Sports Poets Society

STAGE 3 - Plaisance > Turin MONDAY 1 JULY - 231.1 KM THIS IS THE TOUR'S LONGEST stage, an interminable day in the saddle leading into the capital of Piedmont. The sprinters' teams will be called into action, tasked with controlling the race on a route that is relatively light in terms of difficulties. In fact, there are only three small climbs on the agenda. The first is in Tortone, the town where Fausto Coppi died, and the last in Sommariva Perno, 45km from the finish. There is every chance of a bunch sprint in Turin. STAGE IN NUMBERS 3 - Turin has hosted three Tour de France finishes , in 1956, 1961 (Guy Ignolin won the stage) and 1966. Nino Defilippis won in 1956. 1966 - Italy's Franco Bitossi won at the Turin finish. He also won Il Lombardia twice, in 1967 and 1970.

Stage two on Sunday 30 June offers a sumptuous finale,  featuring two ascents of the famous San Luca climb.  It should be quite a spectacle  Cesenatico > Bologna  SUNDAY 30 JUNE - 200.8KM Writer Jean-Paul Vespini  Images ©PresseSports / l'Equipe THE FIRST SIGNIFICANT TESTS ARRIVE halfway through the stage, just before the riders reach the Galisterna climb on the Imola circuit where Julian Alaphilippe was crowned world champion in 2020 . Approaching Bologna, the route becomes much more undulating. The Montecalvo climb , which the riders tackle right before entering the 18km finishing circuit, is ideal for attacks. Ridden twice, the magnificent Côte de San Luca, the superb finale to the Tour of Emilia one-day race, is a fearsome 2km climb averaging 10%. There'll be a bonus point at the top on the second ascent. This wonderful battleground should reveal the strongest riders in the peloton. *** THE SECOND STAGE of the 2024 Tour de France will take place entirely...

STAGE 1 - Florence > Rimini SATURDAY 29 JUNE - 206 KM THE TOUR DE FRANCE'S FIRST Grand Départ in Italy begins with a medium mountain stage that features 3,700m of vertical gain and seven major climbing tests. This is one of the Tour de France's toughest starts, a 200km-plus rollercoaster ride across the Apennine chain. At 930m, the Valico Tre Faggi pass, which comes after 50km of today's proceedings, is the highest point on the stage, but it's not the most difficult test. The other climbs are shorter, but steeper. Aprofile of this type could well suit a breakaway group and could end with the first yellow jersey going to the rider who proves to be the most daring. STAGE IN NUMBERS 2013  - Florence hosted the World Road  Championships this  year, won by Rui Costa. Costa could race the Tour again this year withFEEducation- EasyPost. 176  - The number of riders from 2 2 teams lining up in Florence.