Spa-Francorchamps, Nogaro, Monaco: These circuits that the Tour de France has covered

Monaco

The 21st and final stage of the Tour de France 2024 will start from the Principality of Monaco. On Sunday July 21, 2024, the surviving runners will compete in an individual time trial towards Nice, an effort of 34 km. The launch pad will be installed on Boulevard Albert 1er, better known to motorsport fans for its transformation into the start/finish straight of the Monaco Grand Prix in Formula 1.

This is not a first for the Rock. In 2009, the Grand Départ of the Tour de France took place in Monaco, already in the form of an individual time trial. The Swiss rider Fabian Cancellara won there to wear the yellow jersey:

Nogaro

It is the last track to have hosted the Tour de France. The Paul Armagnac circuit in Nogaro was the scene of the arrival of the 4th stage of the Grande Boucle 2023, between Dax and Nogaro (182 kilometers), on Tuesday July 4, 2023. A great first for the Gers route.

Nogaro has thus become a finish town for the Tour de France, a great first for the town of 2 inhabitants. The Paul Armagnac circuit is no stranger to cycling competitions: in 000, Eddy Merckx won the Critérium des As on this track and, more recently, in 1974, the New Zealander Tom Scully arrived at the head of a stage. of the Southern Route.

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Dijon-Prenois

The Dijon-Prenois circuit, who celebrated his 50th birthday in 2022, has only hosted legendary races. Apart from Formula 1 and Grand Touring competitions, the route has also seen the Tour de France pass through, three times! First in 1977: the circuit hosted the finish of a 50 km time trial, the Burgundian Bernard Thévenet won and put on the yellow jersey! This will allow him to win the Tour de France for the second time against the cannibal Eddy Merckx.

The Grande Boucle returned to Dijon-Prenois in 1979 with a victory for Bernard Hinault. The Badger had a scare the same morning when he hit a car and fell during a reconnaissance of the course. With his right wrist scratched and slightly swollen, the yellow jersey had avoided the worst. In 1983, the circuit hosted a new time trial, with the success of Laurent Fignon who would win his first Tour de France a few months later.

Le Mans – Bugatti Circuit

The city of Le Mans has been the arrival city 7 times and the start city 6 times in the Tour de France. Among these appearances, the peloton took part of the circuit of 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Bugatti circuit. On the 4th stage of the 1975 Tour de France, Jacques Esclassan won the sprint victory on the Sarthe route. The last time the Grande Boucle visited the Bugatti circuit was in 2011 with the fictitious start given on the closed Le Mans track, counting for the 7th stage. The Briton Mark Cavendish won in Châteauroux.

Spa-Francorchamps

The last time the Tour de France peloton rode on a current circuit was in 2017 with a visit to the Spa-Francorchamps track, in Belgium. The riders were able to complete an almost complete tour of the Walloon circuit during the 3rd stage, passing through the iconic bends of Eau Rouge, Raidillon, Les Combes and Pouhon. Impressive images, particularly at Raidillon, crowded with spectators. Peter Sagan won in the sprint in Logwy, the finish town of the stage. The Spa-Francorchamps circuit also hosted the finish of the 3rd stage of the 1989 Tour de France, with the victory of Raúl Alcalá.

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