The Tour de France – the most famous bike race in the world – has traditionally finished in one of the most famous cities in the world, Paris.
Year after year we see famous images of the general classification leader cycling past the Arc de Triomphe with a flute of champagne in his hand, in what is a lifelong dream for cyclists around the world.
Yet this year, the race will not be finishing in the French capital city for the first time ever, yet there is a good reason why.
The Sporting News explains.
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Why isn't the 2024 Tour de France finishing in France?
There is a simple reason one of the most famous sporting events in the world isn't finishing in Paris, and it is due to the presence of arguably the most famous sporting event in the world, the Olympics.
The 16-day sporting extravaganza is being held in Paris between July 26-August 11, and whilst the Tour de France is scheduled to finish before the Games start, the city will still be undergoing intense preparations for the Olympics, including the opening ceremony, which is taking place within the city itself for the first time.
As a result, there is no room for the Tour de France to finish in Paris, forcing organisers to come up with an alternative plan this year.
Where is the 2024 Tour de France finishing?
This year, the Tour de France will be finishing with a time trial stage on the French Riviera, with the riders going from Monaco to Nice.
It is classified as an individual time trial, with a distance of 33.7km (20.9 miles) and a climb of 650m.
How to watch Tour de France 2024: Live stream, TV
- In the UK, the Tour de France will be live on Discovery+ and Eurosport, along with being free-to-air on ITV 4 and streaming service ITV X, S4C will show the action in Wales.
In Australia, the Tour de France is once again being telecast live and exclusively by SBS on free-to-air and digital television. The broadcaster has exclusive television and streaming rights
- In the USA, NBC Sports have the rights and all stages will be available via streaming platforms Peacock and Fubo. Stages eight, 14 and 20 will be broadcast live on NBC.
