam is known for its cycling-friendly infrastructure and has been recognized as one of the most bike-friendly cities in the world.

The inclusion of a time trial in the streets of Rotterdam adds an exciting element to the race. Time trials are known for their technical challenges and require riders to showcase their individual skills against the clock. This stage will not only test the riders’ abilities but also allow spectators to witness the race up close and personal, cheering on their favorite cyclists as they navigate the city’s streets.

The Tour de France Femmes has been gaining momentum since its revival last year. The race provides a platform for women cyclists to showcase their talent and compete at the highest level. By aligning the start of the women’s Tour with the Paris Olympics, it further elevates the stature of the event and highlights the importance of gender equality in sports.

The announcement of the 2024 edition’s route unveiling on October 25 creates anticipation and excitement among cycling enthusiasts and fans. It allows them to plan their trips and mark their calendars for the much-anticipated event. The route unveiling will also provide insights into the challenges and terrain that the riders will face, further building excitement for the race.

🇳🇱 𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐃𝐀𝐌 𝐓𝐎 𝐇𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐃𝐄́𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐃𝐄 𝐅𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐅𝐄𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐂 𝐙𝐖𝐈𝐅𝐓 🚴‍♀️ The Netherlands will host the first three of the eight stages that make up the 2024 edition, beginning with the Grand Départ in… pic.twitter.com/854s3jDYQT

— Le Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift (@LeTourFemmes) July 10, 2023

The decision to start the Tour de France Femmes from Rotterdam after the Paris Olympics is a significant milestone for women’s cycling. It not only showcases the growing recognition of women’s cycling but also highlights the importance of gender equality in sports. The inclusion of Rotterdam as the starting point and the time trial through the city’s streets adds an element of excitement and showcases the cycling-friendly infrastructure of the Netherlands. With the full route set to be unveiled later this year, anticipation for the 2024 edition of the Tour de France Femmes continues to build.