The direction of the 2024 Excursion de France was once unveiled previous this week, showcasing a well-known mix of mountains, dash levels, hills, and time trials. Much less acquainted for the July Grand Excursion is 14 sectors of gravel roads on level 9 in Troyes.
Along side 2,000 metres of elevation, 32.2km of gravel roads are packed into the 199km level, with the gravel and the hills of the champagne area of France bringing to thoughts the difficulties of Strade Bianche.
The inclusion of gravel within the Excursion de France direction has brought about some controversy, with a number of group managers together with Jumbo-Visma’s Richard Plugge and Soudal-QuickStep’s Patrick Lefevere reacting negatively.
Alternatively, Excursion de France direction dressmaker Thierry Gouvenou has mentioned that it was once essential to incorporate a level like this in an effort to get a divorce what would in a different way be a longer term of flat levels within the first part of an ordinary Excursion direction.
“We made a promise by no means to have a couple of dash level in a row at the Excursion,” Gouvenou informed L’Equipe all the way through a seek advice from to look the dust roads after the 2024 Excursion de France presentation.
“With the configuration of the 2024 direction, we will be able to to find ourselves at the plains from the go out of the Alps on level 4 to Cantal on level 11. So, we needed to get a hold of one thing artful.”
The 14 gravel sectors start after 47km, with 8 of them within the hilly vineyards. Six sectors are packed into the general 30km however on flat roads. Alternatively the tarmac roads in between the gravel sectors pose their very own demanding situations, with L’Equipe confirming that the ones roads are slender and aren’t at all times in the most productive situation.
All in all, the level – with the hills, twisting roads, and difficult gravel sectors – has the possible to majorly shake up the race and the GC standings.
“If one of the crucial giant groups come to a decision to move all out for his or her leaders then there will be numerous rigidity on the again and the elastic will snap, that is evidently,” predicted Gouvenou.
“There can be numerous rigidity and we will be expecting a race of removing. With the adjustments in path, the gradients, the outside, and possibly the wind, now not everybody will be capable of stay up the tempo.”
The gravel roads within the champagne house had been featured final 12 months on the Excursion de France Femmes with 12.9km of gravel on level 4 inflicting chaos and carnage.
Gravel roads had been nearly incorporated within the males’s race again in 2019, even though the theory was once deserted for protection causes, Gouvenou mentioned.
“The descents had been too steep and threatening and we ended up forsaking this concept for protection causes,” he mentioned of level 3 of that 12 months’s race, which was once gained by means of Julian Alaphilippe.
Gouvenou and his group have however found out a solution to come with the gravel sectors in subsequent 12 months’s direction, with the race crisscrossing the vineyards southeast of Troyes.
The roads within the house are maintained by means of native winegrowers and farmers. A suite of particular laws can be installed position to offer protection to the gravel roads when the race passes via subsequent 12 months, mentioned Excursion deputy director Yves Thouault.
“There can be no promoting caravan, no parking, and strict laws – most effective the race convoy will cross via on ‘D-Day’,” he mentioned.
Excursion director Christian Prudhomme mentioned that he hopes that the gravel roads of Troyes will grow to be an iconic a part of the race which draw fanatics and cyclists to the area.
“I might find it irresistible that if, within the years yet to come, when other folks come to this area, they may frequently use those roads,” he mentioned. “I might like most of the people and biking fanatics to suppose, ‘Ah, Troyes? White roads!’
“It will be a little bit just like the go back of the cobbles in 2010. We would long gone 20 years with out cobbles, with the exception of two sectors in 2004. I am hoping that during this type of level Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel will be capable of make a multitude of items.”