tour mountain points

What Do The Mountain Categories Mean in The Tour de France?

Alpha ninja explains how mountains are categorized in the tour de france.

12 July, 2016 Alpha Ninja Ask Alpha Ninja

Tim: Hey Alpha Ninja! What are all the categorizations of the mountains in the Tour de France? I keep seeing numbers thrown around, but I don’t quite understand what they mean.

Hey Tim: Welcome to the world’s most confusing question. OK, not that the basic classifications are confusing, but when the asphalt of the Tour de France heads skyward, things get a little air-headed.

How Are Tour de France Climbs Classified?

Each of the mountain categories get increasingly more difficult from 4 to HC. The peeps in charge determine classifications based on gradient, distance, and max elevation:

Category 4:

The easiest climbs. Like pretty much a descent for the peloton. Usually needs to be at least 4km and 4% gradient (or a steeper gradient and shorter distance)

Category 3:

Getting a little tougher here. The pros are probably having a tough time holding the high note to “Let It Go.” As a rule, around a 6% gradient for 4km or so. Sometimes shorter distances at around 8% gradient.

Category 2:

Longer climbs that are sometimes steeper. Heavier breathing for the peloton, but they’re probably still humming whatever tune keeps their minds off the men in devil costumes (or worse) running alongside them up the climbs. Generally more than 5km at 7% gradient or longer than 10km at around 5%.

Category 1:

This one has Froome studying his handlebars pretty closely as he concentrates on the glory of things like how well yellow jerseys go with his eyes. Roughly 5-10km at 8% gradient or 15km+ at 6%.

HC or “Hors Category”:

This is a slick French term that means the climb is above categorization. These are the days that sprinters buy streamers for .  . . as decorations for their pity party. Long climbs. 15km, 20km, 30km. Steep, long, brutal. At least 15km above 8%.

Subjectivity of Tour de France Climbs

So all those numbers I listed above only kind of matter. Because there’s another word that also matters: subjectivity. For instance, if organizers feel like a climb is harder, it’ll get a higher rating. Or if a Cat 1 comes near the end of a stage, it turns into an HC. So I’m happy to have sort of answered your question as it kind of applies.

Well, that’s what I’ve got. Hope it helps, Tim. You can be cool like Tim too,  just send me whatever questions you’ve got , and get answers.

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I read once that the classifications were based on what gear your car need to be in to climb the hill.

I think that was an old classification used decades now. You have better cars these days, so it wouldn’t be needed now

THE BROADCASTERS, ON PEACOCK TV KEEP REFERRING TO MOUNTAIN PASSES AS “COL” de whatever, and so on. I looked up what COL means in french, but all I got was “collar”. Is a “col” a peak or a hilltop? What does “Col” mean in French?

Hmmm…if I remember my college French correctly, I believe Col means mountain. Cote refers to a slope or climb, and a Collar is like a mountain pass. Assuming my memory is correct.

Thanks. My French is about limited to “merci beaucoup”. That would make sense. Appreciate the help.

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Climb categorization explained

In 1933, the Tour de France introduced the mountain classification. Riders received points when they were first to reach the summit, but at that time, there was only one category. Over the years, additional categories have been introduced, ranging from the most challenging Hors Catégorie ('beyond categorization') down to the 4th category. These categories have been adopted by other prominent cycling races such as the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España. However, a significant issue persists: the subjective nature of categorizing climbs.

Unfortunately, the mountain classification of the grand tours is not designed to set a standard for recreational cyclists. For example, the categorization of a climb can change due to its location on the course, or simply because it suits the organizer better (€). Regrettably, there is no exact science behind determining the mountain categories. To establish a standard on climbfinder, we have tried to introduce a logical and consistent formula, which in fact aligns very well with most categories in professional cycling races.

Categorization based on difficulty points

Strava and other GPS services use a simple formula based on the average ascent and length of the climb. We believe this approach is too simplistic, because the (sometimes undulating) course of the climb has a huge influence on how much effort it costs to reach the top of the climb. That's why we spent a lot of time accurately calculating the difficulty level of climbs . In fact, we are so convinced of the accuracy of the difficulty points that we also use them to determine the mountain categories.

The sole subjective aspect of our standard lies in the transitions between the categories. However, in this regard, we conducted extensive research. We analyzed hundreds of climbs and compared them with the classifications they received in the grand tours. Through this process, we arrived at the scale outlined below.

From Super Hors Catégorie down to the 5th category

• Super Hors Catégorie (SHC) . These are the most difficult climbs in Europe. Because the list of Hors Catégorie became too large and we have several real monsters in Europe, we added this extra category. These are the most terrible, challenging, and often absurdly steep climbs! Brace yourself. These are the climbs above 1500 climbing points. A notable example is the Angliru .
• Hors Catégorie (HC) . Ascents on climbfinder only get the famous "HC" classification if the climb scores more than 900 difficulty points. The Mont Ventoux and the Passo di Gavia are proud owners of the "Hors Catégorie" classification. The Hors Catégorie was introduced in the Tour de France as recent as 1979. It's a category that appeals to many cyclists' imaginations.
• 1st category . Climbs of the first category are certainly not to be underestimated. For example, nothing less than the famous Col d'Izoard is a category 1 climb, to the great disappointment of some cycling tourists. Climbs with 600+ difficulty points will be in this category.
• 2nd category . The somewhat shorter climbs often do not exceed a "Category 2" label. The Ballon d’Alsace and Hardknott Pass are good examples of the type of climbs you can expect to find in this category. Climbs must have a minimum of 300 difficulty points to fit in this category.
• 3rd category . In the Alps these are the easy options, but in the lower mountain ranges or highlands these can be the highlights of the day. A climb needs at least 150 difficulty points to fit in this category.
• 4th category . With 75 difficulty points a climb falls into the fourth category. Don't think you can just sprint up these hills, it's still going to hurt. A well-known representative of this category is Box Hill .
• 5th category . The fifth category includes all climbs from 25 climbing points onwards. Although these are certainly not very difficult climbs, they can be quite steep walls (albeit short) or climbs that you definitely feel, albeit secretly. In lower hill areas, these are often the toughest climbs. Great for training.
• No category . Everything below 25 climbing points has no category. These are the easiest climbs in Europe. To be listed on climbfinder, a climb must have at least 5 climbing points, or be very special.

Comments (4)

I started road biking shortly before retiring but only seriously post retirement. I am now fitter pro rata than I have been at any age pro rata and believe that cycling and stretching are the key. Add in the fact that I have lots of interests, stay really busy and plan to live to 114 has made life more enjoyable than at any other time. I am 65. as of late 2023 Increased interest in living as long as possible as taken this wine drinking lover of poor food onto a better diet, better hydration, better sleep and less stress. Of course, only working if I want to and being financially comfortable has helped but all of this is within the grasp of most people if they want to take control of their life. Don't expect handouts, do what you can and become more self reliant. most importantly develop the mantra that worry is a wasted emotion..

Thanks for the wonderful explanation. I will now look at all the climbs I've done in the past and see how you treated them!

For those of you old enough to know how to drive a stick shift, categories were determined by whether you could drive a car up in 1st gear, 2nd gear, 3rd gear or 4th gear.

Okay, mentioning the names of the mountain and climbing points don't mean much to noob like me. who have never been in any those place. How about mentioning the elevation profile, distance, or the grade, difficulty level. I can't really visualize what a 1500 climbing points look like, and therefore I have no idea how hard it is.

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2024 Tour de France Jun 29 - Jul 21

Statistics:

Total climbs: 72, top 100 world: 0, avg. pdi (top 5) : 28, sort by attribute:, showing all 72 climbs, pjamm trips adventure starter bundles, member comments.

2024 Tour de France: from June 29 to July 21, 2024

Also visit our: (1)   All Time Hardest Tour de France Climbs , (2) Most Legendary and Famous Climbs of the Tour de France ,  and, (3) 10 Highest Climbs in Tour de France History  pages for more Tour de France inside information.

https://www.letour.fr/en/overall-route

2024 TdF Stage Statistics

Col du Tourmalet  -- Stage 13: July 6, 2024

Since 1910 - 90 appearances in the TdF - more than any other climb.

Official post-race summary for Stage 21 ( from letour.fr )

Sunday’s final stage of the 2024 Tour de France saw Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) confirm his third overall Tour victory with first place in the ITT from Monaco to Nice. On a balmy afternoon on the Côte d'Azur Pogacar made light work of the climbs to La Turbie and Col d'Èze to take the time trial win by a considerable 1’03” margin from Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) for his sixth stage bouquet of this year’s race and his third overall Tour triumph. In the Yellow Jersey again, Pogacar finally finished the 2024 Tour 6’17” ahead of his great Danish rival, having dominated the race. Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step) was in tears at the end of his Tour debut in Nice’s Place Massena, finishing the final stage in third, behind Pogacar by 1'14”, leaving him also third overall, 9'18” adrift of the unstoppable Slovenian. The GC top five was rounded out by Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) at 19'03” and Mikel Landa (Soudal-Quick Step) at 20'06”.

Cavendish takes a bow 141 riders took part in the final stage of the 2024 Tour, a 33.7km Individual Time Trial from Monaco to Nice with everything on the line. Mark Cavendish was the second rider to start – after his Astana Qazaqstan teammate Davide Ballerini – and the veteran British rider achieved his objective of finishing his final Tour de France. With a record 35 stage victories in the Tour to his name, Cavendish ended his historic relationship with this race as a rider in the most beautiful way possible, concluding it for the 8th time in his 15 participations. Intermarche-Wanty's Biniam Girmay also knew that he would not win this ITT stage, but he too made it to the finish in Nice in style, to the cheers and support of the crowd, becoming the first African rider to win a ranking in the Tour de France, in his green jersey. Martinez sets a marker Groupama-FDJ’s young Frenchman Lenny Martinez completed the course at an impressive average speed of 41.8 km/h and in a time of 48'24” to position himself as the provisional leader, where he would remain for well over an hour, until Harold Tejada (Astana Qazaqstan) took over in the top spot, beating Martinez by 10”. In tears yesterday after his final Tour de France stage in the mountains, French hero and Yellow Jersey wearer on Stage 2 Romain Bardet (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL) was given huge support by the fans on his last ever day on the Tour. Due to retire just before the 2025 Tour, Bardet finished today’s stage in 37th place and was 30th in the final GC. Carapaz in polka dots Ecuadorian star Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) finished a highly successful Tour as the winner of the Mountain classification with 127 points, compared to 102 for Pogacar and 70 for Vingegaard. It is Ecuador's first victory in any final ranking of the Tour de France. The GC favorites fight for final win Riders such as Harold Tejada (Astana Qazaqstan), Derek Gee (Israel - Premier Tech) and Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike) all enjoyed a moment with the provisional lead before the GC top 3 finished their runs. Pogacar was already the fastest man in the first sector, 7” and 26” ahead of Vingegaard and Evenepoel, increasing those respective advantages to 24” over Vingegaard and 51” on Evenepoel at the second intermediate marker on Col d’Èze. Pogacar was absolutely flying by the time he reached the Place Île de Beauté in Nice (km 28.6), the third and final intermediate marker, with 1'04" over Vingegaard and 1'28" over white jersey winner Evenepoel, going on the wrap up the victory and a third overall GC success in superb style.

TOP 10 MOST FREQUENT CLIMBS OF THE TOUR DE FRANCE

(AND 10 FAMOUS ONES AFTER THAT)

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Interesting 2024 TDF Facts

• This is the 111th Tour de France;
• Start: Florence, Italy on Saturday, June 29, 2024 - this is the first time the Tour has ever started in Italy.;
• Finish: Nice, France on July 21, 2024 - this is the first time the tour has ever finished outside Paris.
• The tour is not finishing in Paris because of a conflict with the 2024 Summer Olympics which will be centered in Paris from late July to early August.
•  22 teams, 8 riders each - 176 total riders starting in Florence.
• Countries visited: Italy (3 stages), Republic of San Marino (1), France (19) and Monaco (1)
• Mountain ranges included in the 2024 TdF: The French and Italian Alps, Apennines (Italy) Pyrenees (France) and Massif Central (France);
• Categorized climbs:  Not yet named.
• Col du Tourmalet returns for the 90th time, by far more than any other climb featured in the Tour.
• Other notable climbs appearances:
• Col du Galibier  (64 appearances - fifth all time)
• Col de Peyresourde (69 appearances - number 4 all time)
•  Col de Portet Aspet (59 appearances)
• Distance: 3,492 kilometers (2,170 miles) - the longest tour was in 1926 at 5,745 kilometers (3,570 miles);
• Longest stage: Stage 3 - Piacenza to Turin, Italy 227 km / 141 miles);
• Total Elevation gained: 51,737 m / 169,741 ’(well below 2023 at 57,378m/188,248’ but above 2022 at 47,861m / 157,024’);
• Most elevation gained on a stage: Stage 15 (4,901 m / 16,079’’; includes Peyresourde and Plateau de Beille);
• Most elevation gained on a climb: Cime de la Bonette at 1,586 meters (5,203’) over 24 kilometers (15 miles);;
• Highest point on the 2024 TdF is Cime de la Bonette (Stage 19) at 2,802 meters (9,192’)
• This is the highest the Tour de France has ever gone.
• Cime Bonette has been featured 5 times in the TdF.
• This is the first time Bonette has appeared in the Tour since 2008.
• Steepest climb: Col de Portet d’Aspet  4.4 kilometers at 9.9% (Stage 15);
• Steepest segments: (you can filter yourself using the sorting tool in to the left of the map, above)
• 1 kilometer: 14% Pla d’adet (Stage 14)
• 2 kilometers: 12.5% Puy Mary (Stage 11)
• 5 kilometers:  103% Pla d’Adet (Stage 14)
• 10 kilometers 8.6% Plateau de Beille (Stage 15)
• 1 mile: 12.7% Pla d’Adet (Stage 11)
• 5 miles:  9.1% Pla d’Adet (Stage 14);
• This is the 111th Tour de France since its first edition in 1903:
• No TdF 1915-1918 (WWI)
• No TdF 1940-1946 (WWII)
• TdF postponed from 27 June 2020, to 29 August 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic;
• 7 mountain stages (4 summit finishes)
• 4 hilly stages;
• 8 flat stages;
• 2 individual time trials
• Two rest days (one after Stage 9 and one after Stage 15);
•  There is an individual time trial on the final day of the Tour, the first TT on the last day since 1989 when Greg LeMond edged Laurent Fignon by 8 seconds to win his second of three titles.  
• There are four summit finishes:
• Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla d’Adet - Stage 14, July 13
• Plateau de Beille - Stage 15, July 14
• Isola 2000 - Stage 19, July 19
• Col de la Couillole - Stage 20, July 20
• The five hardest climbs of the 2024 Tour de France are:
• Cime Bonette (24 km at 6.55)
• Col du Tourmalet (18.7 km at 7.1%)
• Plateau de Beille (15.3 km at 7.9%)
• Isola 2000 (16.2 km at 7.1%)
• Col de la Couillole (15.9 km at 7.2%)        ;
• Time bonuses will be awarded at the finish of each stage: 10 seconds (first), 6 seconds (second), and 4 seconds (third).
• There will also be bonus seconds that will be located on climbs at strategic points: 8, 5, and 2 seconds for first through third riders past those points;
•  14 gravel segments on Stage 9 (Troyes to Troyes) with 32 of the total 199 kilometers consisting of strade bianche (white or gravel roads).
• No cobbles on this year’s Tour.
• HC & Category Climb: TBD
• Prize money:  Total $2,300,000 euros ($500,000 to the overall winner).

Historical Tour de France Facts of Interest

• Climb most often featured in the Tour:  Tourmalet - 90 times as of 2024 with Col d’Aspin second as of 74.

From Campan: 16.9 km gaining 1267m at 7.5% average grade.

From Luz Saint Sauveur: 18.7 km gaining 1319m at 7.1%.

• Highest point ever reached in the Tour de France: Cime de la Bonette, at 2,802 meters

Cime de la Bonette is the highest point ever reached by the Tour de France.

2,802 meters - Stage 18 1962 (passed again in 1964, 1993, 2008, 2024).

Five highest points the Tour de France has ever reached.

Also see Top 10 Highest Points of the TdF

• Highest point of first (1903) TdF:   Col de la République (1,161m).
• Most TdF wins:
• Yellow Jersey - overall winner:
• 5 Jacques Anquetil  (1957, 1961-1964)
• 5 Eddy Merckx  (1969-1972, 1974)
• Merckx has the most Grand Tour wins of anyone (11 - 5 TdF, 5 Giro, 1 Vuelta)
• 5 Bernard Hinault   (1978-1979, 1981-1982, 1985)
• Has the second most Grand Tour wins (10 - 5 TdF, 3 Giro, 2 Vuelta)
• 5 Miguel Indurain  (1991-1995)
• 4 Chris Froome :   (2013, 2015-2017)
• Polka Dot (King of the Mountains - since 1933):
• 7 Richard Virenque : 1994-1997, 1999, 2003, 2004 (best tour finish #2 1997)
• 6 Frederico Bahamontes : 1954, 1958, 1959, 1962, 1963, 1964; nine in Grand Tours  
• Green Jersey (most points; since 1953)
• 7 Peter Sagan
• 6 Erik Zabel :  1997-2001
• Most days wearing the yellow jersey:
• 111 Eddy Merckx
• 79 Bernard Hinault
• 60 Miguel Indurain
• Most days wearing yellow jersey in a single TdF:
• 21: Jacques Anquetil 1961 - held the yellow jersey from day one.
• Most stage wins:  
• 34 Eddy Merckx
• 34 Mark Cavendish
• 28 Bernard Hinault
• Most stage wins in a single tour:  
• 8 Charles Pélissier , 1930
• 8 Merckx 1970, 1971
• 8 Freddy Maertens 1975
• Most times atop the podium (top three TdF finish):
• 8 Raymond Poulidor
• First mountain stage and climbs in the Tour:
• Stage 10 July 21, 1910: Luchon to Bayonne
• 326 kilometers
• Circle of Death: Col de Peyresourde, Col d’Aspin, Col du Tourmalet, and Col d’Aubisque
• On arriving at the top of Col d’Aubisque Octave Lapize (TdF 1910 winner) yelled to tour organizers what is variously reported as: “murderers,” “assassins,” or “criminals.”  He also said he would quit the tour after descending to Laruns, but he rallied to complete the stage and go on to win the 1910 Tour de France.

Circle of Death

Tourmalet was the highest point the tour had ever reached as of 1910 (2115m)

Previous high point had been Col de Porte (1326m).

• First mountain-top stage finish:   Alpe d’Huez (Dutch Mountain/The Alpe) was the first mountain-top finish in the history of the Tour de France in 1952, Stage 10.
• Country wearing the yellow jersey most:  
• France (709)
• Belgium (434)

Frenchmen have been in the maillot jaune (yellow jersey)   far more than any other country.

• Winning TdF in first appearance:
• 11 between 1903 - 1983, but none since Laurent Fignon  (1983) until 2020 and Tadej Pogačar  
• Youngest winner of the Tour:  
• Henri Cornet : France, age 19 (1904)
• Tadej Pogačar: Slovenia, age 21 (2020)
• Oldest TdF winner:
• Firmin Lambot: Belgium, age 36 (1922)
• Most TdF appearances:
• 18 Sylvain Chavenel  (2001-2018 age 42; top finish 19 2009)
• King of the Mountains:  Mountain Classification victories (first recognized in 1933; jersey introduced 1975)

“Symbol of the mountains, of a rider pushing beyond their limits and of courage, the red polka dot jersey, which is sponsored by Carrefour, is awarded to the Tour de France’s leader of the best climber classification. Although this classification was introduced in 1933, its symbol, the polka dot jersey, appeared in 1975, which was also the year the Tour first finished on the Champs-Élysées and was won by Bernard Thévenet. It owes its appearance to track racing specialist Henri Lemoine, who competed between the 1930s and 1950s, and that Félix Lévitan, co-director of the Tour with Jacques Goddetwhich, had particularly noticed. While Belgium’s Lucien Van Impe was its first winner and claimed the mountains classification six times, just like his illustrious predecessor, Spain’s Federico Bahamontes, the so-called “Eagle of Toledo”, Frenchman Richard Virenque holds the record for victories with seven titles” ( Tour de France, Polka Dot Jersey ).

• Richard Virenque : 7 (1994-1997, 1999, 2003, 2004; best tour finish #2 1997)
• Frederico Bahamontes : 6   ( 1954, 1958, 1959, 1962, 1963, 1964; nine in Grand Tours)  
• Triples (none ever in the same year):   Frederico Bahamontes  and Louis Herrera .
• Doubles same year (TdF+Giro):   Fausto Coppi , Charly Gaul , Lucien Van Impe , Claudio Chaippucci

King of the Mountains is designated by the red polka dot jersey.

• Most green jerseys (total points):
•  7 - Peter Sagan
• Most white jerseys (best young rider):
• 3 - Jan Ullrich  (1996-1998),
• 3 Andy Schleck  (2008-2010)
• Least finishers:  
• Shortest margin of victory:  
• 8 seconds: Greg Lemond  over Laurent Fignon in 1989.  Lemond overcame 50 seconds in the final time trial using aero bars for the first time in the TdF.
• Greatest margin of victory:
• 2h49’21” in 1903 between Maurice Garin  and Lucien Pothier .
• Country with most wins:
• France (36)
• Belgium (18)
• Britain (6)
• Luxembourg (5)
• USA and Denmark (3)
• Hardest climb ever in the Tour de France:  Col de la Loze (Meribel).
• See our All Time Top 10 Tour de France Climbs  page.

EXPLANATION OF KING OF MOUNTAIN, KOM POINTS, AND BONUS POINTS

FOR THE 2024 TOUR DE FRANCE

KOM DEFINED :  Climb-related points are accumulated during the race.  The rider with the most accumulated points at the beginning of the stage wears the red polka dot jersey that day, and the rider with the most points at the end of the race is crowned that year’s Tour de France King of the Mountains.

“ Category ”:   When the mountain classification (King of the Mountains) was introduced in 1933, there were points given to the first 10 riders over the summit (10 for first, 1 for tenth).  In 1947, the Tour introduced two climb “categories” with a certain amount of points for the second category and twice as many as for the first category.  Over the years “categories” were added, in addition to an “Above” category (Hors or HC) and since 1979 there have been a HC (hardest), Category 1 (second hardest) on down to Category 4 (least difficult climb).

The category of the climb is significant for two reasons:

• The points awarded for the TdF KOM for each climb is based upon the category of climb - thus, “category” is the basis for the points that are used to determine each year’s King of the Mountains.
• Most cycling fans, particularly Grand Tour fans, are very interested in the climb “category” because that tells them how hard each climb on a stage is, where the riders will struggle more, and the point in a stage where that day, or even the entire tour, will be won or lost.

KOM HISTORY :  

• King of the Mountains : Mountain Classification victories (first recognized in 1933; jersey introduced 1975)
• Frederico Bahamontes : 6 (1954, 1958, 1959, 1962, 1963, 1964; nine in Grand Tours)  
• 2020 & 2021 King of the Mountains:   Tadej Pogačar , Slovenia (also won the TdF and the Young Rider classification)
• 2022 -  Jonas Vingegaard (NED) - also won TdF.
• 2023 - Giulio Ciccone  (ITA)

POINTS :  KOM points are awarded in three ways on the Tour de France:

•  To riders first over the summit of categorized climbs (in descending order HC, 1-4).  
• The higher the category the more riders receive points (HC points are awarded to eight riders, while CAT 4 points are awarded to only one rider).
• Bonus point (see below).
• Points for altitude finishes.

TDF POINTS FORMULA : Wikipedia has the best summary and graph we’ve seen for TdF KOM points distribution:

The points gained by consecutive riders reaching a mountain top are distributed according to the following classification:

Wikipedia - Mountains Classification - Tour de France

BONUS POINTS :  These points go towards the King of the Mountain designation and are awarded to the first (8 points), second (5 points), and third (2 points) riders reaching designated summits in the race.  

• There are no KOM bonuses in the 2022 Tour de France.  

MONEY PRIZES FOR KING OF THE MOUNTAINS

• Prize for first to eighth place:
• Winner = €25,000
• 2nd = €15,000
• 3rd = €10,000
• 4th = €4,000
• 5th = €3,500
• 6th = €3,000
• 7th = €2,500
• 8th = €2,000
• Daily prize for wearing the Polka Dot jersey = €6,000
• Per category climb:
• Souvenir Henri Desgrange €5000 first to Col du Galibier pass Stage 11.

The maximum amount the KOM winner could earn if he won every stage and wore the jersey from Stage 2 to the finish is $60,300 Euros (62,773 USD)

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The Ultimate Guide to the Tour de France 2022 King of the Mountains Competition

The mountains classification is always a great attraction of the Tour de France, especially when the fight for the general classification is not entertaining or exciting deep into the race. In this article, we will take a closer look at 2022 edition’s scoring system, the tactics for winning it and who are the favourites.

This year’s route is quite mountainous, with mythical passes such as Galibier, Alpe d’Huez or Hautacam. In this article , we analysed all these climbs featuring in the 2022 Tour de France, including projected climbing times and watts. In total, there will be:

• 61 categorised climbs;
• 7 Hors Catégorie climbs;
• 10 category 1 climbs;
• 6 category 2 climbs;
• 16 category 3 climbs; and
• 22 category 4 climbs,

for 985 available points.

Logically, the Hors Catégorie climbs are the most important, with a big difference over the rest. Not only does the first rider score twice as much as a first category climb, but there are points up to the eighth position, as you can see in the following graph.

Moreover, according to the rules, “in the event of two riders being equal on points in the best climber classification, the rider with the most first places at the summit of Hors Catégorie passes or climbs or summit finishes will be declared the winner”.

If a rider’s goal is the final mountain classification, there is little point in expending valuable energy racing for the points available on Category 3 or 4 climbs, and instead they should focus on the Hors Catégorie and Category 1 climbs. In any case, modest teams will compete for the points on these small hills in the first week to wear the jersey until the arrival of the high mountains and thus maximise their visibility and publicity impact on the race, as was the case last year when Perez and Schelling battled throughout the Grand Depart on the short hills in Brittany last year.

In addition, although they have almost no impact on the classification, topping a fourth category climb is rewarded with 200 euros, which is welcome among the cyclists with lower salaries.

As we can see in the graph, the Hors Catégorie and Category 1 climbs share 86% of the total points for the mountain classification. Five of the seven Hors Catégorie are in the two big Alpine stages, with finishes at Col du Granon and Alpe d’Huez. Those two stages will be key, as if a rider passes all the climbs first he can score 55 and 60 points respectively. However even in the event of the GC group eventually catching the breakaway on the four major climbing stages (11, 12, 17 and 18), four of the seven Hors Catégorie climbs are during the middle of the stage where it is much more likely that a breakaway will still be up the road to take maximum points.

Below you can see the exact distribution of points on each stage, with the heavy weighting in the Alps and Pyrenees.

As the key stages come in the first block of mountain stages, it is possible that many good climbers will not have given up on the general classification and will find it difficult to get into the breakaway. Therefore, contenders for the mountain classification who are not thinking about the general classification will have a competitive advantage, and may even score some points on stage 9, with two first category mountain passes, where a breakaway is expected to win. In these Alpine stages, the mountains jersey could also be a good target for riders who drop out of the general classification in the traps of the first week, such as the windy stages, the pavé or the finish at La Planche des Belles Filles.

It is clear that riders with ambitions for the KOM should not leave their homework for the Pyrenees, because the classification is likely to be very clear after Alpe d’Huez on stage 12 and with the GC group likely to be motivated on stage 18 to pace on Spandelles and Hautacam, reducing the likelihood of a breakaway winnig.

An anti-Pogacar system

Unlike in recent editions, this year there will be no climbs with double points, which will favour the KOM to be won by a climber who enters the breakaways in the high mountain stages. The sponsor of the mountains classification is probably interested in having its jersey worn by one of the best riders in the world, but last year’s scoring system was very distorting. In the last two editions of the Tour de France, Tadej Pogacar has won the KOM classification without it being a main objective for him, as he was busy fighting for the yellow jersey.

For example, last year there were double points for the second pass of Mont Ventoux and the finishes of Col du Portet and Luz Ardiden. These passes were already categorised as Hors Catégorie, but the organisers decided that they would distribute twice as many points as the other Hors Catégorie climbs (40 points for the first rider instead of 20). Poels, Woods and Quintana were fighting for several stages in this classification, but finally Pogacar won it “unintentionally” by winning in the Pyrenees on Col du Portet and Luz Ardiden, scoring 40 points on each climb. With the current scoring system, Wout Poels would have won the mountains classification in 2021 and Richard Carapaz in 2020, so it will be very difficult for Pogacar to repeat in 2022, particularly if he faces stiffer competition from his GC competitors on the mountain top finishes compared to last year.

The contenders

Pogacar (or whoever is the best climber in the race) will concentrate most of his points on the top finishes: La Planche des Belles Filles, Col du Granon, Alpe d’Huez, Peyragudes and Hautacam. In the best case scenario, assuming he wins those 5 stages, he would score 80 points, which might not even be enough to win the mountains classification given the amount of Hors Catégorie and Category 1 passes in the middle of the stages. Therefore, the chances of Pogacar winning the mountains classification for the third year in a row are very low.

The two riders who can set their sights on the mountains classification right from the start are local stars Thibaut Pinot and Romain Bardet (KOM at the 2019 Tour). Neither of them have the general classification as a target and they do have enough level to get over the big Alpine passes at the head of the race as shown by Pinot in his recent Tour de Suisse stage win and Bardet on Blockhaus in the Giro d’Italia.

Other French climbers like Warren Barguil (KOM at the 2017 Tour), Guillaume Martin (KOM at the 2020 Vuelta) or Pierre Rolland always go on the attack, but perhaps they lack the climbing level to win the Tour’s mountains classification if riders like Pinot and Bardet focus on the classification. After his display on Mont Ventoux and the Dauphiné, we also cannot forget Ruben Guerreiro (KOM at the Giro 2020), who in principle comes to the Tour with the objective of winning stages but may inadvertently pick up points by being in breakaways and fall into the KOM fight.

The final tier of favourites is made up of the general classification contenders who will change their objective after the complicated first week. Nairo Quintana and Michael Woods already tried in 2021 and could rethink this objective, but my outsider is Adam Yates. The Englishman comes to the Tour after passing Covid and it would be logical for him to suffer in the chaotic first week filled with wind and cobbles. With Thomas and Martínez for the general classification, Ineos could think about Adam Yates for the mountains classification and breakaway stages in the mountains, racing the Tour in a more offensive way without an outright GC favourite.

We hope you enjoyed this breakdown of the King of the Mountains classification at the Tour de France 2022. If you want to follow Raúl’s thoughts during the Tour, follow him on twitter @raulbanqueri .

What about Ruben Guerreiro? I see him as an outsider to the jersey as well after his performances the last month or so

Great read, thanks. Some time ago, with friends we were talking about this same issue, that KOM competition has kind of lost it’s identity and GC winner takes KOM as well. Would love to see a return of full on battle for polka dot jersey once again.

I may have jumped the gun on that one

Literally in the article: “After his display on Mont Ventoux and the Dauphiné, we also cannot forget Ruben Guerreiro (KOM at the Giro 2020), who in principle comes to the Tour with the objective of winning stages but may inadvertently pick up points by being in breakaways and fall into the KOM fight.”

Wonderful article. Really detailed and helpful to understand the differences between previous editions

Great article and that pie chart works wonders – why the hell doesn’t ASO present the points available like that! Thank you.

another stunning work. thanks Raül.

Best assessment I’ve read. Even as we enter stage 18 tomorrow this analysis still holds up. Thank you for making the KOM competition so much more clear and so much more interesting!

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Tour de France 2021 standings and results - Final general classification, points jersey, KOM classification

Updated 18/07/2021 at 20:28 GMT

Find out who is leading the way in the general classification (GC, yellow jersey), points classification (green jersey), mountains classification (polka dot jersey) and young rider’s classification (white jersey). Tadej Pogacar returns bidding to defend his crown, while Primoz Roglic is back to attempt to make amends on last year.

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Who is top of the gc standings (yellow jersey).

• 1. Tadej Pogacar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates 82:56:36
• 2. Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Jumbo-Visma 0:05:20
• 3. Richard Carapaz (Ecu) Ineos Grenadiers 0:07:03
• 4. Ben O'Connor (Aus) AG2R Citroën Team 0:10:02
• 5. Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:10:13
• 6. Enric Mas Nicolau (Spa) Movistar Team 0:11:43
• 7. Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana-Premier Tech 0:12:23
• 8. Guillaume Martin (Fra) Cofidis 0:15:33
• 9. Pello Bilbao Lopez De Armentia (Spa) Bahrain Victorious 0:16:04
• 10. Rigoberto Uran (Col) EF Education-Nippo 0:18:34

Who is top of the points classification (green jersey)?

• 1. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Deceuninck-QuickStep 337
• 2. Michael Matthews (Aus) Team BikeExchange 291
• 3. Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain Victorious 227
• 4. Jasper Philipsen (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix 216
• 5. Wout Van Aert (Bel) Jumbo-Visma 171

Who is top of the mountains classification (polka dot jersey?)

• 1 Tadej Pogacar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates 107
• 2 Wout Poels (Ned) Bahrain Victorious 88
• 3 Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Jumbo-Visma 82
• 4 Wout Van Aert (Bel) Jumbo-Visma 68
• 5 Nairo Quintana (Col) Team Arkea-Samsic 66

Who is top of the young rider's classification (white jersey)?

• 3. David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:21:50

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Results have arrived, tour de france explained: how you win & how it really works.

What do the Yellow, Green, and Polka-Dot Jerseys mean? How do you win? How do cycling teams work? Who are the favorites? We explain the basics of bike racing in this guide to the Tour de France.

Written by: Spencer Powlison & Bruce Lin

Published on: Jun 18, 2024

Posted in: Features

Did you recently get bit by the  road bike  bug? Did you watch Tour de France: Unchained and feel hungry for more? Or have you always been puzzled by the daily deluge of Tour de France news? This guide is for you.

We’ll cover the fundamentals of how this “game” is played. Also, we’ll delve into cycling’s paradoxical balance between being simultaneously a team sport and an individual sport, and many ways riders and teams play to win. 

• How the Tour de France Works
• How To Win The Tour de France - the Yellow Jersey

Other Ways to "Win" at the Tour de France

How cycling is actually a team sport... sort of.

• What Types of Riders Make Up a Team?

What Types of Stages Are in the Tour?

Strategies and tactics, three tips to watch like a pro, more fun tour de france info.

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How The Tour de France Works

The tour de france: infographic.

What is the Tour de France?

• The Tour de France is the world's most prestigious bike race which has been running for over 100 years. 
• The Tour takes riders all across France, through the Alps and the Pyranees, and finishes in Paris. 
• This year it will take place: June 29 - July 21, 2024
• The total race distance this year: 3,492 Km / 2,170 Mi 
• The Grand Départ - The Tour de France often starts somewhere outside of France so other cities and countries can experience the excitement of the Tour. This year, the Tour will start in Florence, Italy. The first 3 stages will head north, back into France. 

Key Details 

• 22 pro cycling teams will compete with 8 riders each ( 176 riders total )
• The race is split into 21 stages
• Riders race 1 stage per day
• Each stage has a stage winner. Winning a single stage at the Tour is a big deal. 
• On average, racers will ride over 100 miles per stage .
• Riders will get 2 rest days , one after the first week, and another after the second week.  
• The overall winner of the Tour de France is the rider with the fastest time after all 21 stages . 

How To Win The Tour de France - the Yellow Jersey

The winner of the Tour de France is the rider who has the fastest time after all 21 stages. Every stage is timed from start to finish, and every second counts toward the race's General Classification (GC). Every day, the current leader of the race will wear the Yellow Jersey so they are easy to spot. The rider wearing the Yellow Jersey when the race reaches the last stage Paris is the winner . 

Yellow Jersey Favorites & Riders to Watch:

The big favorite this year is  2020 & 2021 winner Tadej Pogačar. He is on good form and his top rival,  2022 & 2023 winner Jonas Vingegaard , suffered a bad crash/injury this spring that affected his preparation. 

The two other main favorites this year are Primoz Roglic and Remco Evenepoel .  Carlos Rodriguez is also looking very good, but has yet win or podium a 3 week Grand Tour. This could be his breakout year and he's my dark horse pick. 

Outside contenders include Jonas Vinegaard's teamates, Sepp Kuss  (edit: Sepp won't be going due to illness) and Matteo Jorgenson , and Tadej Pogačar 's teammates, Juan Ayuso and Adam Yates . They'll really only have a chance at Yellow if their team leaders struggle or drop out.  

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The Yellow Jersey is the biggest prize, but there are multiple secondary prizes on offer too. Some teams and riders don’t even bother racing for the Yellow Jersey and instead focus on these prizes . 

Just like the Yellow Jersey, the current leader in each classification wears a special jersey color so they're easy to spot.

Points Classification - the Green Jersey

Also known as the sprinter’s jersey , this award goes to the rider who scores the most points throughout the race. Points are earned by finishing in the top-15 in a stage.

This classification favors “pure” sprinters (riders who don't compete on mountain stages), and more points are offered for winning flat stages. Riders can also earn points in mid-stage "intermediate sprints" that are usually stationed in towns to please the fans.

Green Jersey Favorites & Riders to Watch:

Jasper Philipsen dominated the sprint stages last year and he is currently the fastest sprinter in the world. He's already taken some big wins this spring, showing that he's in great form. I wouldn't bet against Philipsen, but t he best-ranked sprinters behind him are Arnaud De Lie and Dylan Groenewegen .

Other contenders include all-rounders like Mads Pedersen , who could go for green by nabbing consistent finishes on hilly and mountain stages where pure sprinters might struggle and stealing points throughout the race in  intermediate sprints.  Wout van Aert  is similar, and he has also won green before (and 9 stages), but his form is unknown after a major crash/injury sidelined him this spring. 

One sprinter to watch is Mark Cavendish . He is currently tied with Eddy Merckx for the all-time Tour de France stage win record (34 wins) and is coming back for one last year to try and score a record-breaking 35th win. 

King of the Mountains Classification - the Polka-Dot Jersey

The Tour gives the Polka-Dot “ King of the Mountains ” Jersey to the rider who collects the most points over the course of the race by reaching the summit of categorized climbs first.

The climb categorization system is opaque and subjective. What you need to know is that there are five climb categories. From easiest to hardest they are: category 4,  category 3,  category 2,  category 1, and hors category (HC - French for “beyond categorization”). Riders get more points on harder climbs. Riders also get more points on mountaintop stage finishes, especially if they win.

Polka-Dot Jersey Favorites & Riders to Watch:

Giulio Ciccone beat Neilson Powless last year for the Polka-Dots. Photo: A.S.O./Pauline Ballet

This one is tough to call until you reach the high mountains. Because the Yellow Jersey winner tends to gain the most time on climbs, anyone who’s in contention for the Yellow Jersey is a good bet. I'd put my money on Tadej Pogacar .

However, some riders might specifically target the Polka-Dot Jersey — 2023 winner,  Giulio Ciccone,  battled over the Polka-Dots with Neilson Powless last year. Maybe they will go for it again. 

Other Prizes

Best Young Rider Classification - White Jersey

This classification works the same way as the Yellow Jersey but is awarded to the highest-placed rider under 26 years of age. On rare occasions, a phenomenal young rider will win both the Yellow and White Jerseys. 

White Jersey Favorites & Riders to Watch:

Tadej Pogačar . This is an easy pick. Tadej is still 25, and as the favorite for the  overall win, it's doubtful anyone else can challenge him. 

Time to pick a new favorite since Tadej is finally too old! (The rule is " cyclists who will remain below 26 in the year the race is held are eligible" and Tadej turns 26 in September.)  In that case, Remco Evenepoel , Carlos Rodriguez , and Juan Ayuso are likely candidates. 

If the White Jersey leader also happens to be the overall leader (this happened in previous years when Tadej was in Yellow), then the next highest placed rider under 26 will generally wear the jersey during the race (this is mainly ceremonial).

Best Team Classification - Yellow Helmets

Like the Yellow or White Jerseys, this award is given based on overall time in the race and the team with the lowest overall time wins this prize . Each team tabulates the finish times of its three best riders on every stage. The team leading this classification usually wears yellow helmets, helping them stand out in the bunch.

Teams don't necessarily target this, but if a team realizes they're leading in week two or three, they definitely fight to try and hang on to it. 

Most Aggressive Rider - Red Number

Also known as the Combativity Award , this is likely the most mysterious prize in the Tour. In every stage (except time trials), a jury decides which rider in the race was most aggressive — usually, that means attacking a lot or gambling on a breakaway. Late in the broadcast, the announcers usually note which rider was given the combativity prize. If you spot a rider with a red number on their jersey, then he was named most aggressive the stage prior. At the end of the Tour, one rider gets the Super Combativity award.

Why are there teams if only one rider can win the Tour de France? Professional road cycling has a curious tension between the team and the individual. The key thing to remember is this: If a cyclist wins a stage or holds one of the leader’s jersey for a single stage, it is viewed as a team success . 

So if only one rider “wins,” what do the other seven riders on the team do to contribute to this elusive concept of teamwork? Here are some ways a group of individual cyclists comes together as a team to support their leader:

• Getting into breakaways (small groups that attack off the front of the main group) — that way his team doesn’t have to work to chase the breakaway down.
• Chasing down breakaways — to give the leader a chance to win or place well.
• Retrieving food and water for the leader or other key riders — bottle service on the road … what could be more luxurious!
• Pacing the leader up key climbs — although drafting isn’t as crucial, it can be a psychological advantage to have a teammate at your side.
• Pacing the leader back to the peloton in the event of a crash, mechanical, or split in the group — without teammates to draft, it might be nearly impossible to rejoin the peloton on some fast-paced stages.
• Giving the leader their bike or a wheel in the event of a mechanical — this can often be quicker than waiting for a team car or neutral support to show up with a spare.

What Types of Riders Make Up a Team? 

GC (general classification) riders - These are the riders vying for the Tour de France overall win. They need to be solid all-rounders who are also good climbers and time trialists. They are usually the team leader and the rest of the team works to support them. 

Sprinters - Sprinters don’t contend for the overall win, and are more interested in winning individual stages. They often wait to attack at intermediate sprints and the finish line of each stage. Some teams are built entirely around a sprinter and focus on winning stages or the Green Jersey. 

Climbers - Climbing specialists excel at going uphill. Climbers compete for stage wins on the tough mountain stages or work to support their GC leader in the mountains. 

Domestiques - Most riders on the team will work as “domestiques” to support their team leader. They allow their leaders to draft behind them to conserve energy, pace them up climbs, cover attacks from competitors, keep them in a good position, bring them food and water, and provide support in case of crashes or mechanicals. Good domestiques are essential for success. 

Time Trialists - Some riders specialize in time trialing. They can compete for wins on time trial stages or work as powerful domestiques on flat and hilly stages.  

The Tour de France route is different every year. Each stage is unique and offers different challenges to the riders. Here are the types of stages riders will contend with over three weeks:

Flat Stages - Flat stages are the ideal hunting ground for sprinters. Teams with sprinters will often work to keep the peloton together on flat stages, to ensure it ends in a bunch sprint where their sprinter has the best chance of winning. 

Hilly Stages - Hilly stages mix it up with rolling hills that make it more difficult for the peloton to stay together. These types of stages can be won by sprinters, climbers, or breakaway specialists. 

Mountain Stages - This is often where the Tour de France is won and lost. Mountain stages climb up into the high mountains in the Alps and the Pyrenees and it's where GC contenders will fight to gain time on their rivals.  

Time Trials - The Tour de France always features at least a couple of time trial stages. Riders set off individually to set the fastest time on a set course. With no riders to draft, it’s less about race tactics and more about pure speed and power.

So we just covered some team dynamics, rider types, and stage types. How does it all fit together? Teams often settle on strategies prior to the race. They assess their strengths and weaknesses and find ways to succeed — whether that means winning the yellow jersey or simply wearing a King of the Mountains jersey for just one stage. Here are some examples of how teams might set their strategies, and how they might execute them with the right tactics:

Team with a top GC rider: Naturally, they’ll try to win the yellow jersey. This means surviving inconsequential flat and rolling stages to conserve energy for key mountain stages and individual time trials. The leader’s teammates will try to get into breakaways so that their team won’t spend energy chasing all day. They’ll also set up the team leader to attack on key climbs or at least follow his rivals to defend his position.

Team with top sprinter: To win the green jersey, they’ll target the flat stages. This means controlling the peloton and chasing down breakaways to set up a sprint finish. Like the GC team, they might also put a rider in the breakaway to ease the burden on the team, forcing rival sprint teams to chase. On mountain stages, the team might have to call riders back from the peloton to help pace their sprinter to the finish so he doesn’t get time-cut.

Team with top climber: Winning the King of the Mountains (KOM) classification is often less of an obvious team effort. These pretenders to the throne tend to be opportunistic. However, it is advantageous to have a teammate in the breakaway on a key mountain stage when points are up for grabs. Also, when defending the polka-dot jersey, teammates can contest the climbs and finish ahead of KOM rivals to spoil their attempt to take over the classification lead by scoring points.

Smaller team without top leader: These are the teams that always try to put a rider in the day’s breakaway. This could earn them the Combativity Prize, or if they play their cards right, a stint in a leader’s jersey or even a stage win. This strategy requires constant attacking in the early kilometers of the race — something most fans rarely see on the broadcast. It is a hectic, painful part of the stage, but it’s crucial in establishing a break. Meanwhile, a breakaway rider’s teammates might patrol the front of the peloton to disrupt the chase.

Now that you understand the basics of how the Tour de France is raced, what do you, the new cycling fan do? There are daily stages for three weeks. That’s a lot of cycling!

Even if you don't have a way to watch the TV broadcast, it's easy to find highlights and extended highlights on YouTube. Fortunately, you don’t have to put your life on hold to watch the Tour de France. There are some reliably important stages you can focus on to catch the key action.

Can’t watch daily? Pick the key mountain stages. There are usually about 5-8 key mountain stages when the overall race is won and lost. Most of them are summit finishes, and they’re split between France’s two key mountain ranges: the Alps and Pyrenees. The first few ordinarily come in stages 6-9 before the first rest day, and the second round is often scheduled for the final week of racing. Occasionally, another summit finish, such as Mont Ventoux in Provence, will be on the list of important stages.

Watching daily? Tune in when things really heat up. On most flat stages, you can wait until the final 20 kilometers to tune in and see the sprinters fight it out. Some rolling stages might be entertaining in the final 50-60 kilometers if late breakaways occur. On mountain stages, it’s best to start watching as early as possible because sometimes, crazy things happen on the day’s first climbs.

Watching a LOT of TDF? Look for the nuances. If you’re going to have the race on all day, every day, you’ll need to dig a little deeper to enjoy the subtleties of the race. Try keeping track of riders who are often making the breakaway. Watch the sprint teams work together — or not — to chase an escape. Who looks to have strength in numbers, and who is not present at the front of the race? Are the GC riders staying out of trouble or tail-gunning at the dangerous back of the peloton? Usually, at any given time in the race, any given rider is positioned where they are for a specific reason. Look for clues to sort out what is happening.

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Tour de France Guide

Here’s the 2024 Tour de France guide starting with the profiles of every stage with a quick summary of the day’s course.

There’s also the race rules like time bonuses, the points scale for the green and polka-dot jerseys, time cuts and more in case you need to look them up during July, just remember inrng.com/tour …or bookmark it .

Route Summary A unusual start and not just because the Tour treads on the Giro’s toes in Italy, things start with what could be labelled the hardest opening stage of the Tour ever and the mighty Galibier appears on the first Tuesday.

Seven sprints are possible but depend on the circumstances. It’s got some very big days in the mountains yet not quite as mountainous as last year, three fewer categorised climbs of 2 or above and 52,230m of vertical gain is about 3,000m less than last year but still above the average for the past ten years. Crucially all the big summit finishes and some of the preceding climbs are long steady ascents: more altitude, less attitude. Two time trials totalling 59km make this, just, the most in the last ten editions too.

Stage 1 – Saturday 29 June

Tirreno-Adriatico in a day, the race crosses the Apennines with a succession of climbs. With 3,600m of vertical gain, do we call this a mountain stage? Last July’s Basque opener went to the GC contenders and this is harder still. It will make for a nervous day with many worried the smallest of mistakes in positioning or handling could spoil everything.

Stage 2 – Sunday 30 June

Less mountainous than the previous day but with the best saved for last, two ascents of the spectacular Basilica di San Luca used in the one-day Giro dell’Emilia race before the finish in Bologna.

Stage 3 – Monday 1 July

A 230km stage, the longest of the race but with plenty to fill the airtime for TV viewers with talk of Paulo Conte, Fausto Coppi, or the wine and truffles of Alba before reaching Torino, or “Turin” to the French for a sprint, or “un sprint” as they say in French.

Stage 4 – Tuesday 2 July

Four days in and now a giant mountain stage to take the race back into France. Inevitable given the race has to get to France and they can hardly go via the coast to Nice. Still, they could have taken softer options. Instead it’s Sestriere and the Montgenèvre, they’re two long climbs you could drive a team bus up, ditto the Lautaret as well but you’ll have to park the bus here as here on it’s a much smaller road and steep as it passes 2,600m in altitude before the fast descent to Valloire, if a rider can crest this pass alone they’ve a good chance of staying away for the win.

Stage 5 – Wednesday 3 July

A sprint stage through the Alps rather than over them with some unmarked climbs along the way before a finish in Saint-Vulbas on the banks of the Rhone… and the shadow of the local nuclear power station.

Stage 6 – Thursday 4 July

A gourmet start in Macon passing plenty of vineyards and the home of chardonnay grapes plus more before a long procession to Dijon, mustard capital of France and beyond. All for a likely sprint.

Stage 7 – Friday 5 July

An important time trial on the Route des Grands Crus, celebrating the Côte de Nuit vineyards and on a course with some climbing and smaller roads too.

Stage 8 – Saturday 6 July

A sprint stage but a tiring one on roads that rise and fall all the time. French TV will go big on the history perhaps leaving international viewers flummoxed as Colombey-les-deux-Églises is famous for Charles De Gaulle, the exiled war leader and two-time President who famously – in France at least – came to see the Tour go past only for the race to stop and pay tribute, the first and only time it’s halted like this (there have been roadside protests, rider strikes and other incidents but not a decision just to stop, chat and then race on). Anyway expect to hear this story and get helicopter shots of the Lorraine Cross before the sprint trains gather speed.

Stage 9 – Sunday 7 July

The most northerly stage of this year’s race and it starts and finishes in the same place, rare for a grand tour stage. The headline is 14 sections of gravel totalling 32km, of which nine are kept for the final 70km. Gravel is a catch-all label for unpaved roads, here it’s the same roads used by the women in the 2022 Tour when Marlen Reusser won and Mavi Garcia had a nightmare. It provides spectacle – perfect for a Sunday far from the mountains – and also a talking point: a chance to copy-paste old “does pavé gravel belong in the Tour de France?” debates. Some GC riders will fear this stage and the fear of the fear will heighten anticipation. There is a random element where, the wheel of fortune for some might spin, for others it’ll puncture at the worst moment. The hardest part of the stage is in the first half.

Stage 10 – Tuesday 9 July

After the first rest day things ease into a sprint stage to Saint-Amand in the middle of France, literally so as Bruères-Allichamps is supposed to be one of the geographic centres of France. Normally a quiet day but the Tour came here in 2013, the wind got up and the peloton was cut to ribbons.

Stage 11 – Wednesday 10 July

A big day for the breakaway, this should see a fierce start that could rage for hours as the move fights to go clear. The second half is a copy of the 2016 stage won by Greg van Avermaet during his golden summer, taking the stage, yellow jersey and later on Olympic gold so we’ll see who has ideas for the same here as they cross the Auvergne volcanos. It can also be a GC day as the Pas de Peyrol is a stiff climb.

Stage 12 – Thursday 11 July

200km to a sprint on a day with terrain that ought to encourage slow cycling and probably siestas for TV viewers amid scenery and – late arrival of summer permitting – sunflower fields.

Stage 13 – Friday 12 July

More siesta cycling is likely but the finish today has some climbs to spice things up before the inevitable, unavoidable finish in Pau but via a few late climbs.

Stage 14 – Saturday 13 July

Just 150km but packed with climbing. 70km on the flat is torture for the climbers hoping to go in the breakaway. Things start to climb with the Gavarnie valley leading to the towering Tourmalet. The charming Hourquette d’Ancizan is next before a descent to the valley and only a few kilometres on the valley floor before the surprisingly hard climb to Pla d’Adet with long 10-12% ramps at the start.

Stage 15 – Sunday 14 July

4,800m of vertical gain, the most of all the stages but here spread out over 198km and a 14 July festival. It’s up the Peyresourde via the steeper western side before the Menté and Portet d’Aspet via their steeper sides too. Next is the tricky Col d’Agnes which crosses over to the Port de Lers. A descent in two parts, the steep bit past the waterfall then it flattens out and then comes the valley floor, all plenty of time for the final drinks and gels. The Plateau de Beille summit finish has been called the Alpe d’Huez of the Pyrenees but that’s a stretch, it does start steep and has some wide hairpins but that’s about it, no ski resort at the top, just a car park – there’s a building… but it burned down recently – and no comparable views on the way. Selective though.

Stage 16 – Tuesday 16 July

A sprint stage with inevitable “watch out if the Tramontane and Mistral winds blow” warnings.

Stage 17 – Wednesday 17 July

This could be a stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné with the long Eygues valley road from Nyons to Gap, the Col Bayard and then the combo of the Col du Noyer and the Superdévoluy… the finish did feature in the 2016 Dauphiné, and then as now the Noyer is the superior climb, breathtaking twice over for the scenery and the 13% section before the top.

Stage 18 – Thursday 18 July

This could go to the sprinters as it’s not a mountain stage even if it’s in the middle of the Alps. But by now anyone who weighs 70kg or more knows this is their last chance for a stage win and teams will send rider after rider in the breakaway, think of last July’s hectic stage to Champagnole won by Matej Mohorič for the template. It rides past the Serre Ponçon lake, scenic for cyclists and a windy spot for kitesurfers before the Demoiselles Coiffées climb before the finish 3.9km at 5.2% to split things up further. The approach to Barcelonnette is not the main road but uses a trickier side road too.

Stage 19 – Friday 19 July

4,600m of vertical gain which is beaucoup for just 145km and where the opening 20km are flat. The Col de Vars is much harder than the 5.7% average suggests, you can spot the flat middle section and the opening part to the Col de la Viste is more like 10%. Then comes the mighty Cime de Bonette at 2,802m which is over an hour of climbing and a good part of this above 2,000m altitude, daunting and normally a slog but the short distance stage might tempt moves some, otherwise Isola 2000 is the most of the Col de la Lombarde and a steep but steady climb to the ski station used by plenty of Nice and Monaco pro cyclists for altitude training.

Stage 20 – Saturday 20 July

Plenty of déjà vu from Paris-Nice on a day with very little rest. On paper this promises more fireworks with long climbs and twisty descents. But could it be a stage too far if some GC contenders sit tight fearing the following day’s time trial? Or the second order effect that they might hold back on Stage 19 too so that they have reserves for Stage 20 in case they’re needed here and for the TT, a scenario we’ve seen in many a back-loaded Giro; a flat stage would be a harder sell. Fingers crossed it’s close on GC and everyone’s up for it. It could be easier in July than March with improved form, it could roasting hot too.

Stage 21 – Sunday 21 July

A time trial via the Col d’Eze, the old ending of Paris-Nice. Just in case you’re wondering why the Tour de France finishes in Nice instead of Paris, it’s because of the Olympics, not so much a calendar clash, more the Tour finishing elsewhere gives Parisian policiers a rest before a busy period.

This is no parade-criterium stage but could be the race decider, that’s the dream scenario. It’s first time the race has ended with a time trial since 1989 when the Tour de France celebrated the 200th anniversary of the French revolution with a journey from Versailles to the capital and of course it was the closest-ever edition. The profile just doesn’t do the course justice, no way is it a level climb up and a fast descent back down, it’s more technical with plenty of rhythm changes and where taking the right line downhill wins time.

The Jerseys

Yellow : the most famous one, the maillot jaune , it is awarded to the rider with the shortest overall time for all the stages added together, the rider who has covered the course faster than anyone else. First awarded in 1919, it is yellow because the race was organised by the newspaper L’Auto which was printed on yellow paper. Today it is sponsored by LCL, a bank.

There are time bonuses of 10-6-4 seconds for the finish of each stage except the time trials. There are also 8-5-2 seconds at the bonus sprints marked “B” in yellow on the profiles above on Stages 2,4,11 and 17.

Green : the points jersey, which tends to reward the sprinters. Points are awarded at the finish line and at one intermediate point in the stage and the rider with the most points wears the jersey. It is sponsored by Skoda, a car manufacturer.

• Flat stages (Stages 2,3,5,6,8,9,10,12,13,16) 50-30-20-18-16-14-12-10-8-7-6-5-4-3 and 2 points for the first 15 riders
• Hilly finish / Medium mountain stages (Stages 1,11,17,18): 30-25-22-19-17-15-13-11-9-7-6- 5-4-3-2 points
• Mountain Stages + individual TT (Stages 4,7,14,15,19,20,21) : 20-17-15-13-11- 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 points
• Intermediate sprints: 20-17-15-13-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 points

Polka dot : also known as the “King of the Mountains” jersey, points are awarded at the top of categorised climbs and mountain passes, with these graded from the easier 4th category to the hors catégorie climbs which are so hard they are off the scale. In reality these gradings are subjective. Again the rider with the most points wears the jersey. It is sponsored by Leclerc, a supermarket.

• Cime de la Bonnette: 40-30-24-20-16-12-8-4 points
• Hors Catégorie (6 in total): 20-15-12-10-8-6-4-2 points
• Category 1 climbs (10): 10-8-6-4-2-1 points
• Category 2 (11): 5-3-2-1 points
• Category 3 (19): 2-1 points
• Category 4 (21): 1 point

White : for the best young rider, this is awarded on the same basis as the yellow jersey, except the rider must be born after 1 January 1999, ie aged 25 or under. It is sponsored by Krys, a retail chain of opticians

Timekeeping Three second rule : normally a one second gap on the finish line is needed to separate groups in a finish but for Stages 3,5,6,8,9,10,12,13,16 the likely sprint stages, three seconds is needed for a split in the field.

The three kilometre rule doesn’t apply on Stages 7,14,15,17,19,20,21 and for Stages 5,6,10 it applies with 4km to go and 5km to for Stages 3,12,13.

Stages are given a coefficient rating from 1-6, look up the stage’s rating in the table above. Then see the average speed for the day’s winner and look up the corresponding line below to calculate the time cut.

• Each day on a normal stage there’s €11,000 for the winner, €5,500 for second place and a decreasing scale down to a modest €300 for 20th place
• For the final overall classification in Paris, first place brings in €500,000 and the Sèvres porcelain “omnisports trophy”, awarded “in the name of the Presidency of the French Republic”. The full breakdown is €500,000 for first place, €200,000 for second place, €100,000 for third place and then €70,000, €50,000, €23,000, €11,500, €7,600, €4,500, €3,800, €3,000, €2,700, €2,500, €2,100, €2,000 €1,500, €1,300, €1,200 and €1,100 for 19th place. €1,000 for 20th-160th overall

There are other pots of money available in the race:

• €500 a day to whoever wears the yellow jersey
• €300 for the other jersey holders
• €25,000 for the final winner of the green and polka dot jerseys, €15,000 for second place, €10,000 for third place, €4,000, €3,500, €2,500, and €2,000 for eighth in the competition
• €20,000 for the final winner of the white jersey
• There’s also money for the first three in the intermediate sprint each day: €1,500, €1000 and €500
• The climbs have cash too with the first three over an hors catégorie climb earning €800, €450 and €300 and lesser sums for lesser climbs down to €200 for winning a 4th category climb
• The highest point in the race sees a prize when on Stage 4 the Henri Desgrange prize is awarded at the Col du Galibier and is worth €5,000
• the Jacques Goddet prize is also €5,000 for the first over the Tourmalet on Stage 15
• The “most combative” prize is awarded and worth €2,000 each day, the “Super combative” prize is awarded in Paris and the winner collects €20,000.
• There’s also a team prize with €2,800 awarded each day to the leading team on the overall, €50,000 for the final winners in Paris. Note the team prize is calculated by adding the time of the best three riders each day rather than the best three on GC. For example if a team has riders A, B and C make the winning break one day then their times for the stage are taken and added together. If riders X, Y and Z on the same team go up the road the next day, their times are taken. So it’s the times of a team’s best three riders each day as opposed to the best three riders overall.

The total prize pot is €2,301,200 meagre for an event of this scale but remember that unlike, say tennis or golf, pro cyclists are salaried and paid bonuses by their teams. So prize money is just a nice bonus on the side. Win a Tour stage and a rider might add a zero onto the salary, maybe more and so the race creates value rather than pays it.

Crucially prize money is shared around the team (as well as levied and taxed) rather than pocketed by the winner, it’s possible the actual prize winner sees 5-10% of the headline sum . In addition, every team that starts gets paid a participation fee of over €50,000 to cover expenses. And should a squad make it to Paris with six or more riders they stand to collect an additional €1,600 bonus for each rider.

Download to your phone or diary – iCal An iCal is a calendar file that you can store on your phone or electronic diary like Outlook or Calendar. There are several ways to get this on to your computer or phone.

Subscribe and get automatic updates including the timing for the women’s stages: The recommended option is to subscribe by copying the iCal URL :

https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/7b22538f131493ca9d5e9ec90a958258d2c71cba37a630472900a42620850791%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics

Or right-click here to save the iCal file.

6 thoughts on “Tour de France Guide”

In addition to the Olympics its notable that there are national elections on the 30th of June and 7th of July.

Perhaps I missed it, but didn’t see “must see” stages section as in previous years. Thx

May I ask if it is possible to download a copy of this year rule book? Thanks!

Normally it’s on the Tour website but doesn’t seem to be at the moment, it’ll probably go online during the next week.

Thanks a lot!

The Souvenir Henri Desgrange is for the highest point, but that isn’t the Galibier, it’s the Bonette! Is it because that’s not really a “proper” col? I thought they had to pass the actual col anyway to get there, which is still higher than the Galibier.

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How Are Those Mountain Climbs Classified In The Tour de France

In this year’s Tour de France, in the eighth stage, Because Bogacha turned on the violent mode, and in the final climbing stage, he directly exceeded 17 people. Although not the segment champion, but still beat all opponents, the overall result rank first, he put on the yellow jersey as he wishes, the powerful output of the entire process absolutely absorbs countless fans.

The stage is the first alpine stage of this tour de France, the riders will pass one category 3 climb, one category 4 climb and three category 1 climbs for a total of 150.8km. It is a combination of different climbing stages. So how is the classification of climb divided in the tour of France and how did it come about ? Let me show you now.

It is said that in the early stage of last century, cars were not as powerful as they are today, if a hill can be climbed by a 35-horsepower car in 4th gear,it is called grade 4 climb. A hill that can be climbed in 3rd gear, it is called grade 3 climb, so on and so forth to grade 1. If it is a hill that a car can not climb, it is grade HC. Believe it or not, this statement indicates the difficulty of the relevant climbing levels. So how are these climbing classes classified today？

At the first Tour de France in 1933, there was only one class for the hilltop finish, with 10 points awarded to the first person to pass. After World War Two in 1947, there were two classes for the hill top finish, with the first and second finishers receiving 10 and 5 points each. In 1962, the difficulty of climbing was divided into 4 levels.The four levels climbing category could not meet the requirements of the event and the level HC(Hors Categorie) came into being and was added to the tour de France climbing level division.

How to classify the climbing levels.

In fact, the current tour de France climbing grade is based on the height of the mountain, climbing distance, the average slope and other factors to divide into 5 grades, respectively 4, 3, 2, 1 and HC level, the difficulty of grade 4 is the easiest, the smaller the number, the higher the difficulty,HC level is the highest and most difficult level.

Grade HC is short for French”Hors Categorie”, it is a term used in cycling, refer in particular to the climbing of beyond the level. HC was used to refer to the mountain road that car can not pass, we can see the difficulty of climbing and steepness from the literal meaning.

Slope calculation formula of tour de France

((Average slope (%))^(3/2)* Altitude climb (m))/100

20 < grade 3 ≦50

50 < grade 2 ≦120

120 < grade 1 ≦200

Grade HC > 200

Calculate with an average slope of 5% and a total climb of 1200 meters above sea level, which is:5^(3/2)*1200/100=134. 134 is between 120 and 200, it belongs to grade 1, then we can conclude that the difficulty rating of the climb is grade 1.

Climbing points

Grade HC: 25-20-16-14-12-8-6-4-2-1 points.

Grade 1: 10-8-6-4-2-1 points

Grade 2: 5-3-2-1 points

Grade 3: 2-1 points

Grade 4: 1 pint.

The first rider to pass the hill gets the highest points, and the remaining riders who pass the hill get the remaining points. The rider with the highest total climbing points over the 21 stages of the Tour de France will wear the King of Climbs polka dot shirt.

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Tour de France 2024: KOM classification

KOM classification 2024 Tour de France 1. Richard Carapaz 127 2. Tadej Pogacar 102 3. Jonas Vingegaard 70 4. Matteo Jorgenson 54 5. Remco Evenepoel 50

Another interesting read: winners KOM classification at the Tour de France from 2000 onward.

For the KOM standings of each day and the results on each climb, please follow the links in the column below.

Tour de France 2024 – KOM competition

More about the tour de france.

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2024 tour de france: teams, how it works, points, prize money, rules.

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The Tour de France returns in all of its glory on Saturday, June 29, with no shortage of major storylines going into cycling’s most prestigious race. Can Jonas Vingegaard, winner in back-to-back years, become history’s ninth cyclist to win at least three Tour de France races? His primary competition, Tadej Pogačar, aims for the same feat and the yellow jersey after finishing second in 2022 and 2023. Elsewhere, Primož Roglič seeks the elusive Tour de France victory that has eluded him.

Before cyclists embark on their massive trek, get up to speed with everything you need to know for the 111th Tour de France, which is streaming on Peacock on NBC.

How does the 2024 Tour de France work?

This year’s Tour de France is unique for several reasons. It will begin in Florence, Italy, for the first time in the event’s history. This starting point honors the 100-year mark since an Italian won the Tour de France, achieved by Ottavio Bottecchia in 1924. With the Paris Olympics starting in late July, 2024 features the first-ever Tour de France that won’t conclude in France’s capital city. Instead, it will finish in Nice, France. Riders will complete 21 stages across three weeks, starting in Florence, Italy on Saturday, June 29, and ending on Sunday, July 21. The entire Tour De France will cover a total distance of 3,492 km (2,170 miles), with riders competing in one stage per day and receiving one rest day at the end of each week.

How to watch every stage of the 2024 Tour de France: Stages, schedule, start times, live stream info

Who is riding in the Tour de France 2024?

The favorite to win the 2024 Tour de France is Tadej Pogačar , a member of the UAE Team Emirates . At 25 years old, he already has two Tour de France wins (2020, 2021) and one Giro d’Italia victory (2024). After dominating the Giro d’Italia in May, the phenom aims to become the first cyclist since 1998 (Marco Pantani) to win both the Giro and the Tour de France in the same year. Already considered one of the greatest talents cycling has ever seen, the Slovenian has won four out of five events he’s raced in this year, finishing third in his only non-victory. He’s finished second place in the last two editions of the Tour de France.

Pogačar will look to defeat two-time defending Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard of Team Visma-Lease a Bike, another popular pick to win this year. The 27-year-old has bested Pogačar the last two years, but the Tour de France will mark his return to racing since a severe crash at the Tour of the Basque Country in April, where he broke his collarbone and ribs, suffering a collapsed lung in the process.

Another intriguing challenger is Tour veteran Primož Roglič of Team Bora-hansgrohe, who seeks his first Tour de France victory in what will be his sixth appearance. At 34 years old and well into his illustrious career, it remains the major title he has yet to win, having already secured victories across the Giro d’Italia, Vuelta a España, Monuments, and Olympic Games.

How many teams are in the Tour de France?

The Tour de France is made up of 22 pro cycling teams with eight riders each, amounting to 176 total competitors.

How do teams work in the Tour de France?

Each team has one rider who is their main contender, commonly referred to as the team’s leader. Teams may have several leaders throughout the race, determined by each group’s individual race strategy. Other members of the team are known as domestiques . These key figures support their team’s leader in the race by shielding them from wind and other cyclists, bringing them water, and even offering to switch bikes in the event of mechanical failure. Team members typically take turns acting in these support roles.

RELATED: 2024 Tour de France cyclists to watch: Jonas Vingegaard, Tadej Pogacar lead the pack

Who are recent Tour de France winners?

2023: Jonas Vingegaard (Denmark) 2022: Jonas Vingegaard (Denmark) 2021: Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia) 2020: Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia) 2019: Egan Bernal (Colombia) 2018: Geraint Thomas (United Kingdom, Wales) 2017: Chris Froome (United Kingdom) 2016: Chris Froome (United Kingdom) 2015: Chris Froome (United Kingdom) 2014: Vincenzo Nibali (Italy) 2013: Chris Froome (United Kingdom) 2012: Bradley Wiggins (United Kingdom) 2011: Cadel Evans (Australia) 2010: Andy Schleck (Luxembourg) Alberto Contador was initial winner, but was stripped of victory in 2012 after he was found guilty of doping

How many points do you get for winning a stage in the Tour de France?

Points are awarded throughout and at the end of each stage, differing based on the type of stage. Here’s the point distribution for first-place finishers across stages (Individual time trial and intermediate sprint winners are also awarded 20 points each):

Flat stage finishes: 50 points Hilly and medium mountain stage finishes: 30 points High mountain finishes: 20 points

How do they determine the winner of the Tour de France?

The rider with the shortest overall combined time from every stage is declared the winner. This year’s race will feature an individual time trial from Monaco to Nice as the final stage. Though there is only one overall winner, there are three other individual awards granted to cyclists for various accomplishments. Throughout the race, the leaders in each category wear specific jerseys to differentiate them from the rest.

The coveted yellow jersey is for the rider with the fastest overall time at the end of each stage; the race leader. A green jersey, also known as the points jersey, is awarded to the fastest sprinter. Riders collect points for finishing stages quickly, winning sprint sections, and performing well in mountain sections. A white jersey with red polka dots, also known as the “King of the Mountains,” is awarded to the best climber. Mountain points are distributed based on the difficulty of individual climbing sections throughout various mountain stages. Lastly, a white jersey is awarded to the best young rider, the highest-ranked cyclist under the age of 26. Winning just one Tour de France stage is considered a huge victory for most cyclists.

How much money do you get for winning the Tour de France?

The overall winner of the Tour de France will receive €500,000, equivalent to $533,915. Second place earns €200,000 ($213,566), with third place getting $100,000 ($107,062). Each stage win is worth €11,000, equivalent to $11,746. The rider with the most sprint points at the race’s conclusion walks away with €25,000 ($26,765) as the green jersey winner.

Is there a team prize in the Tour de France?

Yes, there is a team prize in the Tour de France. The top five teams at the end of the race receive cash prizes, which are then calculated by adding the cumulative times of each team’s three fastest finishers from the stage. The winning team receives €2,800 in prize money ($3,001). Team earnings are often split among the team instead of just one rider.

How is the Tour de France time cut calculated?

The Tour de France’s time cut is a Grand Tours ruling that ensures riders don’t reduce their workloads in certain stages to conserve energy for later stages. Time cuts in stages are determined by two factors, primarily the stage’s difficulty and the winning rider’s average speed. Every stage in the Tour de France is given a difficulty coefficient, numbered one to six. For example, a stage where minimal climbing is involved may be granted a one or a two, but a stage with high climbs through mountains may be granted a higher difficulty coefficient, like five or six. If the stage maintains a fast pace, time cuts will be more forgiving. If races produce a slower pace, the time cut will be harsher.

What is the name of the British team in the Tour de France?

The INEOS Grenadiers are Great Britain’s professional cycling team that competes at the UCI World team level. The team is based out of Manchester, England with a base in Deinze, Belgium. Previously known as Team Sky, the name changed to Team INEOS and then the INEOS Grenadiers in 2019, when INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe became sole owners. This year’s 11 British riders throughout the field are the most ever in Tour de France history.

What are the stages of the Tour de France 2024?

Saturday, June 29: Stage 1 , Florence - Rimini (206 km) Sunday, June 30: Stage 2 , Cesenatico - Bologne (199.2 km) Monday, July 1: Stage 3 , Plaisance - Turin (230.8 km) Tuesday, July 2: Stage 4 , Pinerolo - Valloire (139.6 km) Wednesday, July 3: Stage 5 , Sant-Jean-de-Maurienne - Saint-Vulbas (177.4 km) Thursday, July 4: Stage 6 , Mâcon - Dijon (163.5 km) Friday, July 5: Stage 7 , Nuits-Saint-Georges - Gevrey-Chambertin (25.3 km, individual time trial) Saturday, July 6: Stage 8 , Semur-En-Auxois > Colombey-les-Deux-Églises (183.4 km) Sunday, July 7: Stage 9 , Troyes - Troyes (199 km) Monday, July 8: Rest Day Tuesday, July 9: Stage 10 , Orléans - Saint-Amand-Montrond (187.3 km) Wednesday, July 10: Stage 11 , Évaus-les-Bains - Le Lioran (211 km) Thursday, July 11: Stage 12 , Aurillac - Villeneuve-sur-Lot (203.6 km) Friday, July 12: Stage 13 , Agen - Pau (165.3 km) Saturday, July 13: Stage 14 , Pau - Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla d’Adet (151.9 km) Sunday, July 14: Stage 15 , Loudenvielle - Plateau de Beille (198 km) Monday, July 15: Rest Day Tuesday, July 16: Stage 16 , Gruissan - Nîmes (188.6 km) Wednesday, July 17: Stage 17 , Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux - Superdévoluy (177.8 km) Thursday, July 18: Stage 18 , Gap - Barcelonnette (179.5 km) Friday, July 19: Stage 19 , Embrun - Isola 2000 (144.6 km) Saturday, July 20: Stage 20 , Nice - Col de la Couillole (132.8 km) Sunday, July 21: Stage 21 , Monaco - Nice (33.7 km, individual time trial)

Who is the only American to win the Tour de France?

The legendary Greg LeMond is the only American man to win the Tour de France, capturing victories in 1986, 1989, and 1990. In the process, he became the first non-European professional cyclist to win the historic race.

What happens if you have to go to the bathroom during the Tour de France?

Cyclists can stop on the side of the road if they must use the bathroom during the Tour de France. However, they must be out of view of spectators to avoid getting fined. Riders often will take collective breaks as a group to individually go to the bathroom.

Do riders sleep during the Tour de France?

Yes! Tour de France competitors do indeed get rest. The race is three weeks long and athletes are exercising intensely, so sleep is necessary. Cyclists typically sleep in hotel rooms that vary in accommodations and location.

What are the Tour de France rules?

There are many rules within the Tour de France, among them include:

• All riders must wear their team’s official outfit: shorts, jersey, socks, shoes, gloves, and a helmet to begin the race (aside from special jerseys).
• Other classifications can be identified by a rider’s uniform or race number, including colored or special numbers for the highest-ranked individual rider on each team, the most aggressive rider as determined by a jury, and stage winners.
• If a cyclist wins a stage or is one of the first three finishers, seconds are subtracted from their overall time as a bonus. First place subtracts ten seconds, then six and four for second and third. At various critical points like passes and summits, the first three riders can also receive time premiums of eight, five, and two seconds.
• There is a time cut calculated depending on the type of stage using the time of the winner. In most cases, riders will be eliminated from the race if they do not finish under the time cut. There are cases where a rider will finish after the time cut and still be allowed to start the next day, but they lose all of the points they had accumulated to that point.
• Various cyclists are drug tested at every stage, with over 180 drug tests distributed throughout the race.

Other specific rules for the Tour de France include:

• No littering
• Cyclists cannot push off cars, motorcycles or other riders
• Team cars called caravans may follow riders, but must maintain a distance of at least 25 meters.
• Spraying liquid, like water used for cooling purposes, from team cars is prohibited.
• Teams cannot help eachother.
• Riders may only eat in designated areas.
• No indecent behavior towards spectators.

Five key stages of the 2024 Tour de France

The stages to watch next July, from the high mountains to the gravel roads and a potentially thrilling final time trial

The 2024 Tour de France will feature an atypical but fascinating route. For the first time, the race will kick off in Italy and end in Nice rather than Paris. 

The 25th foreign Grand Départ in the 120-year history of the Tour de France means that the race has started in every country bordering France aside from Andorra.

The 2024 Paris Olympics has also necessitated moving the final stage south to Nice, the first time the race has finished outside Paris and for an extra dramatic twist, the race concludes with a time trial for the first time in 35 years.

It'll be a Tour de France route far from the usual, then, although all the same ingredients that make the race what it is: high mountains, hills, time trials, and this year gravel – make up the 21 stages.

Full details of all the headline stages, barring the stage 7 time trial, have been unveiled and we've pored through the route to highlight five of the key stages of the 2024 Tour de France.

Stage 4: Pinerolo – Valloire, 138km

A Grand Départ in Tuscany , taking in several hilly stages en route to Turin and the French border mean a special treat for fans, as the race hits the high mountains just four days into the race.

Any riders who aren't quite in top shape at the start, or who have suffered with illness, form, or crashes in Italy, won't welcome the long drag to Sestriere (39.9km at 3.7%), the Col de Montgenèvre (8.3km at 5.9%) and of course the Col du Galibier (23km at 5.1%).

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The climbs aren't new to the Tour, of course, with Sestriere last featuring in 2011 and the Galibier featuring on back-to-back days two years ago – when Jumbo-Visma piled the pain on Tadej Pogačar before Tom Pidcock put on his stunning descending display .

Any yellow jersey earthquakes such as the Jonas Vingegaard display we saw on stage 11 in 2022 are unlikely at this early stage in the race, but with two climbs over 2,000 metres as early as stage 4 – the Galibier peaks at over 2,600 metres – there are bound to be some GC casualties.

At just 138km and with a descent to the finish in Valloire, the stage looks tailor-made for an audacious breakaway as the GC men battle behind.

We've already seen Ineos Grenadiers' Tom Pidcock show what he can do on the way down the Galibier – could he repeat the feat in 2024? 

It might be tough to get the leeway to do the same next July but we'll no doubt witness some stunning feats of descending once again on the flowing and picturesque road down the famous climb.

Names including Fausto Coppi, Eddy Merckx, Luis Ocaña, and Marco Pantani have all led the Tour over the Galibier in the past. It'll be another special name which does the same on July 19 next year.

Stage 9: Troyes - Troyes, 199km

With the Tour taking the long way around France to the Pyrenees, the race enters something of a lull after crossing the border into France via the Galibier. Sprint and transitional stages, as well as the 25km stage 7 time trial lead the way to the next major climbing day at Le Lioran on stage 10.

However, Tour organisers have disrupted the race narrative up by throwing a big chunk of gravel into the mix, with stage 9 hosting 32.2km of the rough stuff spread over 14 sectors around Troyes.

Remco Evenepoel and team managers including Jumbo-Visma's Richard Plugge and Soudal-QuickStep's Patrick Lefevere have questioned the inclusion of gravel on the Tour route. However, there's no doubt that the stage will be a spectacle to behold, even if luck is set to play a part on the day.

"We had to come up with something clever," Tour route planner Thierry Gouvenou recently said of the routing across the mountain-free mid-section of the country.

That has resulted in the mix of hills – 2,000 metres of elevation – and white gravel tracks reminiscent of Strade Bianche that make up stage 9.

Those roads around Troyes featured in the Tour de France Femmes two years ago, with just 12.9km of gravel bringing high drama and chaos to the peloton. 

With almost three times as much awaiting the riders in the men's race next summer, there's bound to be more of the same, even if debates about luck, fairness, and safety are bound to rear their heads.

Notable recent Grand Tour dalliances with gravel roads have included the legendary slugfest to Montalcino at the 2010 Giro d'Italia , the 2021 Giro's stage 6, won by the late Gino Mäder, and the gravel peak at the Montèe de Plateau des Glières at the 2020 Tour.

Those stages, as well as races including Strade Bianche and Paris-Tours, suggest that stage 9 of the 2024 Tour will be one of the highlights of the race.

Stage 14: Pau – Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla d'Adet, 152km

After early appointments at the Galibier and the mid-mountains at Le Lioran in the Massif Central on stage 10, the 14th stage of the race brings the first major summit finish of the race as the peloton hit the Pyrenees.

The finish at Pla d'Adet is the first of four summit finishes of the race, with two apiece featuring in the southern mountain range and the Alps in the east.

At 152km, stage 14 is the shorter of the two Pyrenean days by 47km, and it also features fewer climbs. However, the day brings three climbs back-to-back-to-back with little let-up in contrast to the long spells on the valley roads during stage 15.

For that reason, we've marked it as the one to watch in the Pyrenees, with the triple header of the Col du Tourmalet (19km at 7.4%), the Hourquette d'Ancizan (8.2km at 5.1%), and the finisher at Pla d'Adet (10.6km at 7.9%) sure to host a major GC showdown.

The Tourmalet is a well-known quantity at this point, featuring as it does for the fourth time in six years and the 84th time in Tour history. It should serve as a perfect stage to weaken tired legs or even for a certain team to push the pace if a rival falls behind early.

The path up the Hourquette d'Ancizan is one less well-trodden. The climb is on the route for only the sixth time, having made its debut in 2011. Once again, it's unlikely to host the decisive moment in the stage, more laying the groundwork for the final climb.

When the riders get to Pla d'Adet, they'll see the hardest test of the day up ahead of them with double-digit gradients welcoming them in the early stages of the climb to the line and uneven gradients ranging between 7% and 9% the rest of the way, barring a 2km spell at around 5% towards the top.

With plenty of hard stages left on the docket, the 2024 Tour might not be won on Pla d'Adet, but it can certainly be lost on this stage.

Stage 19: Embrun – Isola 2000, 145km

A backloaded Tour de France route means that there's a lot to look forward to in the last week.

A testing mountainous stage 17 to Superdévoluy gives way to a day in the hills on the road to Barcelonnette and then the final two big mountain tests – Isola 2000 on stage 19 and then the four-mountain 133km stage to the Col de la Couillole on the penultimate day.

We've gone with stage 19, the final day in the high mountains, as our pick for the fourth key stage of the 2024 Tour. 

It might have fewer climbs (three vs four) and less climbing (4,500 metres vs 4,700) by comparison with stage 20, but three ascents above the 2,000-metre mark bring with them a huge chance to upend the general classification.

The high point of the Tour, the 2,802-metre Cime de la Bonette (22.9km at 6.9%) is back on the race for the first time since John-Lee Augustyn led the race over the top before crashing on the descent back in 2008. Previous riders to lead over the summit include Philippa York and Federico Bahamontes.

The Col du Vars (18.8km at 5.7%) leads into that monstrous climb, with a very long descent then leading into the final climb of the day to the finish at the ski resort of Isola 2000.

The 16.1km climb measures in at an average of 7.1%, with the hardest sections coming early and in the middle before gradients of 5-6% in the second half as the altitude will no doubt take its toll.

Once again, the climb is a lesser used one at the Tour, last featured on the route in 2008 and 1993, the latter hosting a finish as Tony Rominger beat Miguel Indurain to the line for the second of his three stage wins that year.

Back then, the Spaniard was in yellow and on the way to his third Tour win with a comfortable margin of over three minutes to second-placed Alvaro Mejia. 

Let's hope that the GC isn't as settled when the riders hit Isola 2000 next July.

Stage 21: Monaco – Nice, 34km

An atypical Tour de France concludes in an atypical way. Does anyone remember the last time the Tour concluded with a time trial?

The 1989 battle between Greg Lemond and Laurent Fignon is surely by now seared into the mind of any Tour de France fan, and next year race organisers have taken the brave step of attempting to recapture that magic with the first stage 21 time trial since.

Everyone watching the Tour next July will be keeping their fingers crossed for something approaching the same level of drama in Nice on July 21. Will the top favourites of Jonas Vingegaard, Tadej Pogačar , Remco Evenepoel, and Primož Roglič be within striking distance of each other after 20 days of racing?

If they are then they'll have over 700 metres of climbing packed into this 34km run from Monaco to Nice to contend with.

A short flat run to get things underway soon gives way to the 8.1km, 5.6% climb to La Turbie, before a short descent and a short but sharp ascent to the Col d'Eze (1.6km at 8.1%). With 10km of climbing coming in the opening 17km of the TT, all eyes will be on equipment selection and possible bike changes.

The closing half of the race is a speedster's dream, with 7km of flat roads mixed in with a 9km descent down the Col d'Eze. From the climbing to the descents, the potential for high drama runs all the way through this finishing stage.

Perhaps for the first time since that epic day in 1989, the closing stage of the Tour de France is a must-watch stage, and for that reason, it's our final key stage of the 2024 Tour.

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Dani Ostanek is Senior News Writer at Cyclingnews, joining in 2017 as a freelance contributor and later being hired full-time. Before joining the team, they had written for numerous major publications in the cycling world, including CyclingWeekly and Rouleur.

Dani has reported from the world's top races, including the Tour de France, Road World Championships, and the spring Classics. They have interviewed many of the sport's biggest stars, including Mathieu van der Poel, Demi Vollering, and Remco Evenepoel. Their favourite races are the Giro d'Italia, Strade Bianche and Paris-Roubaix.

Season highlights from the 2024 season include reporting from Paris-Roubaix –   'Unless I'm in an ambulance, I'm finishing this race' – Cyrus Monk, the last man home at Paris-Roubaix  – and the Tour de France –  'Disbelief', gratitude, and family – Mark Cavendish celebrates a record-breaking Tour de France sprint win .

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Tour de France 2023 standings: GC, points, King of the Mountains and best young rider

The 2023 Tour de France sees Jonas Vingegaard return to defend his crown after winning his first yellow jersey last year an ending Tadej Pogacar ’s dominance.

The Slovenian Pogacar had won the previous two races and was widely expected to win No 3, before Vingegaard dismantled that indestructable aura with the help of his Jumbo-Visma teammate Primoz Roglic to top the general classification. There is no Roglic this year and so instead there is only a mouthwatering head-to-head fight between the two outstanding riders in the world right now, Vingegaard and Pogacar.

While they fight it out for yellow, the peloton’s sprinters will contest the points classification for the green jersey, with big points available at the end of flat stages as well as intermiedate markers during the stages. Wout van Aert is the reigning champion in this classification but Vingegaard’s Jumbo-Visma teammate may need to focus his attention on helping the Dane secure the big prize.

The famous polka dot jersey is worn by the King of the Mountains and there are KoM points to be won at the top of every categorised climb, with the biggest rewards saved for the hardest ascents. Vingegaard himself won this category last year, topping the polka dot standings by default after dominating in the high Alps and Pyrenees.

The white jersey is reserved for the best young rider. Given the cut-off age is 26, and Pogacar is only 24, it would not be surprising if the man who has won the past three won the next two too.

Select the ‘clock’ tab to see the current standings in this year’s Tour de France:

Well and Good Travel

The Foolproof Tour du Mont Blanc Itinerary: 10-Days

10 days of hiking in the Alps – the ULTIMATE wellness trip if you ask me. This Tour du Mont Blanc self-guided itinerary follows the traditional TMB route, includes tips, daily trail specs, and accommodation suggestions, and addresses some of the most common questions you might be asking yourself as you begin planning your tour.

The Tour du Mont Blanc, or the TMB, is a 105-mile (170 km) trail that circumnavigates Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Europe. The TMB is often considered one of the most beautiful through-hikes in the world, introducing hikers from around the globe to the exquisite and dramatic scenery of the Alps.

👉 Don’t forget travel insurance for this trip! I always use SafetyWing !

Want to save yourself a lot of planning time? Check out Skyhook Adventures’ 10-day guided trek if you want all of your accommodations, food, and transportation taken care of!

Tour du Mont Blanc Itinerary 10 Days

This itinerary does not include, but I recommend, staying in Chamonix for a couple of days before and after your tour, first to acclimate and then to relax.

The TMB is broken up into “stages”. Traditionally, there are 11 stages but depending on how many days you want to trek you can find different versions of the stages.

During your planning, and your trekking, take all distance, time, and elevation markers or estimations with a grain of salt. Mileage on GPS and in guidebooks and blogs rarely match up, and there are a lot of variables that affect the accuracy of the time estimations. The trail markers seem to allot 30 minutes for every mile, but depending on your age, the weather, and what shape you’re in, that will be different for every person. For your own sake, just always assume you’ll have an additional mile or 30 minutes 🙂

Tour du Mont Blanc Trek Specs:

• Distance: 105 miles / 170 kilometers
• Route Type:  Loop
• Starting Point: Les Houches (traditionally)
• Direction: Counter-clockwise (although it can also be hiked clockwise)
• Total Elevation Gain/Loss:   33,632ft / 10,251 m
• Maximum Altitude: 8,500 ft / 2600 m
• Days To Hike: 7-12 days
• Countries: France, Italy, Switzerland
• Difficulty: Difficult (never flat, always up or down)

Tour du Mont Blanc Itinerary Disclaimers:

• Most stages have alternative route options, or “variants”, as they are called. This itinerary follows the traditional TMB route, except for day 10. Refer to the recommended guidebooks for variant options.
• Some stages have options to use public transport and lifts/gondolas to accelerate and shorten the path. This itinerary discloses any shortcuts by calling out *SHORTCUT*.
• There are many mountain huts/refuges along the TMB to choose from. This allows for total personalization of your trek. The huts recommended in this 10-day Tour du Mont Blanc itinerary are huts that I stayed in and will provide my honest opinion about.

Day 1: Les Houches to Les Contamines

Do not get off at the first stop in Les Houches – stay on until you see the Office de Tourismo (on your left). Here you will see the TMB starting point arch. Take a photo and walk onward for about 10 minutes until you see the “Telecabine Bellevue”. *SHORTCUT* This will cut off a 2600 ft / 800 m climb through the forest. Begin your trek at the top of this cable car.

You’ll pass through many towns and villages today, and you won’t feel very “out there”. The signage is decent, just make sure you pay attention and don’t pass any turnoffs. Use the guidebooks and GPS for support.

✔ Mileage: 9 miles / 14.5 km (if you take the cable car, 11 if you don’t)

⛰️ Elevation Gain: ~ 1000 ft / 300 m (if you take the cable car, 3550 ft if you don’t)

✔ Estimated hiking time: 5 hours (with cable car)

💤 Where to stay: Gai Soleil

Gai Soleil is a quaint and quiet hotel just off the main road in Les Contamines. There is a lovely yard to relax in after hiking all day. The rooms are basic but very comfortable with amazing views. Breakfast was great and there is wifi. I would recommend staying here.

Day 2: Les Contamines to Les Chapieux

💪 This is one of the most challenging days of this 10-day tour du mont blanc itinerary.

Today you will climb over two Cols (mountain passes). You will see fewer towns and be pleasantly surprised by the beauty that is everywhere. Be prepared for lots of elevation gain and possible weather. It can get very cold (and wet!) at the top of the cols.

When you begin to descend from the second col, you’ll pass Croix du Bonhomme – a refuge. Stop here for hot chocolate or coffee but DO NOT stay here (outhouses, flies, no showers, etc).

BONUS: Look out and listen for lots of Marmots as you descend from Croix du Bonhomme!

✔ Mileage: 14 miles / 22.5 km

⛰️ Elevation Gain: 4500 ft /3000 ft down

✔ Estimated hiking time: 7 hours

💤 Where to stay: Auberge de la Nova

You will see the Auberge immediately as you descend into Les Chapieux (there isn’t much else here!). Try to get a private room if you can – unless you are fully comfortable sleeping in dorms. The dinner was one of the best dinners of the trek! Hot showers but no wifi or service.

ALSO READ: Tour du Mont Blanc Packing List 🥾 👚 👖 🧳

Day 3: Les Chapieux to Rifugio Cabane du Combal

🌀 One of the most beautiful days of the trek!

Today you will get your first view of Mont Blanc from the trail and cross over into Italy via Col de la Seigne. To begin, take a bus from Les Chapieux to Les Mottets (NOT Ville des Glaciers).  *SHORTCUT* This will cut about an hour and a half of walking on a skinny paved road which made sense to us (and most others).

There is a small wooden information center in Les Chapieux, just outside Auberge de la Nova. You can buy bus tickets here – try and buy them the night before in order to get the first bus, otherwise, you may have to wait until the 9 am bus (or just walk).

BONUS: When you get to Cabane du Combal, continue on another 10 minutes to see Lac Miage and the adjacent moraine – you’ll see the signs outside the rifugio. If you sit and listen at the top, you’ll hear small rockslides happen every few minutes as a result of the melting glacier.

The All Trails map linked below maps you to Rifugio Elisabetta. A lot of people like to stay here but I saw the sleeping area and would highly recommend continuing on to Cabane du Combal. It’s another 30 minutes and 1.5 miles on FLAT gravel road. Definitely stop at Elisabetta for a cappuccino though. You’ll have to climb up their long and steep driveway but it is worth it!

✔ Mileage: 10 miles / 16 km

⛰️ Elevation Gain: 3400 ft / 1036 m

✔ Estimated hiking time: 5.5 hours

💤 Where to stay: Cabane du Combal

Cabane du Combal is a very sweet rifugio with large, clean rooms and the dinner was really very good. They tend to get herds of ibex hanging around (hence their logo), so be on the lookout! We saw several here 🙂 Lastly, there is no wifi or service here.

ALSO READ: Tour du Mont Blanc Refuges: Everything You Need to Know

Day 4: Cabane du Combal to Rifugio Maison Vieille

🌀 One of the most beautiful days of this tour du mont blanc itinerary!

This was one of my absolute favorite days. It was a short day but SO beautiful. On several days you trek through villages and towns, but this day you are just in the mountains the entire time. You’ll be walking at eye level with glaciers and alongside grazing sheep and cows. Take your time and admire the beauty in every direction.

ALTERNATIVE ITINERARY: As much as we loved Maison Vielle, I recommend continuing past Rifugio Maison Vielle and booking a hotel in Courmayeur. Courmayeur is the largest town you will go through and a great opportunity to stay somewhere nicer, and it will balance out the distances on days 4 and 5. The Alltrails map below goes to Courmayeur.

✔ Mileage: 6 miles / 9.6 km (to Maison Vieille)

⛰️ Elevation Gain: 1900 ft / 600 m

✔ Estimated hiking time: 3 – 4 hours

💤 Where to stay: Rifugio Maison Vieille

As I mentioned, I would continue on to Courmayeur. However, if you choose to stay at Maison Vieille you can spend the afternoon lounging in lawn chairs and sipping on cold beers. This is a popular lunch stop for day hikers so it’s very busy and fun. They only have dorms – no private rooms, FYI. But, they do have wifi.

Day 5: Rifugio Maison Vieille to Rifugio Walter Bonatti

Maison Vieille is situated at the top of a ski lift. When you depart on day 5 you can either sleep in and wait for the ski lift to open at 9 am to take you down to Dolonne or you can walk down the very steep descent which will take you about 2 hours. * This is another reason to stay in Courmayeur because you can take the ski lift down in the afternoon the day before.

*SHORTCUT* We chose to save our knees and took the ski lift as soon as it opened. You have to take a Gondola following the lift which drops you in Dolonne. You’ll walk about 10 minutes to Courmayeur. Build in some time to walk around and get some coffee if you can because it’s very cute here.

Next, begin your ascent through a paved neighborhood and then into a popular wooded hiking area. Stop at the top at Rifugio Bertone for a snack and beverage and then continue on. Today is another day of hiking eye to eye with massive glaciers… in fact, you’ll be sleeping directly across from one at Rifugio Bonatti!

✔ Mileage: 9 miles / 14.5 km (from Maison Vieille)

⛰️ Elevation Gain: 3600 ft / 1100 m

✔ Estimated hiking time: 6 hours

💤 Where to stay: Rifugio Walter Bonatti

Rifugio Bonatti is situated directly across from a massive glacier – it is an unbelievable location. The rifugio is a little newer and offers dorms and private rooms that are quite comfortable and clean. The dinner was pretty good. You have to get a coin for the shower and only get 4 minutes. There is no wifi, but some service. Although, if you ask nicely the staff might share the wifi password.

Day 6: Rifugio Walter Bonatti to La Fouly

On day 6 of this Tour du Mont Blanc itinerary, you’ll cross over into Switzerland. This is an absolutely stunning day of hiking, especially the climb to Grand Col Ferret (tough!). Prepare to see lots of rolling green hills, glaciers, cows, and sheep.

⛰️ Elevation Gain: 3200 ft. / 975 m

⏳ Estimated hiking time: 7 hours

💤 Where to stay: Auberge des Glaciers

This Auberge is right in the center of town – as soon as you enter La Fouly you will see it. The rooms were cute (private) and the showers were hot! Dinner was delicious but it was an expensive auberge/refuge. Conveniently, there is a market right next door if you need to stock up on snacks.

Day 7: La Fouly to Champex

Day 7 is one of the easier days of this Tour du Mont Blanc itinerary. You will be in the forest most of the time. Look for wooden animal carvings along the whole trail. This day was very rainy for us – several people ended up taking the bus from La Fouly to Champex to avoid hiking in the rain. We were soaked by the time we got to La Fouly but ultimately we were glad we didn’t take the bus. You’ll pass through some really interesting and tiny Swiss towns today – not the most exciting day though.

✔ Mileage: 9 miles / 14.5 km

⛰️ Elevation Gain: 2000 ft. / 609 m

✔ Estimated hiking time: 4.5 hours

💤 Where to stay: Hotel Splendide

I had originally booked Hotel Belvedere, but when we arrived I was informed I accidentally booked it for the night before. They didn’t have room for us the night we needed it but it ended up being a BLESSING IN DISGUISE. Belvedere was very dark and dingy and the husband of the husband-wife combo was RUDE. We went next door to Hotel Splendide which happened to have a cancellation. It was such a treat to stay there. The rooms are sweet and gorgeous – amazing views and breakfast!!

Day 8: Champex to Trient

This day was challenging for us, mentally. Not incredibly tough but it felt very long. This was the easiest stage to get lost, in my opinion. When you leave Champex Lac, stay on the main road through town, following the TMB signs. If you turn off the road too soon you’ll find yourself in a maze of trails and the GPS is unreliable here. You’ll see a large boulder with “bovine TMB” painted on it. This is where you turn off.

When you reach Trient, continue on another km (15 minutes) to reach Le Peuty – it’s on the map.

BONUS: If you do the main route and not a variant, you’ll pass by Alp Bovine, a small unassuming rustic restaurant in the hills. The homemade tarts are AMAZING. The views and atmosphere are warm and authentic. A must-stop.

✔ Mileage: 12.5 miles / 20 km

⛰️ Elevation Gain: 2800 ft. / 853 m

💤 Where to stay: Le Peuty

I booked Le Peuty on a whim because it looked unique and fun and wow am I so glad I did. This was one of, if not the top place of all the places we stayed in this tour du mont blanc itinerary. The atmosphere and vibes here are unbeatable. There is a dorm above the kitchen, a huge field for camping, and one private yurt. I booked early enough that I was able to get the yurt and it was awesome. The BEST part of our stay though was hands down the food. Dinner was cooked fresh from scratch and could have come from a multi-star restaurant. Breakfast was equally as delicious. Best food and best vibes of the trip.

Day 9: Trient to Tre le Champ

This was one of our favorite days of the TMB. Our bodies felt conditioned to the daily grind and the weather and views were gorgeous. You’ll return to France today, via Col du Balme. It’s a steep ascent to the top so stop at the top for a coffee or beer (and photos!). As you reach the top you regain an unobstructed view of Mont Blanc and it remains in site the rest of the trek.

✔ Mileage: 10.5 miles / 17 km

⛰️ Elevation Gain: 3400 ft. / 1036 m

💤 Where to stay: Auberge la Boerne

The location of this Auberge is great, it’s very cute and rustic, unique, and has a very cool history. However, the dorm we stayed in was literally the size of a closet (not joking see pictures). It was fine – just funny. The dinner was also not very good – maybe the worst of the whole trip. All part of the experience though! I’d probably choose to stay here again versus hiking down into Argentiere if that’s any consolation.

Day 10: Tre le Champ to Chamonix

The final stretch! Today you will go through the “ladder section” which you will hear about during your TMB planning. It is a little nerve-wracking, but totally doable so don’t be deterred. If you have an intense fear of heights, you can avoid the ladders by doing the Col Des Montets variant.

We decided to take our first variant today and go to Lac Blanc. It adds on another hour or so and a bit of elevation gain but the views are worth it in my opinion. And the hike out of Lac Blanc is very cool and different from much of the rest of the path.

When you reach the ski lift, take it down to La Flegere, then continue on the TMB path to the Plan Praz gondola. This will drop you in Chamonix! Below is the trail map to La Flegere. If you want to do the Lac Blanc variant, just follow the signs once you get to the top of the ladder section.

There are a number of options to descend into the Chamonix valley (i.e. at La Flegere, Plan Praz, or further along) so decide what is best for you. We felt strong when we reached La Felgere so we decided to continue to Plan Praz. You do NOT need to buy lift cable car tickets ahead of time. However, make sure you get there before they close (5 pm).

✔ Mileage: 11.5 miles / 18.5 km

⛰️ Elevation Gain: 3200 ft. / 990 m

💤 Where to stay: Grand Hotel des Alpes

Treat yourself! Stay at the Grand Hotel des Alpes , in the center of Chamonix. They have an amazing spa with a gorgeous sauna and hot tub area (this was the major selling point for me). The rooms are stunning and the beds are amazing just stay here!!

Tour du Mont Blanc Itinerary Planning Resources

Blog posts, facebook groups, the official TMB website, GPS and weather apps, and guidebooks are all of the resources you will need to plan and hike your tour du mont blanc itinerary.

This Facebook group is very active and super helpful. People share their experiences, share all sorts of tips, and provide a decently accurate picture of what the current conditions and situation is on the trail.

I carried Jim Manthorpe’s Tour du Mont Blanc guidebook (2nd edition) with me and while it is not always 100% accurate, the detailed maps and elevation and distance charts were really helpful. He also covers all of the different variants available to you.

The official TMB website is a somewhat helpful planning resource. It is also the only way to book some of the refuges so if you plan on staying in mountain huts you will need to utilize this site.

Meteoblue is a helpful weather app to have – again, not always accurate of course but it’s more detailed than weather.com.

Tour du Mont Blanc Alltrails

While not always accurate, alltrails was the best GPS app for us. There are a number of route options that are downloadable. This way, if you don’t have service (which you won’t) you can still use the map. Alltrails has all of the traditional stages mapped out, as well as variants, alternative stages, and the entire loop even.

You will need to create an AllTrails account. Search for your desired stage, crosscheck it with guidebooks to make sure it’s accurate, and then download it. While you are hiking you will be able to go into the app and click on the respective stage and the app’s GPS will follow along the route.

FAQs About the Tour du Mont Blanc Hike

If you are just getting started with your TMB planning, I’m sure you have a LOT of questions. Don’t worry, everything will start to make sense and come together. It seems more daunting than it actually is. Hopefully, this FAQ gets you off to a good start!

What is the best time to hike the Tour du Mont Blanc?

August. I hiked this tour du mont blanc itinerary August 13th-22th and it rained two of those days. Earlier August you may see less rain, but I think generally anytime in August is a great time to hike the TMB. It was in the 80s in Chamonix, but higher up on the trail it was perfect hiking weather (60s and 70s).

If you go in June, you may encounter remnants of winter, in July it may be scorching hot, and in September it could snow. That being said, the trail will be busy June through September.

How much water should I carry on the TMB?

At least two liters. Although, you may need three liters during the hottest months or if you are planning on hiking longer distances than most people each day.

I carried two 1 liter Nalgene’s (I am not a fan of camelbacks) and never ran out of water. There are several water troughs along the route to refill if you are running low, although I recommend that you never begin the day with less than two liters just in case.

There are some occasions, particularly towards the end of summer, when the water is not flowing in all of the troughs along the trail. That being said, we found at least one water refill trough at every stage – and usually several.

How far in advance should I plan my Tour du Mont Blanc Itinerary?

Approximately, 6 to 10 months. If you plan on staying in refuges/mountain huts along the trail, you’ll need to book them well in advance. I booked all of our accommodations about 7 months ahead of our trip. If you plan on camping you have some more freedom to start your planning later.

Do I have to start the TMB in Les Houches, Chamonix?

No, absolutely not! Les Houches is the “official” starting point, and made the most sense for us because we wanted to spend time in Chamonix before and after our trek. However, there are several other starting points – pretty much any main town along the path can be a starting point. The only other starting point I would consider, personally, is Courmayeur.

How do I book the refuges?

The refuges, also called mountain huts, rifugios, and auberges, depending on what country you’re in, can be somewhat challenging to reserve. They need to be booked early if you want a guaranteed spot, and they all have different booking processes. For more information on how to book the refuges, refer to my post Refuges: Everything You Need to Know .

What gear do I need for the TMB?

See my Tour du Mont Blanc Packing List .

What To Expect on The Trail

• A variety of weather! Make sure you pack for every condition.
• Wildlife! Specifically, marmots, ibex, chamois, vultures, deer, sheep, cows, and goats.
• Crowds. The TMB is one of the most famous treks in the world, you are going to be hiking with a lot of people. There are days when you may not see many people, but most days you will see a lot. One positive is that it makes the trek feel very safe and is a great option for solo female hikers.
• Wild berries! You will find wild blueberries along much of the route, and occasionally some wild raspberries.
• Water refill stations. As I mentioned earlier, there are several water refill troughs along each leg of the hike. Make sure to always pack enough water for the day in case they are dry. Check Facebook groups to know the status of the water before you go.

Wrap-Up: Tour du Mont Blanc Itinerary 10 Days

So, if you are on the fence about hiking the TMB, let me just give you a little push. Allow yourself to breathe in the freshest of air, to gravel at the massive glaciers all around you, to sleep in places so remote that the stars seem brighter and more abundant than any place you’ve ever been. Give yourself a screen break, clear your head, and meet amazing people from around the world. Eat fresh homemade food every day, and drink untouched mountain spring water.

Use this Tour du Mont Blanc itinerary as a starting point – take what works for you and customize the rest to your needs.

Jade Gershen is the founder of Well and Good Travel. She has lived on three continents and explored more than 20 countries in the past 10 years. U.S. based, she also shares her favorite places to go and things to do in the States. Having experienced the impacts of chronic stress Jade has a particular interest in using travel and outdoor adventure to improve well-being and shares that with her readers.

How to Fit Cadence Training Into Your Schedule

Fine-tuning your rpms can make you a better cyclist. Here’s the best way to add cadence practice into your workouts.

Should you do specific cadence workouts?

What should you focus on when doing cadence work, should i train high and low cadence together, what’s the ideal cadence training schedule, how do you add cadence work to an endurance ride, can you sprinkle cadence work into other rides, should you do cadence work indoors or outdoors, is there any point in which you shouldn’t be focusing so much on cadence.

On the other hand, pedaling at a low cadence—putting out more power with fewer pedal strokes—can help you win a sprint or get back into a group when you’ve fallen behind. And both can help you crush climbs.

But how much do you really need to train your cadence? You’re already doing interval workouts and long rides during the week, so where should cadence work fit in?

We talked to two coaches about the best ways to boost your high and low cadence, and how to schedule cadence training for major payoffs on the road.

Why should you care about cadence?

Ryan Kohler, a coach for Rocky Mountain Devo , says that newer riders tend to pedal at low cadences in a relatively big gear because it’s more comfortable—at least, it feels that way. But it’s often not the most efficient cadence. It may work for a while, but if you want to get faster, more powerful, or even more technically skilled on the bike, you’ll need a wider cadence range that feels comfortable for you.

“With new riders, we start by figuring out where their cadence ‘comfort zone’ is, and then we try to expand it from there,” he explains. “So if you’re comfortable at 70 to 75 rpms, that’s where we spend most of the time. But we’ll start to add in cadence drills so you get comfortable spinning at up to 100 rpm or pedaling hard at 50 rpm comfortably.”

If you’re new to cycling and you don’t have the wide cadence range that Kohler mentions, a weekly high cadence workout can be hugely beneficial, especially early in the season. “Cadence workouts can be fun and give riders a new thing to focus on,” Kohler says.

To train high cadence, try a cadence pyramid:

• 10-15 mins easy spin warmup
• 1 min @ 85 rpm
• 1 min @ 90 rpm
• 1 min @ 95 rpm
• 1 min @ 100 rpm
• 2 min easy spin cooldown

A low cadence workout typically involves simply doing some of your threshold or tempo intervals at a cadence of 50 to 60 rpm instead of your normal middle-range cadence, says Kohler.

Low cadence can also be trained in the gym. Because low cadence is all about force, lower-body strength moves , like squats, will help improve your ability to push down on the pedals. “If you’re doing some strength training , the forces on the pedals are so low relative to what you’re doing in the gym, so you’ll see a pretty quick improvement in low cadence work as you gain strength,” Kohler says.

Especially if you’re doing your cadence work while riding inside on the trainer , it’s important to focus on your technique. It’s easy to get sloppy, especially with high cadence—you start vibrating on your saddle, no longer maintaining control of the bike. But the point of cadence work isn’t to hit the highest number possible, it’s to hit the highest number possible while still maintaining full control .

“Think about how you ride outside and focus on having that same feeling on the trainer as you speed up your cadence,” Kohler says. “Maybe you can ride at 90 rpm and your body is calm and quiet, but when you go up to 95 or 100 rpm, you’re all over the place. In that case, go back down to 90 rpm where you have control, and stay there until you can be in control at higher cadences.”

Because low cadence uses a lot more muscular power , Basecamp cycling coach Lorri Lown recommends separating your high cadence and low cadence work. “I find on the days I do low cadence work, I have a really hard time getting my cadence back up to normal, let alone pushing into higher cadences,” she says. “It’s hard because we’re using our energy systems in a different way when we do low versus high.”

If you’re trying to improve your cadence , one high cadence workout per week is plenty, says Kohler. You can swap out an easier endurance ride for a cadence workout, and simply keep your power/heart rate in the endurance zone even as you speed up your pedaling. Sprinkle in high cadence drills during your other rides as well—they’re low impact enough to do during endurance without stressing your body.

You likely don’t need to dedicate a full workout to low cadence work, says Kohler. If you’re doing lower body work in the gym one day a week, you’re already working on that muscular development. To get even better at low cadence, simply use climbs during endurance rides to drop your cadence down and practice then.

If you’re not interested in adding another workout to your training plan , remember that the simple alternative is to add cadence work into your endurance rides. “I like putting cadence work on endurance days since it can be done while still pedaling in the easy or endurance zone,” says Lown. “I have clients do fast pedal spin-ups to start their workouts, and then I add cadence drills within the workout.”

One of Lown’s go-to cadence drills: Do two minutes at 90 rpm, then a short break at the same power but at a natural cadence, then two minutes at 95 rpm, 100 rpm, and 105 rpm with the same breaks in between.

“The point—whether high or low cadence—isn’t to increase the intensity or up your power, it’s to keep at the same endurance pace while speeding up or slowing down your cadence,” Lown explains. (Indoors, this is easy to do with ERG mode on the trainer.)

You can also use the terrain to add more freeform cadence drills during a ride. Going up a hill? Try to spend five minutes at your normal cadence, then five minutes at 55 rpm holding the same pace to force that neuromuscular development. At a stoplight? Stay in a harder gear so you’re forced to do a “big gear start” at a low rpm for 10 seconds. Descending ? This is a great chance to let your legs spin at a high cadence.

Definitely—in fact, Lown and Kohler both recommend doing this on a regular basis. “I like sneaking the broccoli in with dinner,” says Kohler. “I’ll sneak cadence drills into warmups so it’s done quickly and it doesn’t feel like a lot of extra work, but at the same time, you are developing that skill.”

Similar to runners doing short strides—quick bursts of sprinting—cyclists can do “cadence strides,” before getting into another effort. That means short 15- to 30-second bursts of spinning as fast as possible—aiming for a cadence of 95 to 110 rpms, depending on how skilled you are at high cadence. These are commonly referred to as “spin-ups,” and are often used in things like Peloton spin classes to get riders ready for the hard work ahead.

You can incorporate a few of those into the start of long rides, says Kohler, and this will keep that high cadence ability sharp. Similarly, you can use hills for short bursts of low cadence practice by staying in a lower gear for a few power-heavy pedal strokes before you shift to an easier gear.

Outdoor cadence work will benefit you more than practicing your high or low cadence on the trainer, because the blend of balance and handling while also pedaling at the different cadences is important, says Kohler.

If your goal is gravel or off-road racing, you definitely need to put in time outside working on cadence, says Lown. “On gravel, you’re not always going to have the gearing that you would prefer,” she says. “So you will have to pedal at a cadence that isn’t natural to you. You can’t just train that indoors, since on gravel, you’ll also be navigating changing terrain while you’re trying to spin higher or grind lower. Indoor cadence work will improve your fitness, but it won’t improve your technique or your skill.”

There’s a point where cadence-specific workouts aren’t necessary, says Kohler. Once you have that wide range of cadences that feel comfortable for you, it’s okay to skip the cadence pyramid and prioritize more power-based interval training . But cadence drills within your endurance rides will always have a place.

“It’s always worth sneaking cadence work into endurance rides even for a minute or two in warmup or during a climb ,” says Kohler. “It’s a tool that you want to keep sharpened so when you do need to spin up to stay with a group or put in a big dig on a climb at a low cadence, you’re able to do so confidently.”

Molly writes about cycling, nutrition and training with an emphasis on bringing more women into sport. She's the author of nine books including the Shred Girls series and is the founder of Strong Girl Publishing . She co-hosts The Consummate Athlete Podcast and spends most of her free time biking and running on trails, occasionally joined by her mini-dachshund.

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Best mountain biking trails and e-MTB routes in Los Angeles

Los angeles is a veritable playground for mountain bikers and e-mountain bikers of all skill levels. explore the best places to shred around the city of angels..

Los Angeles is a lot more than Hollywood and trendy eateries. If you venture out of the city itself, you’ll find a huge selection of mountain biking and E-MTB trails. Whether you’re a beginner mountain biker or an experienced rider looking to expand your horizons, read on to find out our favorite mountain bike trails in the Los Angeles area.  

What makes LA perfect for MTB and E-MTB adventures? 

If you aren’t familiar with Los Angeles and its surroundings, it may not immediately strike you as a prime mountain biking destination. However, as one the original hotbeds of mountain biking, California as a whole is a fantastic place to ride, with two mountain ranges on either side of the state. Los Angeles is closest to the Coast Ranges on the West coast of the state, and while the city’s sprawl is immense there are many trail systems around the city to explore.  

Along with its excellent selection of mountain bike and e-bike trails for all types of mountain biker, whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been shredding the trails for years, Los Angeles itself provides you with plenty of things to do when you aren’t out riding.  

To help you pick your next mountain biking adventure, we’ve assembled a list of our favorite mountain bike and e-mountain bike trails in the Los Angeles area. The trails are divided by skill level, so you’re sure to find a route that works for you, no matter how much experience you have. If you’re just getting into the sport, or looking to upgrade your current ride, be sure to read to the end to find our bike recommendations for the trails we’ve suggested.  

All driving times are as measured from Downtown LA, so your mileage may vary significantly based on your own starting point, and of course the dreaded LA traffic. 

Beginner Tour 1: Marshall Canyon Trail 

The route at a glance: 

• Level: easy 
• Path condition: well-maintained doubletrack 
• Starting point: Stephens Pasture Road 
• Highlights: Shady creekside trail, small features if you’re feeling adventurous 
• Length of the route: 2.5 miles (4km) 
• Altitude difference: 23ft (7m) climbing, 509ft (155m) descent 
• Travel time: 40 min 

At just two-and-a-half miles and a negligible amount of climbing, this trail is a nice easy ride for beginner mountain bikers. It’s a doubletrack trail that has several stream crossings and does pack in a few small features that you can ride for added fun if you’re feeling adventurous. This trail can be ridden from either direction but is not e-mountain bike friendly. It’s also a point-to-point trail so factor in that if you ride to the end and back it’ll be twice the distance, and about 492ft (150m) of climbing to return to the trail head.  

Beginner Tour 2: Crags Road (Malibu Creek)

• Path condition: mixed 
• Starting point: end of Crags Drive 
• Highlights: Malibu creek 
• Length of the route: 2.1 miles (3.4km) 
• Altitude difference: 59ft (18m) ascent and 243ft (74m) descent 
• Travel time: 55 min 

At three-and-a-half kilometres and with only 59ft of climbing, Crags Road is mostly descent and a good ride for beginner mountain bikers. Sections of Crags Road are paved for easier progress and it can be ridden in either direction if you’re looking to turn it into an out-and-back for a little more climbing.

Intermediate Tour 1: Native Oak Trail (Turnbull Canyon)

• Level: intermediate 
• Path condition: well-maintained single track 
• Starting point: Turnbull MTB Trail Head, on Turnbull Canyon Road 
• Highlights: Some amazing views across the sprawling LA skyline. The iconic Buddhist Columbariam. 
• Length of the route: 2 miles (3.2km) 
• Altitude difference: 527ft (161m), 441ft (134m) descent 
• Travel time: 30 min 

For riders looking for a scenic trail that offers a little bit of a challenge, Native Oak Trail in Turnbull Canyon has some excellent views and more climbing than our beginner mountain bike trail picks. At 2 miles (3.2km) long, with 527ft (161m) of climbing, this trail is perfect for the more experienced rider. This trail can be ridden from either direction. As well as view of the distant skyline of Downtown LA, you’ll also get glimpses of the unique Buddhist Columbariam located in the Rose Hills. This structure is a mausoleum, and the largest Buddhist pagoda in the USA. 

Intermediate Tour 2: Guadalasca (Point Mugu State Park)

• Path condition: well-maintained singletrack 
• Starting point: Overlook fire road 
• Highlights: Lush vegetation in the summer and desert topography, emblematic of this part of California. Some ripping fast straight sections to build up speed. 
• Length of the route: 3.8 miles (6.1km) 
• Altitude difference: 317ft (97m) climbing, 906ft (276m) descent 
• Travel time: 1hr 10min 

There are many excellent trails in Point Mugu State Park, and at 3.8 miles (6.1km) with 906ft (276m) of descent, Guadalasca offers a good challenge with an excellent descent and some lovely vistas. Guadalasca connects to many of the other trails in the trail system and can be ridden in either direction to incorporate it into a loop if you choose. It may only be one hour up the Pacific Coast Highway, but it truly fees serene, like you’ve escaped the far-reaching limits of the greater LA area. Best of all, this route is E-MTB friendly! 

Advanced Tour 1: 5 Oaks (Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park) 

• Level: Advanced/Black Diamond 
• Path condition: Singletrack 
• Starting point: Off Peppertree via 5 Oaks Climb 
• Highlights: Awesome technical trail with jumps, drops, berms and rock gardens. Lots to enjoy, and plenty of reasons to return.  
• Length of the route: 4,180ft (1.3km) 
• Altitude difference: 585ft (178m) descent  
• Travel time: 1hr 

To the south of the city, not far from Laguna Beach, Orange County, you’ll discover the Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, a small but rich network of awesome stuff to shred. For the experienced downhill rider, 5 Oaks is a relatively short but quite technical trail, with several steep sections, jumps, drops, berms and rock gardens. As it is quite short, you can connect 5 Oaks to several other trails in the vicinity via the Wood Canyon Trail. This route is most commonly ridden downhill, starting at the 5 Oaks Climb, and is not e-bike friendly. 

Advanced Tour 2: Rattlesnake (Crystal Cove State Park) 

• Path condition: singletrack 
• Starting point: Red Tail Ridge 
• Highlights: Gnarly rock garden descent to test your skills. 
• Altitude difference: 180ft (55m) climbing, 566ft (173m) descent 
• Travel time: 1hr  

Starting south of the city, Rattlesnake is located in the hills above Newport Beach, not far as the crow flies from the 5 Oaks trail. It’s two miles long and starts with a singletrack climb before transitioning into a technical and challenging descent through a rock garden. It is a good test for more advanced riders and can be connected to several other trails. It is typically ridden downhill but can be ridden from the opposite direction as well. The trail is not e-bike friendly.  

The best bikes for mountain biking and e-MTB near Los Angeles

With a huge selection of trails to choose from around Los Angeles, you’ll be looking for a mountain bike that can handle just about anything. Riders who aren’t sure about making the leap to a full-suspension bike just yet, or who prefer the feeling of a hardtail, should consider the Stoic . The Stoic is a hardtail trail mountain bike that’s built for technical trails and is capable of handling any features or jumps that you encounter.  

For riders who prefer a more traditional trail bike with full-suspension, the Spectral is an excellent choice for taking on some of Los Angeles’ singletrack, as well as its more flowing cross style trails and technical descents. The Spectral has an E-MTB counterpart, the Spectral:ON , if you’re looking for a bike that gives you an extra boost up the hills and steeper climbs.  

If you’re a more adventurous rider who’s looking to spend all day on the bike, the Neuron is an excellent alternative to the Spectral. The Neuron is just as capable as taking on the trails around Los Angeles, including some of the more technical sections, but its more relaxed geometry will make it easier to spend all day in the saddle. Like the Spectral, the Neuron also comes in an E-MTB version, the Neuron:ON .  

California is a huge state and there’s so much awesome biking to be done you could spend a lifetime within its borders and never get tired. From the best bike rides in and around South Lake Tahoe , to a selection of recommended MTB and e-bike trails near San-Francisco and the Bay Area. We also picked Death Ride - Tour of the California Alps as one of our best organised bike rides in North America . 

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Classifications Vuelta a España 2024 | O'Connor in red jersey with solid lead, Van Aert keeps the green!

T he Vuelta a España - the third and final grand tour of the year - competes for four jerseys: red for the overall winner, green for the points classification, the polka dot jersey for the king of the mountains, and white for the best young rider in the classification. The best team will also be rewarded on the final day in Madrid. IDLProCycling.com keeps track of the ranking in the various classifications for you.

Red jersey: overall classification Vuelta a España 2024

1. Ben O'Connor

2. Primoz Roglic +4.51

3. João Almeida + 4.59

4. Florian Lipowitz + 5.18

5. Enric Mas + 5.23

6. Cristián Rodriguez + 5.26

7. Antonio Tiberi + 5.29

8. Lennert van Eetvelt + 5.32

9. Felix Gall + 5.38

10. Mattias Skjelmose + 5.49

11. Clement Berthet + 5.49

12. Mikel Landa + 5.49

13. Aleksandr Vlasov + 5.51

14. Pavel Sivakov + 5.52

15. Sepp Kuss + 6.05

16. Jack Haig + 6.11

17. David Gaudu + 6.15

18. George Bennett + 6.17

19. Isaac Del Toro + 6.17

20. Carlos Rodriguez + 6.21

Green jersey: points classification Vuelta a España 2024

1. Wout van Aert - 158 points

2. Kaden Groves - 145 points

3. Pavel Bittner - 81 points

4. Ben O'Connor - 50 points

5. Corbin Strong - 49 points

6. Luis Angel Maté - 35 points

7. Cristian Rodriguez - 34 points

8. Clement Berthet - 34 points

9. Ibon Ruiz - 34 points

10. Lennert van Eetvelt - 33 points

Polka dot jersey: mountain classification Vuelta a España 2024

1. Sylvain Moniquet - 16 points

2. Filippo Zana - 11 points

3. Primoz Roglic - 10 points

4. Pelayo Sanchez - 10 points

5. Luis Angel Maté - 9 points

6. Ben O'Connor - 9 points

7. Bruno Armirail - 7 points

8. Lennert van Eetvelt - 6 points

9. Jay Vine - 6 points

10. Marco Frigo - 5 points

White jersey: youth classification Vuelta a España 2024

1. Florian Lipowitz

2. Antonio Tiberi + 0.11

3. Lennert Van Eetvelt + 0.14

4. Mattias Skjelmose + 0.31

5. Isaac Del Toro + 0.59

6. Carlos Rodríguez + 1.03

7. Cian Uijtdebroeks + 1.49

8. Thymen Arensman + 2.30

9. Max Poole + 3.46

10. Mauri Vansevenant + 4.57

Team classification Vuelta a España 2024

1. Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale

2. UAE Team Emirates + 5.08

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2024 FedEx Cup standings, schedule, PGA Tour leaderboard, prize money, purse for FedEx Cup Playoffs

Your one-stop shop for everything you need to know throughout the 2024 fedex cup playoffs.

Following an exciting regular season, the PGA Tour hosts a three-tournament postseason, the 2024 FedEx Cup Playoffs, which concludes with a massive Tour Championship where the majority of the grand total $100 million purse is dished out to golfers. In fact, the $25 million top prize is tied for the largest payout on the PGA Tour this season with the Players Championship. 

Only 70 golfers advanced to the first round of the playoffs, the FedEx St. Jude Championship, same as last season. With 20 of those players now eliminated following the first event of the playoffs at TPC Southwind in Memphis, some of the biggest names in golf will no longer have a chance to compete for the top prize.

There's plenty of star power in the field, though, with Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele atop the standings and other significant players like Rory McIlroy, Hideki Matsuyama, Collin Morikawa and Wyndham Clark in contention. For Scheffler, a FedEx Cup win would be his first, but it would also serve as a feather in his cap on the back of a stellar season that already includes six PGA Tour victories and an Olympic gold medal. The same goes for Schauffele, a two-time major championship winner this season.

For everyone involved, there will be a ton of money and plenty of accolades at stake over the next three weeks. Let's take a closer look at what to expect from this year's festivities.

2024 FedEx Cup Playoffs schedule

The top 70 in the FedEx Cup standings, via points accumulated throughout the year, played in the St. Jude Championship this week.

All three events are 72-hole, stroke-play tournaments, though the fields gradually get smaller as the playoffs roll on. The points change, too, as everything is quadrupled. During regular-season events, most winners receive 500 FedEx Cup points for finishing first at tournaments (in a handful of events, 600 points went to first place). The winners of the first two FedEx Cup Playoffs events will instead receive 2,000 points each. The point boost goes for every slot on the leaderboard: 300 for second becomes 1,200 and so on. 

Only seven golfers surpassed the 2,000-point total during the entire regular season: Scheffler, Schauffele, McIlroy, Collin Morikawa, Wyndham Clark, Ludvig Åberg and Sahith Theegala. Scheffler opened with nearly a 3,500-point lead on third-place McIlroy, while Schauffele himself was 1,500 points up on the rest of the field.

Still, the FedEx Cup standings can shift quite a bit -- especially for the winners of the first two events -- over the next couple weeks. Winners are disproportionately rewarded and deservedly so given this is the postseason. This provides the opportunity for golfers to go on a hot streak and rocket up the FedEx Cup standings. Regardless of what else happens, the first two playoff winners will be in great spots entering the finale, the Tour Championship at East Lake. Similar to other sports, now that the postseason has begun, almost anything can happen.

The top 50 in the FedEx Cup standings after the St. Jude Championship move on to the BMW Championship. Then the top 30 after that move on to the Tour Championship.

2024 FedEx Cup standings

Scheffler and Schauffele are having extraordinary seasons. They rank No. 1 and No. 3 on the all-time single season money list at $29.1 million and $17.6 million, respectively, following the first playoff event. Those numbers will only go up from there as the second playoff event, the BMW Championship, has a similar $20 million purse to the FedEx St. Jude Championship.

Here's a look at the top 30 in the standings following the FedEx St. Jude Championship.

Even though anything can happen over the next two weeks, players are still rewarded for what they accomplished in the regular season. The lead Scheffler (nearly 3,000 points over third) and Schauffele (1,100 points over third) have built will be difficult to chip away if those two continue performing well. For example, Schauffele is the only player who can mathematically catch Scheffler next week at the BMW Championship, and it will take a win to do it. Matsuyama is the only player who can catch Schauffele for second.

Scheffler and Schauffele are in a great spot to jump into the top two spots at the Tour Championship where they would start at 10 under and 8 under, respectively. That gives them a huge head start on winning the first FedEx Cup of their careers. For either, it would be emblematic of the quality of golf they have played for the last seven months as the 2024 PGA Tour season winds down.

2024 Tour Championship format

Heading into the Tour Championship inside the top five or top 10 in the FedEx Cup standings is important because of how scoring is dispersed. Whoever is first in the FedEx Cup standings after the BMW Championship starts the Tour Championship at 10 under, and the event is played under normal scoring conditions from there. Second starts at 8 under and so on (see full numbers below). 

With so much money at stake (again, $25 million for first place), those margins become more meaningful than even a normal week. The eventual winners of the four FedEx Cups played under this format have all started in the top seven at the Tour Championship.

• 6th to 10th: -4
• 11th to 15th: -3
• 16th to 20th: -2
• 21st to 25th: -1
• 26th to 30th: E

2024 FedEx Cup Playoffs purse, prize money

2024 st. jude championship purse, prize money.

• 1st: $3.6 million
• 2nd: $2.2 million
• 3rd: $1.4 million
• 4th: $960,000
• 5th: $800,000
• 6th: $720,000
• 7th: $670,000
• 8th: $620,000
• 9th: $580,000
• 10th: $540,000

2024 BMW Championship purse, prize money

• 4th: $990,000
• 5th: $830,000
• 6th: $750,000
• 7th: $695,000
• 8th: $640,000
• 9th: $600,000
• 10th: $560,000

2024 Tour Championship purse, prize money

The figures are startling for the finale. The winner of the Tour Championship receive $18 million. If you just make into the final FedEx Cup Playoff event, you're guaranteed $500,000. Here's a look at what the lucrative top 10 will look like at the Tour Championship.

• 1st: $25 million
• 2nd: $12.5 million
• 3rd: $7.5 million
• 4th: $6 million
• 5th: $5 million
• 6th: $3.5 million
• 7th: $2.75 million
• 8th: $2.25 million
• 9th: $2 million
• 10th $1.75 million

Last year, Viktor Hovland won the BMW Championship and then took the Tour Championship and FedEx Cup over Schauffele. Both players shot the same 19-under score at East Lake to end the year, but Hovland started the tournament at 8 under while Schauffele only started it at 3 under so Hovland easily won by five and took home the first prize of what was then $18 million.

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FedExCup Playoffs scenarios ahead of BMW Championship

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The FedExCup Playoffs continue at this week’s BMW Championship, the second leg of the three-event Playoffs, which will be contested at Castle Pines Golf Club outside Denver, Colorado, for the first time.

Aside from the race for the FedExCup’s No. 1 spot into the TOUR Championship (Scottie Scheffler can clinch with a solo fourth or better, whereas Xander Schauffele can clinch with a win if Scheffler finishes in a two-way T4 or worse), the attention turns to the all-important top-30 bubble.

The top 50 on the season-long FedExCup after last week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship have qualified for the BMW Championship and secured spots in next season’s eight Signature Events. This week’s key number is 30, as the top 30 players on the FedExCup after the BMW Championship will qualify for next week’s TOUR Championship at East Lake and greatly boost their chances of playing all four majors in 2025 (Masters, U.S. Open and The Open traditionally offer exemptions for TOUR Championship qualifiers).

The BMW Championship features quadruple FedExCup points (2,000 to the winner) compared to a Full-Field Event, which will likely mean increased volatility on the standings as competition unfolds. Last week’s 70-player FedEx St. Jude Championship (also featuring quadruple FedExCup points) saw three players move inside the top 50, led by Viktor Hovland, who finished runner-up at TPC Southwind to vault from No. 57 to No. 16. Eric Cole and Max Greyserman also moved inside the top 50, with three players falling out: Tom Kim, Mackenzie Hughes and Jake Knapp.

After a ninth-place finish at last week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship, Denny McCarthy holds the No. 30 spot on the FedExCup into the BMW Championship, just three points ahead of Tommy Fleetwood. Other players outside the top 50 into the BMW Championship include Matt Fitzpatrick (No. 36), Will Zalatoris (No. 37), Adam Scott (No. 41) and Max Homa (No. 43).

Castle Pines previously hosted the PGA TOUR at The International from 1986 to 2004, which utilized the Modified Stableford format (which is now used at the Barracuda Championship). The course is situated at 6,200 feet of elevation, which should give way for booming drives and complex yardage calculations for players as they navigate the top-30 bubble.

Here’s a look at scenarios for players outside the top 30 into the BMW Championship – the minimum finish needed for a chance to finish inside the top 30. Endless permutations are in play, but one thing is for sure: The BMW Championship will be a wild ride, high above sea level.

Minimum finishes required to have a chance to make the top 30

Ed Sheeran joins Taylor Swift at Wembley Stadium: Follow live updates from London

LONDON — Welcome to the live blog for the Eras Tour in London!

Taylor Swift returns to the stage for the final stop on the European leg of the Eras Tour after a suspected terror plot was thwarted in Vienna. Security measures are tight at Wembley Stadium. Fans with floor tickets were not allowed to camp overnight in the hopes of getting a spot closer to the stage, and Swifties can no longer "Taylor-gate" outside of the stadium if they don't have tickets.

As the Taylor Swift reporter for the USA TODAY Network, I’ll be your host for the evening keeping you updated on all the happenings from inside Wembley Stadium. Since taking the Taylor Swift reporter job in November, I’ve watched the show 69 times in person or on grainy livestreams (equivalent to 230 hours or nine and a half days). Follow along for updates as we go on a little adventure spanning 18 years of music.

Get my free Taylor Swift newsletter! This Swift Beat is delivered every week to your e-mail

Confetti falls to the floor

And that’s a wrap on Thursday night in Wembley. Swift has four more shows in London. “The Alchemy” is ushering fans out as cleanups begin. Many fans are scurrying to pick up colorful confetti representing Swift’s various eras. 

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

The credits for the cast and crew are projecting on the back screen.

During year one, the background song was “You’re On Your Own Kid” from “Midnights.”

Will Swift make an announcement before her two-month break and return to North America? 

We will be covering the highlights over the next few days.

Karma is the guy on the...

We are in the final song of the night.

Swift wore the glistening sky-blue T-shirt during “Anti-Hero,” the dark blue one-piece during "Midnight Rain" and is now grooving in the magenta fur coat to wrap up night one in Wembley Stadium.

She has sang "Karma (Travis' Version)" 13 times for the 13 shows he's attended as her boyfriend where she swaps out "Karma is the guy on the screen" with "Karma is the guy on the Chiefs." And while she will sing the former tonight, the audience will most likely scream the latter.

Ed Sheeran joins Eras Tour stage

Swift welcomed special guest Ed Sheeran to join her onstage for a mashup of their songs "Everything Has Changed" and "End Game" on acoustic guitar. The British singer-songwriter appeared on the original album recordings of the songs that appeared on "Red (Taylor's Version)" and "Reputation," respectively.

For the surprise set, the singer had something up her sleeveless blue dress. She began strumming her guitar singing “Everything Has Changed” from “Red (Taylor’s Version).”

The audience gasped. Some Swifties whispered, “Is Ed here?”

The song is a duet between Swift and her longtime friend Ed Sheeran.

“I just feel like something’s missing,” Swift said, and the decibel level in the stadium rocketed off the charts. “Good thing Ed Sheeran is here.”

He appeared on the center platform.

After harmonizing, the two mashed in “End Game,” another duet they sing on Swift’s sixth album “Reputation.” They finished with Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud.”

The crowd belted the song.

As they both strummed at the end, they gave each other a big hug and raised their guitars in the air. Swift kissed the top of Ed Sheeran’s head and then ruffled his red locks.

“This is my best friend, he is like a second brother to me,” Swift said, mentioning Sheeran is on tour and probably tired. She asked the crowd to make some noise and the noise felt like it might break the sound barrier.

The shock that surged through the stadium with Ed Sheeran as a surprise guest couldn’t be matched but Swift delivered a sweet mashup on the piano between “King of My Heart” from “Reputation” and “The Alchemy” from “The Tortured Poets Department.” The watches glowed bright green.Where’s the trophy? That was an epic surprise set for night one in Wembley!

For a complete list of every surprise song and mashup, click here.

Here comes the 'Tayoomba'

She was tame, she was gentle. But now Swift is on the Roomba-esque machine. The maddening and shiny contraption allows her to belt high notes while chasing her dancers.

During the last few shows in Germany and Warsaw, Poland, Swift added a shriek after the second-to-last line, "So who's afraid of little old me?" She did it again in London on Thursday.

A cool effect that always gets fans excited is the final filtered shot on the back screen where Swift looks like a dead-eyed glowing soul. She always tilts her head to the side. She told Post Malone in her "Fortnight" behind-the-scenes video, "Nothing says crazy like a slight tilt to the head."

Wembley screams 'LON-DON' during 'Blank Space' chant

When Swift performed "Blank Space," one of her most famous songs and one of Travis Kelce's favorites, the crowd played its part. Between lines of the bridge, stadiums shout the names of their city while Swift sings, "Boys only want love if it's torture." This ritual started during Swift's stint in Sydney, Australia, because of the 1989 World Tour movie shot there in 2015. During the song, Swift grabbed an iron golf club and struck a metal pole sticking out of the stage: boom, boom. She paused and did it again: boom, boom. But this time sang "Syd-ney." You can read more about the chant here .

Wait for the signal and I'll meet you after dawn

The lightning in the stadium sounded and Swift sauntered to meet her dancers dressed in green cloaks at the back of the stage. Holding glass, light-up orbs they recited the "Willow" chant. This is when fans blow up balloons and use cell phone lights to make them glow.

The Wembley Stadium listed balloons as one of the items not allowed inside, but a few hundred fans made orbs anyway.

In Amsterdam, three Swifties started the "Willow" trend. You can check out their story here .

Wembley gives Swift 3-minute standing ovation

When she pulled her inner ears out after "Champagne Problems," the audience lost it. She smiled and clutched her hands to her chest.

“If any of us — me, the dancers or the band — have a bad day again, we are going to replay that little memory in our minds,” she said to the crowd. 

Swift gets emotional during 'Folkmore' era

After finishing "Cardigan," Swift addressed the crowd.

"I just have to be honest with you guys now that I’ve calmed down a little bit," she said. "The first time I saw this crowd when I came out from backstage ... my whole mind went blank."

She described the feeling as a "love system overload."

"I can't believe that 92,000 people are being this loving and caring and generous to us all at once," she said. "It's just wonderful what you do for us. ... All of us are going to miss it so much when we don't get to do it anymore. Feelings and emotions that I didn’t think about before talking about in front of 92,000 people."

Eras Tour outfits

On Thursday, Swift wore the following:

• Her blue and pink "Lover" bodysuit
• Her silver blazer for "The Man"
• Her black and silver "Fearless" dress
• Her "A lot going on at the moment" T-shirt for "Red"
• Her purple cupcake dress for "Speak Now"
• Her classic "Reputation" bodysuit
• Her green dress for "Folkmore"
• Her green and pink top and skirt for "1989"
• Her "Who's afraid of little old me? You should be" gown for "The Tortured Poets Department"
• The black two-piece with a gold jacket for "I Can Do It with a Broken Heart"
• Her blue dress for the acoustic set
• Her sky-blue T-shirt for "Anti-Hero"
• Her chevron bodysuit for "Midnight Rain"
• Finally, Swift closed the show in her magenta fur coat

If you happen to have 10 minutes to spare...

Swift’s dancers exit the stage following “I Knew You Were Trouble” as Swift slings her guitar over her shoulder and heads to center stage alone. The Eras Tour's guitar hangs in anticipation of playing Swift's heartbreaking ballad from the “Red” era.

If not for the rerecording of her fourth era, Swifties may have never heard “All Too Well (10-Minute Version).” The singer stated in an interview that the original song had been edited down to five minutes. Fans implored her to release the lengthier version and she did as a vault song to “Red (Taylor’s Version).” The song skyrocketed on the charts, unseating “American Pie” by Don McLean as the longest No. 1 hit in Billboard’s Hot 100 chart history.

“We were lucky enough to play Wembley stadium back in June, were any of you there?” she asked Thursday to get a loud cheer response. “Thanks for coming back, you guys.”She asks if anyone is new. An even louder roar erupts.

Swift has performed the 10 minute and 13 second song 127 times. In total, that’s 1,298 minutes or 22 hours. At the end, white confetti will fall to the ground to represent snow referenced in the heartbreak anthem.

What did Kam say?

A fan-favorite for livestreamers is to log on and see what dancer Kameron Saunders is going to say during the bridge of “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together."

When Swift performed 53 shows across America, he said “Like Ever” as a response to Swift saying, “So he calls me up and he’s like, ‘I still love you,' and I mean this is exhausting, like we are never getting back together.” But for her international shows he mixed up the expression catering it to the culture and language of each international city.

On Thursday in London, Saunders said, “Are you mad?”

For a complete list of Saunders' sayings, click here .

The coveted '22' hat

Taylor Swift emerged for her “Red” era in her "A Lot Going On at the Moment" shirt. Swift has six custom-made shirts including: “We are never getting back together like ever,” “Who’s Taylor Swift anyway? Ew,” “This is not Taylor’s Version,” “I bet you think about me” and “I knew U were trouble.”

Different than her other tours, there are no meet-and-greets or secret fan rooms, so the closest a mere mortal can get to the superstar is being the one chosen as the “22" hat recipient. Swift’s team makes the selection moments before the concert begins and usually invites that person to the VIP tent area. At the conclusion of the “Fearless” era, her team will bring the lucky fan down to the end of the catwalk.

Swift autographs the brim of the black fedora designed by milliner Gladys Tamez. 

“I’ve been like so, so humble and so grateful to do this,” Tamez said in April, “because I’ve worked with her team for a long time and then to have this moment, I was excited.”

Tonight Swift has chosen the 127th member of the exclusive "22" fedora club .

To learn more about how "22" hat recipients are chosen, click here .

Idris Elba attends Eras Tour

Actor Idris Elba attended Thursday's show. It's only appropriate since he iconically introduced "London Boy" on the "Lover" album. Before the beat drops he says, "We can go drivin' in, on my scooter / Uh, you know, just 'round London."

During Swift's June residency at Wembley, an abundance of A listers attended including Prince William and two of his children,  Sir Paul McCartney,  Jon Bon Jovi, Hugh Grant, Cate Blanchett, Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Travis Kelce, Jason Kelce, Kylie Kelce and Swift's parents Scott and Andrea.

The last European shows of the Eras Tour

"What an absolute honor and what a delight and a thrill it is to say these words to you: London, welcome to the Eras Tour!" Swift told Wembley Stadium. “I stand here on this stage knowing that I’m about to play the first show of the last stop of the European leg of the Eras Tour, and the way that you’ve chosen to welcome us, 92,000 of you and screaming the words. Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts.” 

Swift thanked her opening acts, starting with Sofia Isella.

“It’s crazy to me that it’s coming to an end,” Swift says of touring Europe with her opening act Paramore. 

The show begins

Oh hi! Taylor Swift returns to the stage to perform her “Lover set.” This is the singer’s first appearance since her team canceled three shows in Vienna because of a thwarted terrorist plot. She glimmers in her blue and pink bodysuit.

The 34-year-old has five “Lover” bodysuit variations: tangerine, gold and blue, purple, pink, and blue and pink.

“Well fancy meeting you here at Wembley Stadium," she says, pointing to the restricted view section and tracing the arena. The 92,000 fans let out an ear-shattering roar.“OK well that was amazing. I’m really feeling like immediately that has gone to my head. You’ve got me feeling really, really powerful," she says as she puts on a silver jacket before singing "The Man."

Cue the Eras Tour overture

The backdrop screen to the Eras Tour just shifted to a countdown clock starting at 2:24. Leslie Gore’s “You Don’t Own Me” fills the stadium.

When the tour first started in March of 2023, fans were surprised Swift began her set with “Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince,” but the opener makes sense due to the lines “it’s been a long time coming” and “it’s you and me, that’s my whole world." Because of the coronavirus pandemic, Swift had to cancel her Loverfest stadium show in 2021 and hadn’t toured since the Reputation Stadium Tour in 2018. 

After her first football stadium concert series and before the start of the Eras Tour, she released four new eras: “Lover,” “Folklore,” “Evermore” and “Midnights.” For the Eras Tour, she combined her 10 eras into a three-plus-hour show.

When Swift released “The Tortured Poets Department” in April — under the veil of secrecy — she and her dancers flew a little over a week early to Paris to rehearse an updated show. The crowd lost it when they saw the new version on May 9.

If you’re following along, here is the order of the eras in the overture:

• “It's fearless”
• “Big reputation”
• “And they said ’Speak Now’”
• “Into folklore”
• “My name is Taylor, and I was born in 1989”
• “Straight from the tortured poets department”
• “Cause loving him was red”
• “Meet me at midnight”

Standby: We're 'In Ha Mood'

The Ice Spice beat dropped. Swifties are trained to run back from the bathroom or concession stands as soon as they hear "In Ha Mood" begin playing. It means Taylor Swift will appear in about 10 minutes. 

The dancers and band will make their way to the stage. Taylor Swift is hidden in a “cleaning cart” at the end of the cast walking up the ramp. Her cart is being pushed by production workers who will stop the cart right before a set of stairs that take Swift to the main platform. 

“Applause” by Lady Gaga will play next. As the song blares across an anxious and excited audience, dancers will put pink and ombre parachute flaps on their backs and line up behind the main stage door.

Taylor Swift's massive set list of 46 songs

The crowd eagerly awaited the start of the show as the "Bejeweled" behind-the-scenes video played indicating Swift was about to embark on a three-plus-hour show era-by-era. Here is her 46-song setlist:

• Lover: "Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince," "Cruel Summer," "The Man," "You Need to Calm Down" and "Lover"
• Fearless: "Fearless," "You Belong With Me" and "Love Story"
• Red: "22," "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," "I Knew You Were Trouble" and "All Too Well (10-Minute Version)"
• Speak Now: "Enchanted"
• Reputation: "...Ready For It?" "Delicate," "Don't Blame Me" and "Look What You Made Me Do"
• Folkmore (Folklore and Evermore combined set): "Cardigan," "Betty," "Champagne Problems," "August," "Illicit Affairs," "My Tears Ricochet," "Marjorie" and "Willow"
• 1989: "Style," "Blank Space," "Shake it Off," "Wildest Dreams" and "Bad Blood"
• The Tortured Poets Department: "But Daddy I Love Him," "So High School," "Who's Afraid of Little Old Me," "Down Bad," "Fortnight," "The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived" and "I Can Do It with a Broken Heart"
• Acoustic guitar mashup and acoustic piano mashup
• Midnights: "Lavender Haze," "Anti-Hero," "Midnight Rain," "Vigilante S---," "Bejeweled," "Mastermind" and "Karma"

Paramore set list

“Oh yeah London! It’s good to be back with you," Hayley Williams boomed into the mic. "Oh how we’ve missed you. We can never get enough London. Ever!”“It’s an honor and a privilege to be here. Never in our entire world did we ever think we’d play at Wembley Stadium so thank you for making this possible.”Their set list included:

• “Hard Times” with Blondie mashup of “Heart of Glass”
• “Burning Down the House”
• “Still Into You”
• “Forgiveness”
• “Caught in the Middle”
• “The Only Exception”
• “Misery Business”
• “Ain’t It Fun”
• “This Is Why”

The rousing opening act energized Wembley as Williams lay on the ground in the center spotlight and belted the end of “Ain’t It Fun.” London was overcast, with the open-roofed arena sitting at 73 degrees. The floor was packed with every inch covered by Swifties and the rest of the stadium filled to 60%. Swift will take the stage in about 30 minutes.

'Ain't it fun' that Paramore is here?

Hayley Williams, Taylor York and Zac Farro have been the opening act for Taylor Swift on the European leg of the  Eras Tour . The trio have dazzled for 43 shows across Europe. They will wrap their involvement on Tuesday and make their way back to Nashville, Tennessee, where they're based.

Right before leaving for Paris in May, Paramore was dubbed the Global Ambassadors for Record Store Day, a title Swift held in 2022. They surprised fans at Grimey's record store in Nashville.

Swift's final opening act for the remaining North America shows will be Gracie Abrams.

Is Travis Kelce coming back to Eras Tour?

It's not likely Swift's boyfriend will be at the shows in England. The Kansas City Chiefs tight end has his final training camp practice on Thursday before the Chiefs' preseason home game on Saturday against the Detroit Lions. Although Swift could make the following preseason home game on Aug. 22 as the Chiefs take on the Chicago Bears.

Who could forget Travis Kelce breaking the internet the last time Swift performed in Wembley by appearing on stage to carry her after her symbolic crash to the ground from "The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived." He attempted to revive her alongside backup dancers Jan Ravnik and Kameron Saunders so she could sing, "I Can Do It With a Broken Heart."

Sofia Isella set list

“This is the most insane view I’ve ever seen in my entire life,” opening act Sofia Isella told Wembley Stadium.

Her set list included:

• “Cacao and Cocaine”
• “Everybody Supports Women”
• “Unattractive”
• “I Looked the Future in the Eyes, It's Mine”

Isella played six songs in her 25-minute set.

Sofia Isella takes the stage

Similar to inviting three artists to open before Paramore in June, Swift has invited five singers to share the stage in Wembley Stadium. Up first is Sofia Isella , a 19-year-old classically trained violinist, songwriter, producer and singer. The rising star was born in Beverly Hills, California, but lives in Australia.

When Swift let the cat out of the bag on Aug. 5, Isella shared a message on Instagram: "Someone I’ve never met has changed my life even more than she already has just through her writing alone. Your fearlessness in continuing to push yourself and win again and again is the most joyful thing to watch, Taylor. Thank you."

The acts that will open the rest of the Wembley dates are:

• Friday: Holly Humberstone
• Saturday: Suki Waterhouse
• Monday: Maisie Peters
• Tuesday: Raye

Doors are open

It's official. Wembley Stadium has just opened the doors to allow VIP guests into the arena. The general admission sections will open in about thirty minutes. Thousands of Swifties are pouring in.

Lining up at 4 a.m.

Amy Willow of Brighton, United Kingdom, rode up on the overnight train with her two best friends hoping to get in line for Thursday night's Eras Tour show. The early morning wake up call landing her at Wembley Stadium at 4 a.m. was a good call. She ended up being first in line.

"I was like, 'Oh my God, there's going to be like a queue of a hundred people,'" she says four hours before general admission doors open. "Crickets, literal crickets. There was no one here. It was amazing."

Wembley Stadium tells fans without a ticket: Don't come

The stadium that seats 89,000 fans told anyone without an Eras Tour ticket not to come. Additional ticket checks have been added around the stadium and fans will need to show proof of passes before entering the general vicinity.

Wembley Stadium's website  also implemented stricter security measures including no overnight camping and no  "Taylor-gating,"  where devoted fans without tickets congregate outside of a stadium to listen to the live concert and engage in dancing and friendship bracelet trading. The stadium is not allowing anyone to stand outside any entrance or on the Olympics Steps at the front. Non-ticketholders will be "moved on."

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