TDF 2024:- Stage 21: Monaco-Nice 34Km ITT ***Spoilers***

blazing_saddles
blazing_saddles Posts: 22,722
edited July 21 in Pro race

Stage 21: Monaco-Nice 34Km ITT

July 21st.

Start Time: First Rider 13-40, Last Rider 17-45BST.

Finish: 18-30BST.

The Tour de France serves an ITT on the final day of action. The 33.7 kilometres route between Monaco and Nice features two climbs - 8.1 kilometres at 5.6% and 1.6 kilometres at 8.1%. It’s almost 20 kilometres along the coast to get from Monaco to Nice, but luckily the riders are sent into the mountains after a short stint on the flat. The riders roll of the ramp in one of the most famous harbors in the world. The route descends off La Turbie, to Éze and onto a 1.6 kilometres climb at 8.1%. After reaching the summit of the Col d’Éze on its steepest side the riders continue downhill towards Nice. They reach the Promenade des Anglais and race on the flat along the Mediterranean only to make a U-turn and return to the city centre and finish on Avenue Jean Médecin.

Profile.

Map.

The Climbs.

Final Kilometres.

What to Expect.

A repeat of the Laurent Fignon, Greg Lemond showdown-not!

What is interesting about this final day time trial is that all the top GC men are also the best trialists in the race.

While Vingegaard shone in last year’s Tour time trial, Pogacar has a history of excelling in decisive mountain time trials. Four years ago, he unexpectedly took the yellow jersey from Roglic on La Planche des Belles Filles, winning the time trial by nearly 2 minutes and securing his first Tour de France victory the next day in Paris.

The maillot jeune is hot favourite to take yet anther stage win.

Monaco

Stage town for the eighth time.

City-state and principality

Population: 39,500

MONACO AND CYCLING

Monaco, home to almost fifty professional cyclists, has hosted the Tour de France seven times since 1939, but the race's most memorable passage through the principality was in 1964. On that day, Raymond Poulidor thought he had won the race in the final but made his effort one lap too early. Jacques Anquetil took advantage of this blunder to win the race and pocket a crucial minute's bonus in the final classification, since he was 55 seconds ahead of Poupou in Paris! The Grand Départ of the 2009 Tour took place in Monaco, with Fabian Cancellara winning the inaugural time trial ahead of Alberto Contador and Bradley Wiggins.

Barbagiuan

Monaco's unmissable culinary speciality is barbagiuan. This is a small turnover or large ravioli filled with stuffing and fried in oil. The stuffing is made from chard or spinach leaves (squash in winter), rice, leeks and onions.

Nice

Stage town for the 37th time

Prefecture of Alpes-Maritimes (06)

Population: 345,000

NICE AND CYCLING

Nice is becoming a key city in the Tour de France. Before enjoying the privilege of becoming the first town to host the final finish of the Tour away from its Parisian base. In 1981, Bernard Hinault swapped his rainbow outfit for the Yellow Jersey by winning the prologue. The next two half-stages were won by Freddy Maertens and then by Dutch outfit Ti-Raleigh in a team time-trial, with Gerrie Kneteman taking over the Yellow Jersey. “Nice la très fidèle” (Nice the very faithful), the city's Latin motto, has also been widely respected, with thirty-seven appearances as a stage town in the Tour de France since 1906.

Specialities: pissaladière, fougasse, socca, brissaouda, tapenade, salade niçoise, pan bagnat, porchetta, trulle, ratatouille, daube niçoise, bellet (wine)

Pissaladière

Originating from the French city of Nice, pissaladière is a baked tart that is similar to a pizza, but thicker. In the past, it was usually baked and sold each morning, but today it is traditionally served as an appetizer or a snack, consisting of a doughy base that is topped with anchovies, olives, caramelized onions, and fresh herbs.


"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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