Local NewsJuly 7, 2024
The Tour de France, considered the biggest race in cycling, takes over roads in Europe, with a twist for the end this year
Lewiston Tribune
Team dsm–firmenich PostNL’s Romain Bardet, right, of France, crosses the finish line with teammate Frank van den Broek, of Netherlands, to win the first stage of the Tour de France over 206 kilometers with start in Florence and finish in Rimini, Italy, Saturday, June 29, 2024. The Tour, one of the three Grand Tours, along with the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España, takes place over three weeks, 21 stages, and is regarded as the biggest race in cycling. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
Team dsm–firmenich PostNL’s Romain Bardet, right, of France, crosses the finish line with teammate Frank van den Broek, of Netherlands, to win the first stage of the Tour de France over 206 kilometers with start in Florence and finish in Rimini, Italy, Saturday, June 29, 2024. The Tour, one of the three Grand Tours, along with the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España, takes place over three weeks, 21 stages, and is regarded as the biggest race in cycling. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)Daniel Cole/Associated Press
A cycling fan waves the Italian flag as the peloton with Team dsm–firmenich PostNL’s Romain Bardet, of France, wearing the yellow jersey, left, passes during the second stage of the Tour de France over 199.2 kilometers with start in Cesenatico and finish in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, June 30, 2024. It was the first time in the race’s 121-year history, that it has started in Italy. 2024 is the 100th anniversary of the first Italian victory in the Tour, won by Ottavio Bottecchia in 1924. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
A cycling fan waves the Italian flag as the peloton with Team dsm–firmenich PostNL’s Romain Bardet, of France, wearing the yellow jersey, left, passes during the second stage of the Tour de France over 199.2 kilometers with start in Cesenatico and finish in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, June 30, 2024. It was the first time in the race’s 121-year history, that it has started in Italy. 2024 is the 100th anniversary of the first Italian victory in the Tour, won by Ottavio Bottecchia in 1924. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)Daniel Cole/Associated Press
Uno-X Mobility’s Jonas Abrahamsen, of Norway, wearing the polka dot jersey, cools off while riding in the breakaway during the second stage of the Tour de France over 199.2 kilometers with start in Cesenatico and finish in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, June 30, 2024. The polka dot jersey denotes the leader of the mountain classification for which points are awarded for the first rider to reach the mountain summits. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
Uno-X Mobility’s Jonas Abrahamsen, of Norway, wearing the polka dot jersey, cools off while riding in the breakaway during the second stage of the Tour de France over 199.2 kilometers with start in Cesenatico and finish in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, June 30, 2024. The polka dot jersey denotes the leader of the mountain classification for which points are awarded for the first rider to reach the mountain summits. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)Daniel Cole/Associated Press
EF Education–EasyPost’s Richard Carapaz, of Ecuador, kisses the yellow jersey after the third stage of the Tour de France over 230.8 kilometers with start in Piacenza and finish in Turin, Italy, Monday, July 1, 2024. The yellow jersey, called the maillot jaune, denotes the leader of the race, or the rider with the lowest overall time. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
EF Education–EasyPost’s Richard Carapaz, of Ecuador, kisses the yellow jersey after the third stage of the Tour de France over 230.8 kilometers with start in Piacenza and finish in Turin, Italy, Monday, July 1, 2024. The yellow jersey, called the maillot jaune, denotes the leader of the race, or the rider with the lowest overall time. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)Daniel Cole/Associated Press
UAE Team Emirates’ Tadej Pogacar, front, of Slovenia, and Team Visma–Lease a Bike’s Jonas Vingegaard, of Denmark, break away from the pack during the second stage of the Tour de France over 199.2 kilometers with start in Cesenatico and finish in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, June 30, 2024. Pogacar and Vingegaard are the race favorites with Vingegaard winning the race in 2023, 2022, and placing second to Pogacar in 2021. Pogacar is coming off a victory in the Giro d'Italia and won the Tour in 2020 and 2021, and placed second to Vingegaard in 2022 and 2024. Only seven riders, Fausto Coppi, Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Stephen Roche, Miguel Induráin, and Marco Pantani, have won the Giro and Tour in one season, and only two riders, Merckx and Roche, have completed the triple crown of cycling; winning the Tour, Giro, and world championships in a single season. (Bernard Papon/Pool Photo via AP)
UAE Team Emirates’ Tadej Pogacar, front, of Slovenia, and Team Visma–Lease a Bike’s Jonas Vingegaard, of Denmark, break away from the pack during the second stage of the Tour de France over 199.2 kilometers with start in Cesenatico and finish in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, June 30, 2024. Pogacar and Vingegaard are the race favorites with Vingegaard winning the race in 2023, 2022, and placing second to Pogacar in 2021. Pogacar is coming off a victory in the Giro d'Italia and won the Tour in 2020 and 2021, and placed second to Vingegaard in 2022 and 2024. Only seven riders, Fausto Coppi, Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Stephen Roche, Miguel Induráin, and Marco Pantani, have won the Giro and Tour in one season, and only two riders, Merckx and Roche, have completed the triple crown of cycling; winning the Tour, Giro, and world championships in a single season. (Bernard Papon/Pool Photo via AP)Bernard Papon/pool via Associated Press
Astana’s Mark Cavendish, of Britain, also known by the nickname the Manx Missile, celebrates after winning his 35th Tour de France stage to break the record for most Tour de France stage wins during the fifth stage of the Tour de France over 177.4 kilometers with start in Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne and finish in Saint-Vulbas, France, Wednesday, July 3, 2024. The previous record for most stage wins of 34 was set by Eddy Merckx, regarded as the greatest cyclist of all time, between 1969-75. Cavendish attempted to break the record in 2023, but crashed out of the race. (Thomas Samson/Pool Photo via AP)
Astana’s Mark Cavendish, of Britain, also known by the nickname the Manx Missile, celebrates after winning his 35th Tour de France stage to break the record for most Tour de France stage wins during the fifth stage of the Tour de France over 177.4 kilometers with start in Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne and finish in Saint-Vulbas, France, Wednesday, July 3, 2024. The previous record for most stage wins of 34 was set by Eddy Merckx, regarded as the greatest cyclist of all time, between 1969-75. Cavendish attempted to break the record in 2023, but crashed out of the race. (Thomas Samson/Pool Photo via AP)Thomas Samson/pool via Associated Press
The peloton rides downhill during the fourth stage of the Tour de France over 139.6 kilometers with start in Pinerolo, Italy and finish in Valloire, France, Tuesday, July 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
The peloton rides downhill during the fourth stage of the Tour de France over 139.6 kilometers with start in Pinerolo, Italy and finish in Valloire, France, Tuesday, July 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)Daniel Cole/Associated Press

The eyes of the world soon will turn to Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games. Before that however, France is taken over by cyclists from across the globe for the biggest race in the world, the Tour de France.

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The cyclists competing will ride a total of about 2,173 miles with about 32.5 miles of overall elevation gain over the race’s 21 stages.

It is the first time the race starts in Italy and the first time it ends in Nice, France, on July 21, skipping the traditional finish on the Champs-Élysées in Paris because of preparations there for the Summer Olympics.

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