News

Since the creation of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift in 2022, it has started the day after the end of the men’s Tour de France, to take advantage of the momentum from the world's most important race. However, in 2024, the Paris Olympics have affected both the men's Tour de France, which moved its dates forward by a week, and the women's, which has shifted its Grand Départ to the day after the Games close. Thus, the biggest event of the year for women's cycling, the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, will take place from next Monday, August 12th.

Route

Of the eight stages that make up the race, the first four and the start of the fifth are held between the Netherlands and Belgium, so it won't be until halfway through stage 5 that the cyclists will ride on French soil. The first stage is flat and should end in a bunch sprint. The second day is special because it features two stages in the same day: first, a new flat stage of 67 km, and then, a short individual time trial of 6.3 km.

The fourth stage offers a hilly profile ideal for puncheurs with an Amstel Gold Race flavor in the first part, including climbs over the Cauberg (0.6 km at 7.5%) and the Bemelerberg (0.9 km at 5.3%), and a smell of Liège-Bastogne-Liège in the final section, with climbs to the Côte de la Redoute (1.6 km at 8.6%), the Côte des Forges (1.5 km at 6.9%), and the Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons (1.3 km at 10.1%). The fifth presents another undulating profile and a new opportunity for puncheurs and strong sprinters, with the final 600 meters going uphill at 5.5%. Friday is again a mid-mountain stage with more than 2000 meters of positive elevation gain, mostly concentrated in the final part, while the real mountain challenges are reserved for the final weekend.

On Saturday, the finish at Le Grand-Bornand (8.2 km at 4.7%) culminates a demanding stage that should reveal the best climber in the race, and on Sunday, the climax comes with the Col du Glandon (19.9 km at 7.2%) and the finish atop the iconic Alpe d’Huez (14 km at 7.9%), which will crown the new queen of the Tour.

Favorites

The 2023 race winner Demi Vollering (1200) is the favorite to repeat victory. Other GC contenders include Katarzyna Niewiadoma (1000), Juliette Labous (1000), Evita Muzic (800), Gaia Realini (1000), Riejanne Markus (800), Neve Bradbury (600), Ane Santesteban (600), Mavi García (800), Liane Lippert (1000), and Kim Cadzow (200).

For the sprints, Lorena Wiebes (1200), Marianne Vos (1000), Charlotte Kool (1000), Elisa Balsamo (1000), Lotta Henttala (200), and Daria Pikulik (200) are some of the fastest on paper.

Additionally, riders like Cecile Uttrup Ludwig (1000), Elise Chabbey (1000), Silvia Persico (800), Mischa Bredewold (800), Alison Jackson (400), Kristen Faulkner (400), Anna Henderson (800), Pfeiffer Georgi (600), Grace Brown (800), and Chloe Dygert (600) will likely seek for stage wins in the intermediate stages, where Shirin Van Anrooij (800), Puck Pieterse (200), and Fem Van Empel (400), the three great dominators of women's cyclocross in recent years, can also shine.

Photo: © Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift