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Giro d'Italia 2024: Preview, full schedule and how to watch live

The Giro d’Italia 2024 is about to kick off the Grand Tour season in men’s road cycling .

On Saturday 4 May, Venaria Reale will host the opening stage of the 107 th edition of the Corsa Rosa that will see its conclusion three weeks later in Rome on Sunday 26 May.

All eyes will be on the Slovenian superstar Tadej Pogacar , who aims to become the first rider since Marco Pantani in 1998 to achieve the Giro-Tour double.

Reigning champion and Olympic time trial gold medallist, Primoz Roglic , will not be defending his crown, as he has got his eyes set on the Tour de France.

The 2024 edition of the Italian Grand Tour features gruelling mountain stages in the Alps, gravel roads in Tuscany and more than 70 kilometres of time trial. The winner will lift the prestigious Trofeo Senza Fine (Endless Trophy) and wear the coveted Maglia Rosa in the Italian capital.

This year's race will cover a total of 3400.8 kilometres , making it the shortest edition in 45 years.

Find everything you need to know about the Giro d’Italia 2024 below, including the riders to look out for and how to watch the event live.

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Who are the riders to watch at the Giro d’Italia 2024?

Pink jersey (general classification).

There is one overwhelming favourite for the Giro d’Italia 2024, and that is Tadej Pogacar .

Fresh off his second Liège–Bastogne–Liège title in impressive fashion, the two-time Tour de France winner is arriving to Italy in top shape.

Pogacar started his season by conquering the gravel roads of Strade Bianche , riding 81 kilometres solo to claim victory in Siena.

At Volta a Catalunya , the Slovenian swept four out of seven stages, securing the overall victory and sending a clear message to his rivals at the Giro about who the man to beat is.

Geraint Thomas suffered heartbreak at last year’s Giro d’italia, narrowly missing out on the overall victory by just 14 seconds.

The 2018 Tour de France champion was leading the race going into the penultimate stage, only to relinquish the pink jersey to Primoz Roglic after the Slovenian's formidable performance in the individual time trial.

The INEOS Grenadiers leader has some unfinished business with the Corsa Rosa and will try to pose a challenge to Pogacar.

Among the outsiders is Australia's Ben O’Connor (Decathlon AG2R), who finished fourth in the 2021 Tour de France.

This year, the 28-year-old has consistently finished within the top five in week-long stage races. At the Giro d'Italia warm-up race, the Tour of the Alps, he was the runner-up behind the former Maglia Rosa wearer Juan Pedro Lopez , who also will be lining up at the start line in Venaria Reale.

French veteran Romain Bardet recently said that he is at his best level in years and is convinced he can challenge for the podium.

A second place at the Liège–Bastogne–Liège behind Pogacar was a boost of morale for the 33-year-old, who has not been on a Grand Tour podium since 2018, when he finished third at the Tour de France.

Daniel Martínez will lead the BORA - hansgrohe team. The Colombian climber is no longer in the shadow of INEOS stars Geraint Thomas and Egan Bernal , following his move to the German team ahead of this season.

In 2021, Martínez was a strong domestique for compatriot Bernal and helped him secure the overall victory. He also achieved his best overall result in a Grand Tour by finishing in the top five that year. With the absence of teammate Roglic, it is up to Martínez to secure a top result.

“The Killer Bees” Team Visma|Lease a Bike made history in 2023, becoming the first team to claim all three Grand Tours in a single year. Although a repetition of the historic achievement looks difficult, the Dutch team have put their faith in 21-year-old prodigy Cian Uijtdebroeks .

The Belgian has been under the wings of reigning Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard at the O Gran Camiño and Tirreno-Adriatico. Now he faces the ultimate test as Grand Tour captain.

Cyclamen jersey (points classification)

This year’s course is more sprinter-friendly than usual, featuring eight expected mass sprint finishes. Jonathan Milan of Lidl-Trek will aim to defend the maglia ciclamino (mauve jersey for the points classification) that he secured last year.

However, he will face a fierce competition for the mauve jersey as several of the world's top sprinters will travel to Italy.

Soudal Quick-Step will fully support Remco Evenepoel at the Tour de France, giving Tim Merlier the opportunity to pursue success at the Giro.

The Belgian has been one of the fastest sprinters during the first part of the season, winning three stages at the UAE Tour, the Nokere Koerse, and the sprinters’ classic Scheldeprijs.

Another challenge will come from Australian Kaden Groves . In 2023, the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider added stage wins at both the Giro and the Vuelta a España, where he also left with the green jersey.

Biniam Girmay will be back on Italian soil, where he outsprinted Mathieu van der Poel in the Giro two years ago to take his first Grand Tour stage victory. The Eritrean looks to be close to his form from 2022.

Dutch sprinter Olav Kooij will finally get his Grand Tour debut. The 22-year-old beat Mads Pedersen twice to claim two stage wins at the Paris-Nice in March and is one of the most promising sprinters in the peloton.

Five-time Vuelta a España stage winner Fabio Jakobsen is set to race his first Giro and can complete the set of Grand Tour wins, having already secured a stage victory at the Tour de France in 2022.

Will Filippo Ganna sprint for stage wins again? The Italian time trial specialist was fighting in the bunch sprints at last year’s Vuelta a España and showed a new side of his talent.

Despite not having shone in the last couple of years, Caleb Ewan and Fernando Gaviria are both multiple Grand Tour stage winners and they have the power to be competitive in the bunch sprints.

Blue jersey (mountains classification)

Unlike in the Tour de France, the winner of the mountains classification in the Giro d’Italia is usually not the same as the winner of the general classification.

Thibaut Pinot , who has since retired, clinched the blue jersey in the previous edition while finishing fifth overall.

However, the breakaway riders often view for the mountains classification.

A potential contender is Simon Geschke of Cofidis. The German rider was close to seal the polka dot jersey at the Tour de France in 2022, but ultimately Jonas Vingegaard ended up with both the yellow and polka dot jersey.

Other names to watch are Britain's Simon Carr , who just won a stage and the mountains classification at the Tour of the Alps, and Dutchman Koen Bouwman , who is aiming for his second blue jersey after claiming it in 2022.

Key stages of the Giro d’Italia 2024

Five stages are singled out by cycling experts as the most decisive for the Giro d'Italia 2024.

The first one arrives already on stage two , which is the earliest summit finish in 35 years. It is a true climbing test, which takes the peloton to Santuario di Oropa (6.2% over 11.8km) and will give an early indication of who will be the main general classification contenders.

A 40.6-kilometre time trial awaits the peloton on stage seven . The course is technical and the uphill finish should shake up the top ten. Some will see it as an oppornunity to gain time, while others will try to limit their losses.

Stage 15 is the queen stage of the 2024 Giro d’Italia. Containing 5,200 metres of elevation gain over 220 kilometres, it is a brutal day in the mountains. Hopefully, snowfall will not affect this blockbuster Alpine stage.

The riders get a rest day following the queen stage, but already on stage 16 , climbing legs will be tested again. It includes the Passo dello Stelvio , the Cima Coppi of this year’s race. At an elevation of 2,757 metres it is the second highest pass in the Alps.

The lack of oxygen at high altitude will make the peloton suffer. With over 100 kilometres remaining from the summit of Stelvio, the favourites who might fall behind still have the chance to catch up before the final ascents to Passo Pinei and Monte Pana.

Stage 20 , the penultimate stage before the procession around the streets of Rome, promises a decisive battle in the mountains for the final general classification. Two gruelling ascents of Monte Grappa - 18.2 kilometres at 8.1% - will determine who earns the right to wear the pink jersey in Rome and hoist the Endless Trophy .

Day-by-day route of the Giro d’Italia 2024

Saturday 4 May, stage 1: Venaria Reale-Torino, medium mountains, 140 km ⭐⭐⭐

Sunday 5 May, stage 2: San Francesco al Campo–Santuario di Oropa (Biella), medium mountains, 161 km ⭐⭐⭐

Monday 6 May, stage 3: Novara-Fossano, hilly, 166 km ⭐⭐

Tuesday 7 May, stage 4: Acqui Terme-Andora, hilly, 190 km ⭐⭐

Wednesday 8 May, stage 5: Genova-Lucca, medium mountains,178 km ⭐⭐⭐

Thursday 9 May, stage 6: Viareggio-Rapolano Terme, medium mountains, 180 km ⭐⭐

Friday 10 May, stage 7: Foligno-Perugia, individual time trial, 40,6 km ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Saturday 11 May, stage 8: Spoleto-Prati di Tivo, high mountains,152 km ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Sunday 12 May, stage 9: Avezzano-Napoli, medium mountains, 214 km ⭐⭐⭐

Monday 13 May: Rest day

Tuesday 14 May, stage 10: Pompei-Cusano Mutri (Bocca della Selva), medium mountains, 142 km ⭐⭐⭐

Wednesday 15 May, stage 11: Foiano di Val Fortore-Francavilla al Mare, hilly, 207 km ⭐⭐

Thursday 16 May, stage 12: Martinsicuro-Fano, medium mountains, 193 km ⭐⭐⭐

Friday 17 May, stage 13: Riccione-Cento, flat, 179 km ⭐

Saturday 18 May, stage 14: Castiglione delle Stiviere-Desenzano del Garda, individual time trial, 31,2 km ⭐⭐⭐

Sunday 19 May, stage 15: Manerba del Garda-Livigno (Mottolino), high mountains, 222 km ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Monday 20 May: Rest day

Tuesday 21 May, stage 16: Livigno-Santa Cristina Val Gardena (Monte Pana), high mountains, 202 km ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Wednesday 22 May, stage 17: Selva di Val Gardena-Passo Brocon, high mountains, 159 km ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thursday 23 May, stage 18: Fiera di Primiero-Padova, hilly, 171 km ⭐⭐

Friday 24 May, stage 19: Mortegliano-Cima Sappada, medium mountains, 157 km ⭐⭐⭐

Saturday 25 May, stage 20: Alpago-Bassano del Grappa, high mountains, 181 km ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Sunday 26 May, stage 21: Roma-Roma, flat, 122 km ⭐

How to watch the Giro d’Italia 2024

The Giro d'Italia 2024 will be shown live around the world. Here is a list of the official broadcast partners across different territories.

• Albania - Eurosport
• Andorra - Eurosport
• Austria - Eurosport
• Belarus - Eurosport
• Belgium - VRT/RTBF.be/RTL Belgium/VTM Medialaan/Eurosport
• Bosnia and Herzegovina - Eurosport
• Bulgaria- Eurosport
• Croatia - Eurosport
• Cyprus - Eurosport
• Czechia - Eurosport
• Denmark - Eurosport
• Estonia - Eurosport
• Finland - Eurosport
• France - La Chaine L’Equipe
• Georgia - Eurosport
• Germany - Eurosport
• Greece - Eurosport
• Hungary - Eurosport
• Iceland - Eurosport
• Ireland - Eurosport
• Israel - STARZPLAY/Eurosport
• Italy - Rai/Eurosport
• Latvia - Eurosport
• Liechtenstein - Eurosport
• Lithuania - Eurosport
• Luxembourg - Eurosport
• Malta - STARZPLAY/Eurosport
• Moldova - Eurosport
• Montenegro - Eurosport
• Netherlands - NOS/Eurosport
• North Macedonia - Eurosport
• Norway - Eurosport
• Poland - Eurosport
• Portugal - Eurosport
• Principality of Monaco - Eurosport
• Romania - Eurosport
• San Marino - Rai/Eurosport
• Serbia - Eurosport
• Slovakia - Eurosport
• Slovenia - Planet TV/Eurosport
• Spain - EITB/Eurosport
• Sweden - Eurosport
• Switzerland - SRG SSR/Eurosport
• Ukarine - Eurosport
• United Kingdom - Eurosport
• Vatican City - Rai/Eurosport
• Wales - S4C

North and Central America

• Canada - FloSports
• Dominican Republic - Eurosport
• United States - MAX USA/BeIN Sport

South America

• Argentina - + Claro/DirecTV
• Bolivia - + Claro/DirecTV
• Brazil - + Claro/DirecTV
• Chile - + Claro/DirecTV
• Colombia - + Claro/DirecTV/Caracol TV
• Ecuador - + Claro/DirecTV
• Guyana - DirecTV/Eurosport
• Paraguay - + Claro/DirecTV
• Peru - + Claro/DirecTV
• Suriname - + Claro/DirecTV
• The Caribbean - DirecTV
• Uruguay - + Claro/DirecTV
• Venezuela - + Claro/DirecTV
• Afghanistan - Eurosport
• Armenia - Eurosport
• Azerbaijan - Eurosport
• Bahrain - STARZPLAY
• Bangladesh - Eurosport
• Bhutan - Eurosport
• Cambodia - Eurosport
• People’s Republic of China - Zhibo.tv
• India - Eurosport
• Indonesia - Eurosport
• Iran - STARZPLAY
• Iraq - STARZPLAY
• Japan - J Sports
• Jordan - STARZPLAY
• Kazakhstan - Eurosport
• Kuwait - STARZPLAY
• Kyrgyzstan - Eurosport
• Lebanon - STARZPLAY
• Malaysia - Eurosport
• Maldives - Eurosport
• Mongolia - Eurosport
• Myanmar - Eurosport
• Nepal - Eurosport
• Oman - STARZPLAY
• Pakistan - Eurosport
• Philippines - Eurosport
• Qatar - STARZPLAY
• Russia - Eurosport
• Saudi Arabia - STARZPLAY
• Singapore - Eurosport
• Republic of Korea - Eurosport
• Sri Lanka - Eurosport
• Syria - STARZPLAY
• Chinese Taipei - Eurosport
• Türkiye - Eurosport
• United Arab Emirates - STARZPLAY
• Yemen - STARZPLAY
• Australia - SBS/Eurosport
• Papua New Guinea - Eurosport
• Algeria - STARZPLAY
• Djibouti - STARZPLAY
• Egypt - STARZPLAY
• Libya - STARZPLAY
• Morocco - STARZPLAY/Eurosport
• South Africa - Supersport
• Tunisia - STARZPLAY

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Everything you need to know about the Grand Tours of road cycling

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The Tour de France is one of the world’s most famous sporting events. But did you know it is just one of three road cycling Grand Tours?

The Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España  are the other road cycling Grand Tours, each one comprised of 21 stages. The Grand Tours each cover more than 3000 kilometres during three weeks of racing with little rest for the riders.

Keep reading to learn more about the Grand Tours of road cycling.

When and where do the Grand Tours take place?

The Giro d’Italia is the first Grand Tour on the annual calendar. It takes place throughout Italy each May.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Giro d'Italia (@giroditalia)

The Tour de France comes next, taking place throughout France each July.  

The Vuelta a España is the final Grand Tour of the year, held each August/September in Spain.

The routes for all three cycling Grand Tours change each year. Every so often, race organizers will choose to have a Grand Tour start outside the primary host country. This happened recently for the Grand Départ of the Tour de France in 2022 and 2023, which began in Denmark (Copenhagen) and Spain (Basque Country), respectively. The 2022 Giro d’Italia had its Grande Partenza in Hungary. The first three stages of the 2022 Vuelta a España were in the Netherlands.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tour de France™ (@letourdefrance)

Since 1975, the Tour de France has always finished on the Champs-Élysées, providing classic images of cyclists going around the Arc de Triomphe, the winner sometimes with a glass of champagne in hand. The Vuelta a España traditionally concludes in Madrid. The Giro d’Italia has moved around its final stage, holding it in cities such as Rome, Verona, and Milan.

How old are the road cycling Grand Tours?

The Tour de France is the oldest of the Grand Tours. First held in 1903, it has been an annual highlight of the summer, except during World War I (1915-18) and World War II (1940-46).

The Giro d’Italia has been held annually since 1909, with similar exceptions because of the First and Second World Wars.

The Vuelta a España was first organized in 1935 but endured many disruptions during its first two decades because of wars and a difficult economic situation. For many years, it didn’t have the same level of prestige as the two older tours and didn’t attract a lot of top international cyclists. But that changed in the mid-1990s when it was moved from the spring to late summer, no longer putting it in near-conflict with the Giro d’Italia.

What is a stage race?

Road cycling races can be classified as a one-day race or a stage race. A one-day race is exactly what the name says. A stage race takes place over multiple days and can include various forms of racing. In a 21-stage Grand Tour, there are usually only a couple of recovery days interspersed, so fitness is key.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by La Vuelta (@lavuelta)

Some stages might be held in a time trial format, with riders leaving the start in intervals and racing directly against the clock. Most stages will be of a mass start format, in which the first rider across the finish line wins that stage.

But stage wins are not what matters most. The winner of a stage race is the rider who has the fastest overall time at the end of all stages. Some stages will cover flat terrain well suited to sprinters. Some stages will be hilly while some will include big mountains best suited to strong climbers. You can be sure that whoever wins a stage race is strong in all aspects of road cycling.

What do the different coloured jerseys mean?

It’s pretty well known that the most coveted prize in the Tour de France is the yellow jersey, or maillot jaune . That is given to the leader in the general classification – the rider with the fastest overall time.

The leader of the Giro d’Italia general classification wears a pink jersey, or maglia rosa . It is pink because Italian sports newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, which created the race, is printed on pink paper. 

At the Vuelta a España, the leader of the general classification wears a red jersey, or maillot rojo .

But there are several other classifications for which the leaders in each race are given special jerseys in various colours and patterns.

The points classification is based on riders winning sprints. More points are available when a stage is conducive to a sprint finish. There is also usually an intermediate sprint during each stage for which points are awarded.

• Giro d’Italia: purple
• Tour de France: green
• Vuelta a España: green

The king of the mountain classification is almost self-explanatory. Points are awarded to the best riders on specific climbs in each stage.

• Giro d’Italia: blue
• Tour de France: red polka dots
• Vuelta a España: blue dots 

The best young rider classification is restricted to cyclists who are under the age of 26.

• Giro d’Italia: white
• Tour de France: white
• Vuelta a España: white

Do women race in Grand Tours?

Sort of is the complicated answer. It is only in recent years that the organizers of the Grand Tours have begun staging women’s races. But they are not yet of the same scale as the men’s races.

The Giro d’Italia Donne is the longest running women’s stage race. Formally known as the Giro Rosa, it was first held in 1988. The 34 th edition in 2023 will feature 10 stages in early July. Canadian Olympian Leah Kirchmann wore the maglia rosa during the 2016 and 2018 editions of the Giro Rosa.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Leah Kirchmann (@leahkirchmann)

After an initial attempt in 1955 to hold an equivalent women’s race, the Tour de France Féminin took place from 1984 to 1989. Over the next two decades, there were different women’s stage races in France, but without a direct link to the Tour de France. From 2014 to 2020, La Course by Le Tour de France was primarily a one-day race. In 2022, Tour de France Femmes was launched as an eight-stage race. The 2023 edition will begin on the same day the men’s Tour de France concludes in late July.

La Vuelta Femenina was created in 2015 and has since expanded from a one-day race. Held in early May, the 2023 edition featured seven stages.  

Has a Canadian cyclist ever won a Grand Tour?

In 2012, Ryder Hesjedal became the first Canadian to win the general classification of a Grand Tour. He claimed the maglia rosa at the Giro d’Italia by coming from behind in the final stage. It was just the second time in the history of the race that there was a lead change on the last day.  

Prior to that, the best a Canadian had ever finished in the general classification of a Grand Tour was a fourth-place finish by Steve Bauer at the 1988 Tour de France. Bauer had made history on the opening day of that race when he became the first Canadian to win a stage of the Tour de France.

More than three decades later, Hugo Houle became the second Canadian to win a Tour stage. It was an emotionally charged day, as he dedicated his Stage 16 victory to the memory of his younger brother Pierrik who had been killed by a drunk driver 10 years earlier.

Hesjedal was the first Canadian to win a stage of the Vuelta a España, achieving that in 2009 and 2014. Mike Woods earned stage wins at the Vuelta in 2018 and 2020.

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Gears, Guts and Glory: The Grand Tours of cycling

The Grand Tours of cycling - the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, and La Vuelta - are considered the most prestigious events in cycling. They're revered by riders, fans, and media. But what makes them unique and how does La Vuelta compare against its two older rivals?

"The Grand Tours are more than just races, they are cultural events that bring people together from all over the world to witness the triumph of the human spirit." - Greg LeMond

The special appeal of the Grand Tours

The FIFA World Cup, the Olympic Games, the Superbowl, Le Mans, Wimbledon. These famous events all represent the height of achievement in their respective sports. And for cycling, it is the Grand Tours. The three separate races of the Grand Tours are considered the absolute pinnacle of the sport, attracting the very best cyclists from around the world to compete in the race, and winning brings sporting immortality.

"The Grand Tours are a reflection of life itself - they have their ups and downs, their triumphs and setbacks, but in the end, it's the journey that matters most." - Chris Froome

But despite obvious similarities, the three events are distinctly different with their own character and flavour. Their fame has grown over the decades for different reasons but why are they so important and revered by cyclists?

1. Tradition and History:

The Grand Tours all have a rich history, dating back over a century. The Tour de France, first held in 1903, is the oldest, while the Giro d'Italia and La Vuelta were first held in 1909 and 1935, respectively. Over the years, these races have become an integral part of cycling culture - both nationally and internationally, with fans and riders alike eagerly anticipating each edition of the race.

2. Difficulty and Challenge:

The Grand Tours are purposely designed as incredibly tough and demanding races. They typically last over three weeks and cover thousands of kilometres over 21 stages, with riders facing gruelling mountain stages, flats, and time trials. Winning a Grand Tour requires not only exceptional physical ability but also mental toughness, tactical astuteness, as well as teamwork.

3. Prestige and Recognition:

Winning a Grand Tour is one of the greatest achievements in professional cycling. It is an indisputable mark of excellence and places a rider among the sport's elite. But while honour is great, the financial rewards cannot be ignored either. The media attention and public recognition that come with winning a Grand Tour will help a rider secure sponsorship deals and significantly increase their earnings.

4. Cultural Significance:

The Grand Tours are also important cultural events, with each race featuring stages that pass through historic cities and landmarks. Each Tour is seen as a reflection of the soul of the country. They showcase the beauty and diversity of the host countries and attract millions of spectators each year.

"The beauty of the Grand Tours is that they are not just races, but journeys. They take you on a physical and emotional rollercoaster that is both exhausting and exhilarating." - David Millar

The Tour de France

The Tour de France, or the Tour as it is affectionately known, is undoubtedly the most famous of the three races, and is considered by many to be the most prestigious. Usually held in July, the race covers a distance of around 3,500 kilometres over 21 stages (in 2023 it will be 3404 km). The original purpose of the race was to boost newspaper sales but this has evolved over the decades to boost the culture and heritage of the country. It's quite a progression. The Tour features a mix of flat stages, mountain stages, and individual time trials, but it is most famous for its mountain stages, where riders must climb steep peaks such as the Alpe d'Huez and the Mont Ventoux. The Yellow Jersey, or Maillot Jaune, is worn by the race leader and has become an iconic symbol of excellence in the sport and even beyond that. There are other jerseys to battle for: the green jersey, or maillot vert, is awarded to the rider who accumulated the most points in the intermediate sprints and stage finishes. The polka-dot jersey, or maillot à pois rouges, is awarded to the rider who accumulated the most points in the mountain stages and the white jersey, or maillot blanc, is awarded to the best-placed rider under 25 years of age. The race attracts millions of spectators every year, who line the roads of France to fervently cheer on their favourite riders. The most successful rider in the history of the Tour de France is Belgian cyclist Eddy Merckx, who won the race five times between 1969 and 1974.

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The Giro d'Italia

The Giro d'Italia, or the Tour of Italy is perhaps the second most well-known race in the world of cycling with the Pink Jersey, or Maglia Rosa worn by the race leader. The Giro is famous for its challenging mountain stages, which often take riders through the Italian Alps. The race usually takes place in May and so the weather is often unpredictable at this time of the year. Snow can be encountered at some of the higher altitudes. The Giro has become famous for its sprint finishes, where riders battle it out in a final dash to the finish line. This race attracts a large international following and has been won by some of the greatest cyclists of all time, including icons such as Eddy Merckx and Marco Pantani. The race has seen its fair share of drama over the years. In 1949, the "Fight of the Century" took place between Italian riders Gino Bartali and Fausto Coppi. The two were fierce rivals, and their rivalry reached boiling point during Stage 17, where Bartali punched Coppi. Bartali went on to win the race, while Coppi finished second.

La Vuelta a España

And then there is La Vuelta a España, or the Tour of Spain. It's the youngest of the three Grand Tours, having been first held in 1935. The race covers a distance of around 3,000 kilometres over 21 stages, often with challenging mountain stages through the Pyrenees and the Sierra Nevada. The race is also famous for its gruelling time trials, where riders must push themselves to the limit against the clock. Despite a shorter history than the other two, La Vuelta has still featured some of the greatest cyclists of all time, including Miguel Indurain and Alberto Contador.

"La Vuelta is a race that captures the spirit and passion of Spain, and is one of the greatest events in professional cycling." - Eusebio Unzue

What makes La Vuelta special?

Initially overshadowed by the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia, La Vuelta struggled to establish itself as a major race in the cycling world in its early years. The race suffered from financial difficulties and an inability to really establish its own identity. However, in the 1990s, the race underwent a transformation, with new organizers and a renewed desire to define the race's unique character. The organizers introduced new routes through less obvious regions that showcased the many beautiful and varied landscapes of Spain. The new approach worked and a new generation of riders and fans were drawn to the race.

La Vuelta has ultimately found success by trying to be different from the other two Grand Tours, rather than an imitation. So how does it stand out? La Vuelta is usually the last of the Grand Tours in the calendar year, running from late August to September. That means it misses the scorching heat of the midsummer that characterizes the Tour. But the heat still plays a key role in the character of the race - it's often perfect weather for both cyclists and spectators but it can still get hot on La Vuelta and with that heat comes passion. Earlier versions of La Vuelta included lots of long, flat stages. These were the safe but uninspiring options. What audiences and spectators really love are the shorter, punchier mountain stages such as Alto de l'Angliru . The introduction of these stages has reinvigorated the race, which now attracts huge crowds of enthusiastic hardcore fans, known as "aficionados", who line the stages to cheer on their heroes.

The Tour that showcases Spain

The race often passes through ancient cities and historic landmarks, giving fans a glimpse into the rich cultural heritage of Spain. The race also has a strong emphasis on food, with each stage featuring local cuisine and delicacies. La Vuelta is a celebration of Spanish culture, and the race is seen as a symbol of national pride. The race also features traditions unique to Spain, such as the daily siesta, which often results in later start times for the stages. This is also reflected in the atmosphere of the festival. It's perceived as a little more chilled and accessible than the others. La Vuelta is now considered by many to be the most exciting of the three Grand Tours. It has developed a reputation for being unpredictable, which is a good thing for audiences. There are some murmurs that the long flat 200 km+ stages of the Tour de France are boring. La Vuelta doesn't suffer from that perception. As the youngest of the Tours, it can be more adventurous and progressive. The Spanish cyclist Alberto Contador has won all three Grand Tours in his career, but has often spoken about his love for La Vuelta. In fact, he has won the race three times (2008, 2012, 2014) and described it as the most beautiful and exciting of the Grand Tours.

"The fans in Spain are incredible, and the passion they have for La Vuelta is contagious." - Fabio Aru

How you can ride La Vuelta for yourself

Each of the Grand Tour's has its own unique character that defines it, although it has changed over the decades. Here at ROUVY our favourite of the three is La Vuelta but then we are a little biased as we are exclusive virtual partners and have a proud relationship with this amazing event. This means we are the only indoor cycling platform to give riders the chance to ride the routes of La Vuelta from their own homes. So if you want to explore some of these epic rides through Spanish towns and countryside, ROUVY can help you with the experience.

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Ranked: The best Grand Tours of the 21st century

We count down the best that this century has seen so far...

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If the Grand Tour hadn't existed in 2000, would someone have invented it?

The cost, the complexity of running it, the sheer size of the event all for what are often fleeting moments of high drama would make it likely they would not have.

The Grand Tour format is in many ways a throwback to another time when a day's worth of racing would only serve to be packaged down into several pages of newsprint, not shown live all day long. "Do the kids of today have the attention span for a three-week race?" the sport's commissioners would have asked.

As a fan, you have to invest in a Grand Tour. While there are always intriguing and entertaining plot lines in the opening days, the main event frequently doesn't crackle into life until the end of the first week at best - despite race organisers' attempts to force the issue higher up the peloton's agenda. In that respect, though, it parallels a more recent phenomenon - the DVD series boxset.

A good Grand Tour is binge-worthy sport delivered on a daily release schedule. The best ones are The Wire ; should Contador have waited for Schleck when he dropped his chain is a question up there with whether McNulty would have ever caught Stringer Bell.

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The worst, well we simply don't think about them, they're dull and procedural and all the characters do exactly what you expect them to. But we tune in next time because we know that it's good when riders are going toe-to-toe, and when they're doing things we couldn't possibly imagine it's transcendent. Something like that would always be worth inventing.

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5. 2018 Giro d'Italia

British riders have won 10 Grand Tours this century, and this was surely the pick of them. Simon Yates dominated the first three-quarters of it, taking the lead when he and Mitchelton team-mate Esteban Chaves finished ahead of the other favourites on Mount Etna. Winner of three stages over the following 10 days, Yates gradually extended his lead to more than two minutes and still held half of that advantage after the stage 16 Rovereto TT.

Two days later, though, the first cracks in the Lancastrian's armour appeared at Preto Nevoso. The next day, Yates and the rest of the field were swept away by a daring 80km attack by Chris Froome that started on the gravel slopes of the Finestre. The all-or-nothing escapade gave him a full set of Grand Tour titles.

Final general classification

1. Chris Froome (GBr) Sky, in 89-02-39

2. Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Sunweb, at 46 seconds

3. Miguel Ángel López (Col) Astana, at 4-57

4. 2005 Giro d'Italia

Another race that adds weight to the theory that Grand Tours are often more exciting when the big names struggle or are absent. This one was supposed to be a walk in the park for Ivan Basso, and when the Italian took the lead at the summit finish of Zoldo Alto on stage 11, becoming the eighth holder of the maglia rosa in the process, it looked like the GC had been locked up for good.

Basso, however, was hit by stomach trouble two days later at Ortisei, where Paolo Savoldelli inherited the pink jersey. Harassed by Danilo Di Luca, José Rujano and, above all, Gilberto Simoni, Savoldelli held on until the finish.

Nicknamed 'the Falcon' for his almost incomparable skill on descents, Savoldelli drew hugely on that ability to save the Giro title on the penultimate stage over the Finestre, dropping like a stone to wipe out the race-winning advantage Simoni had opened.

1. Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Discovery Channel, in 91-25-51

2. Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Lampre-Caffita, at 28 seconds

3. José Rujano (Ven) Colombia-Selle Italia, at 45s

3. 2015 Vuelta a España

Another topsy-turvy affair, with Tom Dumoulin at the heart of the action that highlighted the tendency for the Vuelta to produce unpredictable contests at a point in the season when riders’ physical resources are running low. It featured the top-four finishers from the Tour de France five weeks earlier – Chris Froome, Nairo Quintana, Alejandro Valverde and Vincenzo Nibali – but this illustrious quartet all ended as bit-part players in a contest that revealed several new Grand Tour contenders, notably Dumoulin, Esteban Chaves and Fabio Aru.

Like all of the best three-week races, it also featured plenty of other intriguing and controversial back stories to keep interest bubbling, beginning on the first day when the short team time trial into Marbella had to be neutralised because the polished marble coastal path was covered in sand. On stage two, it was Nibali’s turn to appear in the spotlight for the wrong reasons. Delayed in a crash, he was caught on camera holding on to his team car’s door and being ferried at high speed back up to the bunch. That evening, the Italian was kicked off the race.

Chaves’s stage win that same day gave him the red jersey. He lost it to Dumoulin three days later when the bunch split coming into the finish, then regained it on the following stage thanks to a second hill-top finish success. The Dutchman snatched it back again three days later with a summit win of his own at the Cumbre del Sol, where Froome was a close second. Yet, just as the Briton’s form appeared to be peaking, he was forced out of the race after breaking his foot when he crashed into a kerb during a devilish six-climb tour of Andorra devised by local resident Joaquim Rodríguez. Here, Astana scooped the jackpot, Mikel Landa and Aru finishing first and second, the latter moving into the leader’s jersey.

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The see-saw contest continued across the Cantabrian mountains and into Asturias, where Dumoulin steadily ceded ground as Rodríguez emerged as Aru’s closest rival, moving within a second of the Italian thanks to a stage win at Sotres Cabrales on the third weekend, the Spaniard then moving a second ahead the next day. Would the Spanish veteran finally win a Grand Tour? Could he overcome his weakness in time trials? The long solo test delivered a resounding verdict – no! Dumoulin smashed it, Aru coped with it, leaving the Dutchman three seconds ahead. He doubled that advantage racing into Avila, two days from home.

Sadly for the Dutchman, there was one final twist, Aru and Astana shredding Giant-Alpecin’s defences around Dumoulin on the penultimate day on the heights to the north of Madrid. Isolated and attacked on all sides, he finally yielded, Aru riding away to claim his first Grand Tour success, a breathless contest finally decided.

1. Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana, in 85-36-13

2. Joaquim Rodríguez (Spa) Katusha, at 57 seconds

3. Rafał Majka (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo, at 1-09

Points: Alejandro Valverde (Esp) Movistar

Mountains: Omar Fraile (Esp) Caja Rural

Teams: Movistar

2. 2017 Giro d'Italia

Having flirted with victory at the Vuelta a España in 2015, before faltering at the last and losing the title to Fabio Aru, Tom Dumoulin took his first Grand Tour win with a gritty and hugely courageous performance, coming through from fourth place to first in the Milan time trial on the final day to beat former winner Nairo Quintana and defending champion Vincenzo Nibali. Along with Thibaut Pinot, this quartet spent the second two weeks of the race constantly searching to deliver a knock-out blow to their rivals, the momentum swinging wildly between them, the spectacle entirely befitting the Giro’s 100th edition.

The race provided a perfect contrast of radically different racing styles, most obviously on the climbs. Strapping Dutchman Dumoulin was the archetypal rouleur grimpeur, trying to maintain a steady rhythm on the climbs, happy to lose ground to punchier rivals then steadily claw it back. At the other end of the scale was flyweight Colombian Quintana, far more spring-heeled, constantly darting away from his rivals, probing for a weakness, full of verve. Nibali and Pinot, meanwhile, were somewhere in between, both full of vim and tactically very smart.

The race began in Sardinia, where points winner Fernando Gaviria claimed the first of four stage wins (on stage three), but was supposed to come to life after a rest day transfer to Nibali’s Sicilian homeland. However, a strong headwind on the Mount Etna summit finish kept a lid on the action. The GC contest finally erupted on stage nine to the fearsome Blockhaus summit finish in the Abruzzo. It began with controversy as the group of main contenders had to swerve around a policeman’s bike. Wilco Kelderman clipped it, the subsequent domino effect leaving Sky’s Geraint Thomas and Mikel Landa on the deck, along with Orica’s Adam Yates, shattering the maglia rosa hopes of all three.

After Movistar had thinned out the lead group, dispatching race leader Bob Jungels in the process, Quintana fizzed into action. Initially countered by Nibali and Pinot, the Colombian went again, destined for the stage win and the pink jersey. It was Dumoulin, though, who emerged as best of the rest, judging his effort perfectly in order to limit his losses, Pinot clinging on to his wheel. Twenty-four hours later, the Dutchman struck back hard on his favoured terrain, demolishing the whole field in the Montefalco TT to take the lead with two and a half minutes on his rivals.

Impressive on the Blockhaus, Dumoulin was sensational at Santuario di Oropa. Apparently struggling when Quintana went on the rampage once more, the Dutchman worked his way back up to his rivals and then powered past them to win the stage and push his lead out a little further. The battle continued to rage the next day into Bergamo, where Jungels led in a very select dozen. Then came the biggest stage of the race, over the Mortirolo, Stelvio and Umbrail Pass into Bormio. It was always likely to be special, but we had absolutely no idea…

The peloton had been well shredded approaching the third of these mighty ascents, Dumoulin apparently well in control, until he braked to a sudden halt, flung off his kit and dropped into the ditch to relieve an urgent need.

For a while his rivals eased off, but when one attacked, the rest piled in. Out on his own, Dumoulin rode all out to protect the lead he’d built up. After Nibali’s descending skills, including bunny hopping obstacles, helped him to the stage win, Italy’s first of this 100th edition, Dumoulin came in more than two minutes down, his cushion now just 31 seconds.

Three major mountain stages remained, and each delivered an enthralling spectacle, fortunes yo-yoing this way and that, the favourites often so isolated from their team-mates that rivals would become allies for a few kilometres, then they’d be going at each other tooth and nail again. This was racing with the gloves well and truly off.

When Quintana swept the maglia rosa at Piancavallo two days from Milan, Dumoulin looked finished. But on the penultimate day over Monte Grappa to Asiago, he judged his effort and gave all he had to stay in the overall contest. On the final day, he unleashed everything he did have left and it was just enough.

1. Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Sunweb, in 90-34-54

2. Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar, at 31 seconds

3. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Bahrain-Merida, at 40s

Points: Fernando Gaviria (Col) Quick Step

Mountains: Mikel Landa (Esp) Sky

Best young rider: Bob Jungels (Lux) Quick-Step

1. 2011 Tour de France

Often the best Grand Tours occur in between moments of dominance by a pre-eminent rider. Think of the 1987 Tour de France, when defending champion Greg LeMond was sidelined and the lead changed hands nine times, Stephen Roche ultimately claiming the yellow jersey on the penultimate day. Or of the 1956 race, which fell in between the last of Louison Bobet’s three consecutive wins and the first of Jacques Anquetil’s five victories, the lead changing hands eight times before the unheralded Roger Walkowiak took the title. In both of these cases, these riders emerged triumphant thanks as much to their astute tactical thinking as to their talent and endurance.

Among the five dozen races in the current century, the 2011 Tour went closer than any other to being a ‘Tour à la Walko’, of being a race where an outsider showed the nous and guts to upset the big guns and almost pull off the most unlikely of victories. The fact that this dark horse, Thomas Voeckler, was French also made this race stand out. What’s more, like the 1956 and 1987 Tours, the racing was often outstanding and unpredictable, with talking points aplenty. The context for the race increased the likelihood of it deviating from the standard script for Grand Tours. 2010 Tour winner Alberto Contador was under a cloud, awaiting the result of an appeal having tested positive in taking that title.

While he was waiting for the Court of Arbitration for Sport to reach its verdict, the Spaniard had raced and won the Giro d’Italia, a challenge that had sapped his resources. This edition was also the last before Sky imposed its authority on the Tour.

The 2011 Tour route highlighted race director Christian Prudhomme’s desire to bring the overall contenders out of the shadows as often as possible. The short but steep finish at Mont des Alouettes on the opening stage saw Philippe Gilbert blast away from the pack to take victory, with Cadel Evans, one of the favourites for the title, the Belgian’s closest challenger, although the impressiveness of the Australian’s performance was largely overlooked by the first significant incident, a late crash costing Contador more than a minute. Three days later, though, Evans took all of the headlines as he out-thought and out-raced Contador at Mûr-de-Bretagne to win the stage.

As Garmin-Cervélo’s Thor Hushovd defended a one-second lead over Evans, attention switched to the sprinters. Mark Cavendish won at Cap Fréhel, the next day Edvald Boasson Hagen gave Sky their first Tour stage win at Lisieux. Cavendish won again at Châteauroux, where Sky’s very promising first week came apart. A high-speed crash in the bunch with 40km remaining, left a number of riders on the deck, sixth-placed Bradley Wiggins among them. A broken collarbone ended his race before the first week was over.

This Tour’s elevation from good to gripping began on stage nine to Saint-Flour, where Hushovd’s seven-day spell in yellow ended. The route took the riders through the heart of the Massif Central, crossing eight categorised climbs. Descending off the second of them, the Pas de Peyrol, another big crash in the bunch saw two more favourites abandon, Alexandre Vinokourov and Jurgen Van den Broeck. As the peloton eased up, the five riders in the break up ahead – Voeckler, Johnny Hoogerland, Luis León Sánchez, Juan Antonio Flecha and Sandy Casar – pushed their advantage out to almost eight minutes, presenting Voeckler with the chance of the yellow jersey.

In a day packed with incident, the most striking of all occurred when a France Télévisions car attempted to overtake the break, skidded in the grass verge and swerved towards the riders, clipping Flecha, who collided with Hoogerland, the Dutchman and his bike cartwheeling off the road and into a barbed wire fence. Although both riders were able to continue, Hoogerland’s multiple lacerations later required 33 stitches. At the finish, Sánchez breezed to the stage win, Voeckler took the lead, his advantage 2-26 on Evans, with the Schleck brothers just seconds behind the Australian.

After a third win for Cavendish, the race reached the Pyrenees. Just as he had in 2004 when he’d led the race for 10 days, Voeckler began to draw on the magical force of the yellow jersey. At Luz Ardiden, he lost 30 seconds to Evans and 40 to Fränk Schleck, who moved into second. Crossing the Aubisque on the subsequent stage into Lourdes, he lost nothing. Much more remarkably, on a six-climb stage through the Pyrénées Ariégeoises to Plateau de Beille, he was as strong as his rivals. Urged on by French fans, feeding off their enthusiasm, Voeckler began to make the almost impossible look slightly feasible.

Another win for Cavendish in his pomp was followed by a wet stage into Gap, where Voeckler’s daring on the sodden descent off the Col de Manse saw him gain time on the Schlecks. It presaged four days of the kind of wonderful racing that is rarely seen in the second half of any Grand Tour’s third week. On the first, to Pinerolo in Italy, Voeckler, pressing too hard, went off the road twice on the final descent, 27 seconds of his lead chipped away.

Then came the stage to the Galibier, the Tour’s highest-ever summit finish. Overnight, the Schlecks and their Leopard-Trek team-mates cooked up a daring plan, then set about enacting it. It began with Joost Posthuma and Maxime Monfort finding their way into the break on the long climb back into France via the Col Agnel. Approaching the highest sections of the second climb, the Col d’Izoard, Schleck junior took off on his own and bridged across to them. Although Posthuma soon fell back as they started towards the Col du Lautaret, Monfort lasted longer, before Andy Schleck pressed on solo. With Eddy Merckx an enthralled spectator in Prudhomme’s lead car, his ride was like something from another era, when long-range attacks that overturned the standings were not uncommon.

Andy Schleck’s lead over his rivals was four and a half minutes with 10km to go. At this point, sensing his Tour hopes were fast disappearing, the diesel-like Evans engaged his turbo. With barely any help from the other contenders, the Australian powered after Andy Schleck in what became the most extraordinary of pursuit matches. Evans’s barnstorming chase meant that Voeckler, who’d doggedly stuck to the Australian’s wheel, kept his lead by 15 seconds over Andy Schleck.

If that was sensational, the next day to Alpe d’Huez was almost as good. It was just 109.5km long, and Contador attacked almost as soon as the first climb, the Col du Télégraphe, began, Andy Schleck, Voeckler and Evans chasing after him. The Australian soon dropped back to find his team-mates. However, as Contador and Andy Schleck accelerated again, Voeckler found himself in no-man’s land. Rather than following the Australian’s example, he persisted with his chase, his long hold on yellow leading him to overestimate his own ability.

This uncharacteristic tactical misjudgement not only cost him the lead, but a place on the podium, as Andy Schleck moved into yellow, 53 seconds up on brother Fränk and 57 ahead of Evans. It didn’t look enough of an advantage to fend off the Australian in the undulating time trial at Grenoble on the penultimate day, and it wasn’t. Evans was two and a half minutes quicker and took the lead for the first and the most critical time. As Cavendish clinched a fifth stage win and the points title in Paris, Evans received the ultimate prize for his persistence, a very worthy winner of a wonderful race.

1. Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC, in 86-12-22

2. Andy Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek, at 1-34

3. Frank Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek, at 2-30

Points: Mark Cavendish (GBr) HTC-Highroad

Mountains: Samuel Sánchez (Esp) Euskaltel

Team: Garmin-Cervélo

Best young rider: Pierre Rolland (Fra) Europcar

The full version of this featured ranked all 60 Grand Tours of the century so far and originally appeared in the print edition of Cycling Weekly. Subscribe now to never miss an issue or find it on sale in newsagents and supermarkets, priced £3.25.

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Peter Cossins has been writing about professional cycling since 1993, with his reporting appearing in numerous publications and websites including Cycling Weekly ,  Cycle Sport  and  Procycling - which he edited from 2006 to 2009. Peter is the author of several books on cycling - The Monuments , his history of cycling's five greatest one-day Classic races, was published in 2014, followed in 2015 by  Alpe d’Huez , an appraisal of cycling’s greatest climb. Yellow Jersey - his celebration of the iconic Tour de France winner's jersey won the 2020 Telegraph Sports Book Awards Cycling Book of the Year Award.

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6 Things You May Not Know About The Grand Tours

Published: June 2020

The Grand Tours in cycling are the three major professional cycling stage races: the Giro d'Italia, the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España. Together they are known as the ‘Grand Tours’. All the Grand Tours follow the same format: a three-week bike race with daily stages covering a variety of terrain - flat, rolling and mountainous - and a couple of rest days thrown in for good measure.

The Grand Tours are the truest test for the best all-round riders in the pro peloton. The rider finishing with the fastest cumulative time across all the stages wins the overall title, also known as the ‘general classification,’ and wins the relevant race winner’s jersey - yellow for the Tour de France, pink for the Giro d’Italia and red for the Vuelta a España. As well as the overall title (the most prestigious) there are also classifications for the best team, the best young rider, the best climber and the rider who wins the most points across all the stages.

We’ve all got our own memories of the yellow jersey or maglia rosa but how well do you really know cycling’s biggest races? Here are 6 things you might now know about the Grand Tours.

Grand Tour wins vs nationality

As you would expect, the three nations hosting the Grand Tours are pretty dominant when it comes to wins at the major races in the cycling calendar, with Italy topping the tally with 85 wins across all 3 Grand Tours, followed by France and Spain.

The last Italian to win a Grand Tour is the ‘Shark of Messina’, Vincenzo Nibali, who last won the Giro d'Italia in 2016. In recent years we have seen the total dominance of Team Sky (now Team INEOS) on the top step of the podium with British riders Bradley Wiggins, Chris Froome, and Geraint Thomas. But with the emergence of a highly talented crop of young riders, including the likes of 2020 winner Tadej Pogacar, the Belgium Remco Evenepoel and the ever-impressive Primoz Roglic, it looks like it's all change at the top of cycling's most prestigious podium.

How much do the pros get paid?

How much do Grand Tour riders get paid? We know pro cyclist salaries are on average significantly lower than other sports, but some superstar cyclists can earn as much as the very best paid footballers or basketball players. Peter Sagan is thought to earn around €5.5 million a year at Bora-Hansgrohe and seven-time Grand Tour winner Chris Froome pocketed in the region of €4.5 million each year when he rode for Team Ineos. Despite coming back from a career-threatening injury and with age catching up, his contract at new team Israel Start-up Nation is estimated at a whopping €5.5 million a year!

They are the exception rather than the rule, though. Most pro cyclists at World Tour level are on significantly less and while the very best domestiques (the likes of Wout Poels and Luke Rowe) may earn north of €1 million each year, most are likely to be on contracts worth €100,000-300,000 a year. The UCI sets a minimum annual salary requirement of €38,155 for men’s World Tour teams.

Grand Tour team budgets

How big are the budgets of Grand Tour teams? INEOS remain the team with the deepest pockets, by quite some margin. Backed by British billionaire, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the team’s budget is at least $10m more than their closest rivals and it’s difficult to argue that all that money hasn’t had a significant bearing on their results over the last eight years. The contrast is stark when you consider that even well-established teams like Trek-Segafredo and UAE Team Emirates are making do with budgets around 30% of the size of INEOS. Time for a fairer distribution of funds?

Which bike brand has been the most dominant at the Grand Tours?

When it comes to Grand Tour-winning bikes, there’s one brand that has reigned supreme over the last 30 years. 26 of the 75 Grand Tours over the last 30 years have been won by a cyclist riding a Pinarello bicycle, largely thanks to the dominance of the likes of Team Sky and Banesto in the 1990s. A trio of american brands follow, with Specialized, Trek and Cannondale all winning their fair share of Grand Tours. Spanish brand BH proudly has three Vuelta a España wins, helping them scrape into the top 10.

Which groupset has won the most Tour de France titles?

These days the ‘big three’ dominate when it comes to bicycle groupsets: Shimano, SRAM and Campagnolo. In fact, no current World Tour team uses a groupset from outside of these three manufacturers. Of the Men’s teams, 14 use Shimano groupsets, 3 use Campagnolo and 2 prefer SRAM.

But which groupset has won the most Tours de France? There’s really only one winner here. Campagnolo has won a total of 41 Tour de France races in the history of the race (now 42 with Tadej Pogacar's win in 2020). Some of this can be put down to Campagnolo starting out in 1933 while Shimano started producing groupsets in the 1980s. The last winner to win with Campagnolo was Tadej Pogacar in 2020. The last SRAM winner, one of only two, was Andy Schleck in the 2010 Tour where he finished second behind Alberto Contador, but was retroactively awarded the general classification after the Spaniard was stripped of his title following a positive test for a banned substance. There’s also a few gems on that list. Who knew Mavic, famous for their wheels these days, used to make groupsets? And don’t forget Simplex, one of the pioneers of derailleurs and components. The now defunct French brand won 10 Grand Tours in total.

Tour de France average speeds

Average speeds at the Tour de France have always been an interesting topic in professional cycling. Here we look at the average speeds during the race’s history. The fastest ever race took place in 2005, at the height of the Lance Armstrong era where the American ‘won’ his seventh overall title. The average speed was a mind boggling 41.7kph over the 3 weeks of racing.

With advances in aerodynamics, weight and technology we can expect the races to be getting faster year after year but there are a few noticeable spikes through the years where the speed has increased significantly.

In 1971 Eddy Merckx won his third Tour de France with an average speed of 38.1kph, taking home the points and combativity jersey at the same time. In 1981, Bernard Hinault also won his third Tour with an average speed of 39kph. Another noticeable year is 2015, where Chris Froome won his second ever Tour de France and the average speed was much lower than the years around it, with a speed of just 38.6kph.

So there you have it. Some facts to digest and share about the biggest races in the cycling calendar.

Cycling Calendar 2024

Please click on the links in underneath scheme for more information.

Eurosport is probably the best app for covering cycling tours races you can also watch on demand past races worth paying for I pay years subscription you can watch on tv or on phone and this site is awesome that gives details to stages to view stats while watching

What a calender for 2024.

Does anyone know where to find a comprehensive list of where fans can watch each race? What races are on Flo bikes, or NBC, or whatever.

How to Watch All the Biggest Pro Cycling Races of 2024

Here’s a look at the pro road races we can’t wait to watch in 2024—plus where to stream all the action.

Milan-San Remo—March 16

Tour of flanders—march 31, paris-roubaix—april 6 and 7, itzulia basque country—april 1 to 6, la vuelta femenina—april 29 to may 5, giro d’italia—may 4 to 26, giro d’italia donne—july 7 to 14, tour de france—june 29 to july 21, olympic road races—august 3 and 4, tour de france femmes—august 12 to 18, vuelta a españa—august 17 to september 8, world road race championships—september 28 and 29.

Believe it or not, the 2024 pro road season is already underway, with the women’s and men’s Tour Down Under kicking things off in Australia this month. As the first races on the men’s and women’s WorldTour calendars, these are important events–and the riders taking part are certainly doing their best to get the season off to an exciting start.

Here are thirteen that we’ve already got marked in our calendars–and what streaming services you’ll need to enjoy them from home.

Strade Bianche—March 2

Taking place on the white gravel roads of Tuscany, Strade Bianche is easily one of the hardest and most beautiful events of the year–and a race in which the strongest rider always wins. So it makes sense that the event’s list of winners reads like a “Who’s Who” of the sport’s best racers.

For example, Slovenia’s Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) won the men’s race in 2022 with a solo attack 50 kilometers from the finish line in Siena, an incredibly gutsy move that only a rider like Pogačar could attempt (and pull off).

Last year, Great Britain’s Tom Pidcock (INEOS Grenadiers) added his name to the event’s impressive roll of honor with a daring ride of his own after catching the breakaway with about 40km to go, attacking on his own with about 20km to go, and then using his cyclocross and mountain bike skills (gravel descents can be treacherous) to stay away and win the race by himself. And while Pidcock won’t be back to defend his title this year, Pogačar will be taking the start (it’s his first race of the season), making the Slovenian the top favorite.

The women’s race always produces fireworks of its own. Last year, Kopecky (who won the race in 2022) and her teammate, the Netherlands’ Demi Vollering, hit the finish line (in Siena’s historic Piazza del Campo) together after working to catch and overtake the lone leader, American Kristen Faulkner (Team Jayco-AlUla).

But instead of crossing the line hand-in-hand, Vollering out-sprinted Kopecky with a well-timed bike throw to take the win. This was an uncomfortable outcome (at first), as it was unclear as to whether or not the riders were “supposed” to be sprinting against one another with such intensity. (Frankly, we loved it.)

This year, Kopecky and Vollering will look to make it four in a row for SD Worx (the Netherlands’ Chantal van den Broek-Blaak won the race for the team in 2021). We’ll be rooting for Poland’s Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM Racing), a four-time podium finisher who’s still searching for the top step.

While they haven’t released their calendar yet, we’re assuming (and hoping) that this race–and other major Italian events–will be included with the new B/R Sports add-on package that’s available to Max subscribers (essentially replacing GCN+). So stay tuned–we’ll announce more details when we have them.

How to Watch Strade Bianche: Max with B/R Sports add-on

At almost 300km, Milan-San Remo is the longest one-day race on the calendar. And thanks to the fact that the outcome is almost always decided in the final 10km, the riders say it’s the easiest of cycling’s five Monuments to finish, but the hardest to win.

We love Milan-San Remo’s slow build to the finish as the riders head south from Milan toward the coast, then wind their way along the sea toward the cluster of climbs that host the Monument’s traditional finale. The day’s final and most famous ascent is the Poggio, a short, punchy ascent just a few kilometers from the finish line with a descent that often creates more gaps than the climb itself.

Case in point: Last year Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) attacked over the top of the climb and used the descent to lengthen his lead over an elite group of chasers. The Dutchman held on to take his first win in the season’s opening Monument.

And while there’s no women’s Milan-San Remo, the Trofeo Alfredo Binda, a major stop on the women’s WorldTour and a pillar of the former women’s World Cup series, takes place the next day–and (we assume) will be streamed live via Max.

Last year, the Netherland’s Shirin van Anrooij (Trek-Segafredo) brought Trek’s winning streak to three, escaping to win the race alone, 23 seconds ahead of her teammate–and the defending champion–Elisa Balsamo. One of the brightest young riders in the sport, the win announced van Anrooij as a future Classics superstar. And the 21-year-old promptly lived up to the hype, scoring top-10 finishes in Dwars door Vlaanderen, the Tour of Flanders, the Brabantse Pijl, and the Amstel Gold Race.

How to Watch Milan-San Remo: Max

Many riders consider the Tour of Flanders (known locally as the “Ronde van Vlaanderen”) to be the hardest one-day race on the calendar. The women’s and men’s events cover over 150km and 250km of the toughest terrain in the Flemish region of Belgium including tight, technical roads, cobblestones, and short, steep climbs called “bergs.” The course is so challenging that it can take years for riders to master the nuances of the race enough to contend to win it.

Last year’s men’s race went to Pogačar, who won the race alone after dropping everyone on the third and final ascent of the Oude Kwaremont. Van der Poel finished second, and has now finished first or second in each of the last four editions.

Pogačar won’t be back to defend his title this year, which means van der Poel has a shot to tie the record for the most wins in race history. But we’ll be rooting for Belgium’s Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike), who’s completely overhauled his early-season program (he’s racing less and spending more time at high-altitude training camps) so as to be at his absolute best for his nation’s most important event.

The women’s event should once again be SD Worx’s race to lose: the Dutch team has won three of the last four editions, with Kopecky taking back-to-back victories in 2022 and 2023. It’s always a team effort though: last year Vollering joined Kopecky on the podium in second and in 2022 van den Broek-Blaak took third. Lidl-Trek, with van Anroij and Italy’s Eliza Longo Borghini (who finished third last year and won the race on 2015), should be the Dutch squad’s biggest challengers.

When it comes to streaming this and many of the Flemish Classics, you’ll need a $150 annual subscription to FloBikes, the only legal way to stream them in the USA. If you’re a diehard fan who doesn’t want to deal with pesky VPNs, it’s the most reliable method, but it comes at a significant cost and doesn’t offer much in terms of other events that can’t be streamed through other services.

How to Watch Tour of Flanders: FloBikes

The “Hell of the North.” The “Queen of the Classics.” Whatever you call it, the men’s and women’s editions of Paris-Roubaix are probably our favorite one-day races on the calendar. Famous for covering 30km and 55km of some of Northern France’s worst cobbled farm roads, they’re loaded with drama and always produce worthy champions.

The weekend begins with Saturday’s fourth edition of Paris-Roubaix Femmes (145km), which–if it sticks to last year’s course–should start in Denain and include the final 17 or so sectors of cobbles (called “pavé”) from Sunday’s men’s race—all the way to the finish line in the Roubaix velodrome, where Canada’s Alison Jackson (EF Education-Cannondale) shocked the world by outsprinting her breakaway companions to take a surprise win in last year’s edition. Surprisingly, this is the only spring Classic that SD Worx hasn’t won yet, so they’ll be super-aggressive after missing out in the first three editions.

In last year’s men’s race, van der Poel followed up his win in Milan-Sanremo and his second-place finish in the Tour of Flanders with a victory in Paris-Roubaix, a race seemingly made for the 5-time world cyclocross champion. The Dutchman followed an attack by van Aert on one of the race’s final cobbled sectors (a famous stretch called the Carrefour de l’Arbe) and then surged ahead on his own after the Belgian flatted.

Expect the two of them to renew their rivalry this year, with van Aert doing everything he can to end his spring with a victory in the French Monument (especially if he comes up short at Flanders the week before).

How to Watch Paris-Roubaix and Paris-Roubaix Femmes: Peacock

Once known as the Tour of the Basque Country, the 6-day Itzulia Basque Country is one of the hardest stage races on the calendar. Raced through the steep, punchy hills in the Basque region of northern Spain, each road stage (one stage is usually an individual time trial) is raced like a mini-Classic. And the overall winner is usually a grand tour contender who’s using the event to build form for the Giro d’Italia or the Tour de France.

The racing here is always exciting, but this year’s edition offers an even better reason to watch: it is expected to be the first race of the season in which former Jumbo-Visma teammates Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Primož Roglič (who’s now riding for BORA-hansgrohe after a respectful divorce from the Dutch super team) will go head-to-head against one another as rivals.

Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick-Step) is likely to be racing as well, meaning three of the four contenders for this year’s Tour de France will be in action together–the only time that’s expected to happen before the Tour de France itself.

How to Watch Itzulia Basque Country: FloBikes

For the past 8 years, the organizers of the men’s Vuelta a España have organized a women’s event. Originally starting as a one-day race run alongside the last stage of the men’s grand tour, the event grew to consist of four days of racing. But that’s hardly a grand tour, isn’t it?

Enter last year’s new and improved La Vuelta Feminina which in addition to being expanded to seven stages, moved from September to its own spot on the calendar–away from the men’s event that often overshadowed it.

Annemiek Van Vleuten (Movistar) won last year’s new and improved edition, but somewhat controversially. On Stage 6, the Dutch star and her team attacked the front of the race just as Vollering, who had entered the day as the overall leader, stopped to take a “nature break” off the back of the peloton. Thanks to strong crosswinds that split the race apart, Vollering and her SD Worx teammates were unable to bring back Van Vleuten, so Vollering’s chances to win the race went up the road as well.

This year’s course has yet to be unveiled, but one thing is certain: Van Vleuten–who became the first woman in history to win all three of the sport’s grand tours–has since retired, making Vollering the top favorite to take the title for herself this year.

How to Watch La Vuelta Feminina: Peacock

While the Tour de France gets all the prestige, riders generally consider the Giro d’Italia to be much, much harder.

This year’s race begins in the Piedmont region and–aside from a brief trip into Switzerland–stays within Italy for each of its 21 stages. Always characterized by its mountains, the 2024 Giro d’Italia boasts five high mountain stages and four summit finishes, including a trip over the infamous Stelvio, the tallest climb in this year’s race.

The Giro will also feature two individual time trials, which is perhaps why Tadej Pogačar has made the Italian grand tour one of his goals. This will be the Slovenian’s first time competing in the Italian grand tour, and he’s easily the top favorite.

This year will also mark the first Giro appearance for Wout van Aert, who says he’s not targeting the General Classification. But given the fact that he’s not racing the Tour de France this summer, we can’t help but wonder if he’ll shoot for a top-10 or top-5 finish overall.

How to Watch the Giro d’Italia: Max

Before the arrival of the Tour de France Femmes a few years ago, the Giro d’Italia Donne was the most prestigious women’s stage race on the calendar. But it was plagued by sketchy organization, and in some years seemed to be teetering on the edge of collapse.

But now the event is organized by the same group that organizes the men’s Giro which means better support, more stability and–hopefully–improved TV coverage.

The race begins with a short time trial in Brescia, then works its way south, with two flat stages for sprinters, three punchy stages for breakaway and classics riders, and two mountain stages on the final weekend, including a Stage 6 summit finish on the Blockhaus, one of the Giro’s most famous climbs.

Van Vleuten won last year’s edition by almost four minutes, taking her fourth victory in the Italian grand tour. This year–with the Tour de France Femmes taking place a few weeks later than it usually does–we wonder if Demi Vollering will make the race a target, perhaps in an attempt to win all three women’s grand tours in one season.

How to Watch Giro d’Italia Donne: Max

The 2024 Tour de France should be one of the most exciting editions in decades, with an Italian start, a route filled with mountains, and a non-traditional finish in Nice instead of Paris.

The race begins in Florence with the first of three Italian stages and is then followed by an early trip through the Alps (Stage 4) that should sort the General Classification just a couple of days into the Tour’s first week. This will also be the first men’s Tour to feature a gravel stage, with Stage 9 covering 32km of gravel roads through the Champagne vineyards around Troyes before the Tour’s first Rest Day.

The second week brings the race through the rugged Massif Central and into the Pyrenees, where the week ends with back-to-back summit finishes including the Tour’s return to Plateau de Beille, one of the toughest ascents in the Pyrenees.

The Tour’s final week takes a southerly route back to the Alps and a final showdown in and around Nice that concludes with an individual time trial–35 years after American Greg Lemond overtook France’s Laurent Fignon to win the 1989 Tour in a time trial on the Tour’s final stage. This is a big change: the Tour usually ends in Paris, but with the Olympics set to begin in the City of Lights on July 26th, the Tour needs to finish elsewhere so as to avoid any logistical conflicts.

Vingegaard, the two-time defending champion, will be back to try and score a hat trick, but he’ll face the toughest list of challengers he’s ever seen including Pogačar, who’s hoping to win the Giro-Tour double; Evenepoel, who’s riding his first Tour de France; and Roglič, his former teammate and now newest rival. With a difficult course and a star-studded startlist, this could be a Tour for the ages.

How to Watch the Tour de France: Peacock

Taking place about two weeks after the conclusion of the Tour de France–and one before the start of the Tour de France Femmes–gold medals will be awarded in the men’s and women’s road races at the Olympics in Paris.

Covering 278km and 158km, respectively, both the men’s and women’s races are expected to favor the sport’s Classics stars, with lots of short, punchy climbs and a finishing circuit through downtown Paris that takes the riders up the cobbled Côté de la Butte Montmartre three times. So it comes as no surprise that riders like Mathieu van der Poel, Tadej Pogačar, Wout van Aert, Lotte Kopecky, and Demi Vollering have the Olympics written in nice big capital letters on their calendars.

If you watched last year’s world championships in Glasgow last August, you’ve seen what a challenging urban circuit can do to a peloton, and with smaller teams (countries can start 1-4 riders depending on their nation’s UCI ranking), fewer riders overall (just 90 in each event), and no race radios (so riders will get less information and direction from their team cars), we’re expecting aggressive, dramatic outcomes.

How to Watch the Olympics: NBC/Peacock

The first two editions of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift started on the last day of the men’s Tour de France. But with the Olympics coming closely on the heels of the men’s Tour, this year’s third edition of the incredibly popular Tour de France Femmes was pushed back a few weeks–which is great because it means the race doesn’t have to share the spotlight with the world’s largest sporting event.

In addition to changing its place on the calendar, more than half of this year’s Tour de France Femmes will take place outside of France with three stages taking place in and around Rotterdam (including two stages in one day on Tuesday, August 13), a transitional stage that takes the race from Valkenburg to Liège on Stage 5, and a stage starting in Bastogne (Stage 5) before finally bringing the riders across the border and into France.

But just like the first two editions, it’s the final weekend that packs the biggest punch, with two days in the Alps with back-to-back summit finishes including a finish atop Alpe d’Huez–arguably the most famous climb in professional cycling–on the last day of the Tour.

Last year, Vollering and SD Worx dominated the Tour. The team won four of the Tour’s eight stages, held the yellow jersey from start to finish, put two riders on the final podium, took the green jersey for winning the Points Classification, and won the Tour’s Teams Classification. Defending Vollering’s title is one of the team’s main goals 2024.

How to Watch the Tour de France Femmes: Peacock

As the final grand tour of the season, the Vuelta a España is traditionally one of the last chances for riders hoping to end the year on high note, earn a contract for the following season, or get themselves in shape for the world championships in late-September. So with lots of mountains and a start list filled with motivated riders, the Vuelta always delivers some of the year’s most exciting racing.

This year’s race begins in Portugal, with two time trials, eight mountain stages, and several jagged, hilly stages (some of which have short uphill finishes of their own) to test the riders. Every year the organizers create a course that seems to say: “If you’re not a climber, stay home.”

At this point in the year it’s tough to predict who will add the Spanish grand tour to their program as lots of things can change between now and August. But we’re hoping that last year’s surprise-but-not-a-surprise winner, American Sepp Kuss (Visma-Lease a Bike), will get a chance to come back and defend his title from last year.

How to Watch the Vuelta a España: Peacock

After taking place in Glasgow in early-August last year (as part of the UCI’s “mega world championships”), this year’s World Road Race Championships are heading to Zurich and moving back to their usual spot on the calendar in late-September, with our favorite events–the Elite Road Races–taking place on the final weekend of the month.

On Saturday, the Elite Women will complete a 154km road race that begins in Ulster and ends with four laps of a tough, 27km finishing circuit in and around Zurich. The next day, the Elite Men will cover a 274km course that starts in Winterthur and concludes with seven laps of the Zurich finishing circuit.

This is another race for Classics riders, with a finishing circuit that should favor the riders we saw at the front of last year’s World Championship road races. In the women’s race, Kopecky will be a favorite to defend her title, but she’ll face stiff competition from the Dutch, most likely led by her SD Worx teammate Vollering, who–despite being one of the sport’s best racers–has never won a rainbow jersey. We love how races like the Olympics and Worlds pit riders who spend much of the season as teammates against one another.

The men’s race should play out in a similar way–albeit with fewer teammates racing against teammates. The defending champion–van der Poel–should again be the top favorite, with the Belgians–led by van Aert and Evenepoel–his biggest rivals.

How to Watch the World Championships: FloBikes

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Gear up for the 2024 Cycling Grand Tours on Australia’s Home of Cycling, SBS

All of the rivalry begins with the giro d’italia this weekend – just eight weeks until tour de france 2024.

Watch Home of Cycling Promo here Watch Giro d’Italia Promo here Images available here .

The Cycling Grand Tours begin with the Giro d’Italia this Saturday May 4, live and free on SBS and SBS on Demand, kick starting a magnificent cycling season of fierce rivalries, steep climbs and impressive stage wins.

Once a victor has been crowned with the pink jersey for the Giro d’Italia, the cycling Grand Tours continue with the world’s biggest annual sporting event, the Tour de France , setting off from Italy for the first time in history. Commencing in Florence on June 29, riders will trace a path east across the country before heading back west towards France and into the Alps.

The Tour de France will be followed by the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift which will be held as a standalone event for the first timefrom August 12. The Vuelta a España, the third and final Grand Tour of the year will gear up from August 17 finishing off an incredible season of cycling, excitement, and world thrilling sporting events across Europe.

Australia’s Home of Cycling, SBS, will deliver all the action of the cycling Grand Tours and competitive leg shaking stages to Australians with more than 300 hours of live cycling content, and a vast selection of highlights, podcast series and replays.

With spectacular passion and an impressive wealth of experience, the 2024 SBS Cycling commentary team of experts will provide trusted analysis taking viewers along the ride of every stage of the races that capture the attention and eyes of the world. For the Giro d’Italia Australia’s ‘voice of cycling’ Matthew Keenan will lead the commentary team, joined by former Giro d’Italia stage winner David McKenzie , dual-Australian road national champion Gracie Elvin , internationally renowned sprinter and lead-out specialist Mark Renshaw, along with the first Australian to have won a stage in all three Grand Tours Simon Gerrans, and Australian national time trial champion Dr. Bridie O’Donnell. For the 2024 Giro d’Italia SBS has also invited guest commentators, former professional Australian road racing cyclists Mitchel Docker and Patrick Shaw to provide their expert analysis and ensure audiences don’t miss any of the action.

SBS Director of Sport, Ken Shipp, said: “SBS is Australia’s unrivalled destination for cycling. This year with the Grand Tours we are expecting to see some of the biggest talent and fiercest rivalries we’ve seen in decades. The broadcast will be led by incredibly experienced experts who will work alongside our passionate production team to deliver action-packed coverage of the 2024 races. Cycling unites people from across the globe every year for the Grand Tours and we couldn’t be prouder to be Australia’s home of cycling.”

Headlining this year’s Giro d’Italia which gears up Saturday May 4, is a stellar line up of general classification contenders including two-time Tour de France winner, Tadej Pogačar, and fellow Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas. Contenders also include talented Australian hopefuls Ben O’Connor and Luke Plapp. There will also be plenty of sprinter strength with Australians Sam Welsford and Caleb Ewan to square off against Fabio Jakobsen, Jonathan Milan, Olav Kooij, Juan Sebastian Molano and Gerben Thijssen in the race. Competitors will race across the steep slopes of the Italian Alps, Dolomites and Apennines with the pink jersey being crowned to the victor on Sunday May 26.

The Giro d’Italia route features two-time trials and six summit finishes, with the highest point in the race, once again being the Stelvio Pass, the highest altitude ever reached by Giro d’Italia riders. With coverage of every pedal stroke, all 21 stages of the race will be available live in full on SBS On Demand with coverage on SBS Viceland starting later each night. There will also be hour-long highlights shows broadcast on SBS, with catch-up replays, extended highlights and analysis videos throughout the three-week race accessible on SBS On Demand.

After the Giro d’Italia concludes on Sunday May 26 the Tour de France commences Saturday June 29 until Sunday July 21 as the best male cyclists in the world battle it out to secure the yellow jersey. All 21 stages will be available to stream live and free on SBS and SBS On Demand with the race starting for the very first time in history in Florence, Italy. The best female cyclists will then gear up for the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift which commences on Monday August 12 after the 2024 Olympics with some riders planning to head straight back on the bike after competing in the Olympics. All 8 stages of the race will also be available to stream live and free on SBS Viceland with daily highlights and more on SBS On Demand.

For more information, visit the SBS Sport website: www.sbs.com.au/sport

For a PDF of this media release, click here .

We acknowledge that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples maintain a unique, unsevered and strong spiritual and cultural connection to land and waters, and practice language, lore and culture which enriches our lives and identity as a nation.

22 days of Pro Bicycle Racing

Epic Grand Tour coming to the United States

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22 Days of Racing

For three weeks the USA Grand Tour will race the greater part of the United States from the bold Northwest to the deep South making history while travelling through it.

2200+ Miles

The distance alone is daunting, but the race may face scorching deserts, relentless headwinds, pelting rain, frosty mountains...cruel nature at breakneck speeds!

Over 180,000' of Climbing

Whether racing in the Sierra Nevada, Appalachian, Cascade, or Rocky Mountains, no peak will come easy day after day for the peloton.

Finally a US Grand Tour

After 200 years of bicycling.

...and 113 years of grand tours the United States will soon have a multi-day stage race to rival the Tour De France, Giro D'Italia & Vuelta Espagna!

Women's Race

What will it take, 4000+ people.

Organizers - World Tour Teams - Media Giants - Many Partners - Suppliers

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Treadmills, Exercise Bikes, & More

Frequently Asked Questions: Grand Tour Bike

UPDATED, September 13, 2021

So, you’ve decided to invest in your health by purchasing your first exercise bike for your home, but the buying process can be very overwhelming. “What type of exercise bike should I get?” “Which bike model is best?” “What bike features should I look for?” “Will it be ok on my knees?” 

These are only a few questions that may come to mind. Sure, an exercise bike of quality is great for burning calories , improves cardiovascular health, and is easy on joints ; however, what else are you getting from it?

With the Grand Tour Bike, you’re getting much more than an exercise bike. You’ve been granted the most advanced piece of exercise equipment, enabled with your very own personal trainer called iFIT ®. It’s much more than just an exercise bike. It’s an experience!

To make it easier, we have compiled a list of our customer’s most frequently asked questions about the Grand Tour Bike to make your decision-making process less of a headache:

Grand Tour Bike Features

Q: does this bike easily move.

A: Yes. The Grand Tour Bike has front-mounted transport wheels for easy movement.

Q: How big is the Grand Tour Bike?

A: The dimensions of the Grand Tour Bike are 59.2″ L x 23.3″ W x 56.2″ H.

Q: What is the user weight capacity of the bike?

A: The user weight capacity is 350 lbs.

Q: Tell me about iFIT®.

A: iFIT is a technology that is interactive and enabled on most NordicTrack equipment––designed to benefit each user with workouts and health guidance. iFIT is like having a personal trainer in your home every single day, on and off of your equipment––giving you access to daily fitness classes led by world-renowned personal trainers , Google® Maps street view, an expansive workout library, nutrition advice, HD videos all over the world , data tracking, and much more!

Try iFIT for 30 Days *

NordicTrack Payment And Financing

Q: which payment options do you offer.

A: You can purchase your Grand Tour Bike in-full with your debit or credit card. We also offer special financing with NordicTrack Finance OAC. See terms . 

Q: Do you have any discounts?

A: Contact one of our agents to see current promotions .

NordicTrack Shipping

Q: what is nordictrack’s current shipping option.

Due to the great uncertainty of  COVID-19 * restrictions throughout the country, NordicTrack is not offering in-home delivery and assembly, but we do offer threshold delivery.  Threshold delivery  means that your machine will be delivered to the front doorway of your home. If you live in an apartment complex or a condo, your item will be brought into the first door of the address, or the lobby of your apartment or condo.

Our first priority is the welfare of our customers and associates, so we will continue to remain committed to delivering your equipment purchase to your home.

Q: How long does shipping take?

A: Processing time frame takes about 1-3 business days, and shipping takes about 7-10 business days. Allow 1-3 business days for your equipment to arrive at your local delivery center, then the delivery center may call you to schedule a time for your equipment to be delivered to your home. 

For more information, you can refer to:

NordicTrack Delivery Restrictions During COVID-19  

NordicTrack Machine Order Status Update

Q: How hard is set-up?

A: The Grand Tour Bike has out-of-the-box easy assembly. You will want 2 people for assembly because some of the pieces are quite heavy. Make sure to follow your equipment’s user manual for proper set-up instructions.

You can also follow along the video shown below for Grand Tour Bike assembly:

For further explanation, you can also refer to our new app, BILT, which provides you with 3D step-by-step instructions for machine assembly, installation, set-up, repair, and maintenance.

Download the BILT app:

NordicTrack Warranty

Q: what is the warranty.

A: Buy confidently! The Grand Tour Bike has a 10-Year Frame Warranty, 2-Year Parts Warranty, and 1-Year Labor Warranty.

For Warranty Terms and Conditions, see here .

NordicTrack Returns

Q: what if i want to return the machine.

A: You can return your NordicTrack product within 30 days upon receipt. Returns will be charged a return shipping fee of $250 plus a 10% restocking fee. Because of the size and weight of the NordicTrack product, we do not offer a refund for any shipping or delivery charges you may have paid to receive your product. Returning your product may incur additional charges for ordinary wear and tear or damage caused by improper use, misassembly or accidents.

If your product has shipped, even if you have not received your machine, the return shipping and restocking fees above will apply.

To initiate a return, please contact us at 1-866-896-9777.

Should you have any more questions that we haven’t answered on this list, contact one of our NordicTrack representatives for more information.

DISCLAIMER: This  blog   post  is not intended to replace the advice of a medical professional. The above information should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or medical condition. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet, sleep methods, daily activity, or fitness routine.  NordicTrack  assumes no responsibility for any personal injury or damage sustained by any recommendations, opinions, or advice given in this article. Always follow the safety precautions included in the owner’s manual of your fitness equipment. Shipping times are dependent on in-stock inventory and  delivery  timeframes may vary. Make sure to check the website for any specific delays in delivery and shipping.

Ifit disclaimer: * ifit  experience requires an internet connection and wi-fi to function. credit card required for activation. membership auto-renews for a fee (starting at $15/mo.) plus tax, unless canceled in advance. your commitment period may be month-to-month or twelve (12), eighteen (18), or thirty-six (36) months, depending on your agreement. terms shall apply to your ifit use and subscription during your commitment period and any subsequent renewal term. unless you cancel your account or notify us at least twenty four (24) hours prior to the expiration of your commitment period that you do not wish to renew your subscription, your ifit subscription will automatically renew for an additional month, one (1) year, or two (2) year period, as applicable, for the same duration as your initial commitment period (“the renewal term”), and you authorize us to bill the then-applicable membership fee and any taxes to the payment method we have on record for you., sources: .

https://www.nordictrack.com/learn/exercise-bike-for-a-home-gym/

https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/stationary-bike-workout

https://www.nordictrack.com/learn/find-personal-trainer-with-ifit/

https://www.nordictrack.com/exercise-bikes/nordictrack-grand-tour-exercise-bike

https://www.nordictrack.com/learn/ifit-membership-frequently-asked-questions/

https://www.nordictrack.com/learn/workouts-offered-on-ifit/

https://www.nordictrack.com/fitness-equipment-financing

https://www.nordictrack.com/contact-us

https://www.nordictrack.com/learn/covid-19-relief-million-masks-donations-ifit/

https://www.nordictrack.com/covid-19-shipping-faqs

https://www.nordictrack.com/learn/nordictrack-delivery-restrictions-during-covid-19/

https://www.nordictrack.com/learn/order-status-update/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAjlkA3O5RM&t=16s

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bilt.mobile

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bilt/id879452214

https://www.nordictrack.com/warranty-terms-and-conditions

https://www.nordictrack.com/privacy-policy#return

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Vote for your favorite bike tour!

USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards

One of the best and greenest ways to experience the beauty of the world is by bike. Just start pedaling and the journey becomes as important as the destination. These top companies have been nominated by an expert panel for their fantastic guided and self-guided tours that take you around the globe on two wheels.  Which bike tour company would you most like to tour with? Vote for your favorite once per day until polls close on Monday, May 27 at noon ET. The 10 winning tour companies will be announced on Wednesday, June 5. Read the official  Readers' Choice rules . 

One of the best and greenest ways to experience the beauty of the world is by bike. Just start pedaling and the journey becomes as important as the destination. These top companies have been nominated by an expert panel...   Read More

Best Bike Tour Nominees

Photo courtesy of Adventure Cycling, photo from Bruce Malarky

Adventure Cycling

A dedicated advocate for all forms of biking, Adventure Cycling has compiled more than 50,000 miles of bike routes across North America since their inception in 1973. While seasoned cyclists are welcome to peruse their interactive map as they plan their next journey, the company also offers a wealth of guided tours, with regions ranging from the Florida Keys to the Pacific Northwest.

Photo courtesy of Backroads

Backroads believes in the transformative power of going at your own pace, which is why the company offers bike tours for every type of rider. Guests ride custom-built titanium bikes on itineraries in some 55 countries. In the United States, tours include everything from Death Valley or Saguaro National Park to Martha’s Vineyard or the Hudson Valley.

Photo courtesy of Bicycle Adventures

Bicycle Adventures

Bicycle Adventures’ motto is "stay curious, eat well, and pedal happy." With more than 35 years of experience in the industry, that’s just what many a guest does, whether biking the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway in Wyoming or riding through Oregon’s Columbia Gorge. Itineraries cover 11 states, along with around a dozen countries.

Photo courtesy of BikeHike Adventures

BikeHike Adventures

With curated tours across five continents, BikeHike Adventures showcases the diverse landscapes and cultures across the globe from the comfort of a bicycle. While strictly-cycling excursions can be booked across destinations like Colombia, Ireland, and Morocco, ambitious adventurers can also sign up for a multi-sport itinerary for some added hiking and kayaking.

Photo courtesy of Kruck20 // Getty Images

BikeTours.com

BikeTours.com specializes in organizing biking tour experiences in over 30 European countries. They offer both guided and self-guided tours geared towards all experience levels from leisure riders to biking enthusiasts. Riders can also enjoy family-oriented tours and a combination of biking/boating adventures.

Photo courtesy of Patrick Laughlin

Bubba's Pampered Pedalers

Bubba's Pampered Pedalers offers the ultimate bicycling vacation options. Whether taking a weeklong or cross-country tour, or simply overnighting at a hotel or bed-and-breakfast, you'll experience some of the best scenery from D.C. to Colorado or the sunny coasts of Florida. 

Photo courtesy of Carolina Tailwinds

Carolina Tailwinds

Carolina Tailwinds offers multiday, inn-to-inn bicycle tours to destinations largely around the eastern United States, with all bicycle vacations providing a nice balance between physical activity and relaxation. From flat and easy to hilly and challenging, there are bike routes to choose from for all levels of riders. Guests stay at boutique hotels and country inns, with breakfasts and most lunches and dinners included.

Photo courtesy of Ciclismo Classico

Ciclismo Classico

Ciclismo Classico is a woman-founded bike tour company that specializes in educational trips to European countries and the Northeast United States. Cyclists are fully immersed in the local art, language, music, and delicious cuisine of each unique area, aiming to meet the company's goal of providing an adventure their guests will never forget.

Photo courtesy of DuVine Cycling + Adventure Co. / Gwen Kidera

DuVine Cycling + Adventure Co.

DuVine's mission is "for every traveler to experience the world by bike." These luxury bike tours focus heavily on food and wine, and itineraries often include family-run restaurants and boutique accommodations. You’ll find tours around the globe, including domestic options in California, the Hudson Valley, Maine, and Vermont, among others.

Photo courtesy of Exodus Adventure Travels

Exodus Adventure Travels

Founded 50 years ago, Exodus Adventure Travels offers small group and self-guided cycling trips to over 100 countries. Cycling tours include leisurely exploration in places like Portugal and the Baltics, as well as more challenging routes in places like Sicily, Panama, and Sri Lanka.   

Photo courtesy of ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours

ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours

ExperiencePlus! is one of the oldest and most well-respected bike touring companies based in the United States. For more than a half-century, adventurous cyclists and active travelers have joined their guided bike tours and followed along some of the most delightful roads in the world. ExperiencePlus! provides both novice and seasoned cyclists alike with local tour leaders, thoughtful routes, and plenty of cultural immersion.

Photo courtesy of Daniele Mazierli / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Great Explorations

Built around being environmentally conscious, Great Explorations believes in leaving the environment around the biking trips the way it was found. As a boutique travel company with tours taking place across multiple continents, they create one-of-a-kind experiences that include charming hotels and unique dining experiences with cycling days that range between 25-40 miles.

Photo courtesy of Intrepid Travel

Intrepid Travel

Launched in 1989, Intrepid Travel offers more than 1,000 voyages across the globe — and cycling tours are no exception. In addition to classic biking destinations like Provence and Tuscany, the company has mastered the art of shining a spotlight on underrated regions, operating bike excursions to Sri Lanka, Slovenia, Tanzania, and a wealth of other countries.

Photo courtesy of REI Co-op / REI Adventures

REI is a household name for adventure seekers and outdoorsy tourists alike. Cycling enthusiasts will want to check out their biking adventures around some of the nation's best national parks, which range from three to six days in duration.

Photo courtesy of Summer Feet Cycling

Summer Feet Cycling

Summer Feet Cycling was founded more than two decades ago, offering bicycle tours of Maine. Today, the company continues to introduce visitors to the Pine Tree State, with additional tour offerings in Quebec, Nova Scotia, and Europe.

Photo courtesy of Barbara Hoyt

Timberline Adventures

Timberline Adventures provides guided and self-guided cycling tours throughout the United States and Canada. All guided adventures include lodging, support from a sag wagon, and most meals. Destinations include Death Valley National Park, the Northwest Passage, Aspen, and more.

Photo courtesy of U. J. Alexander / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Trek Travel

Trek Travel leads all kinds of adventure tours to all corners of the globe, but the company got its start in bicycling trips. From North America to Europe, and South America to the Asia-Pacific region, see the world with personalized care and fantastic guides for your type of cycling style. 

Photo courtesy of VBT Bicycling Vacations

VBT Bicycling Vacations

Guests traveling with VBT can choose their trip by activity level: easy, easy/moderate, moderate, or moderate/challenging. Guided and self-guided itineraries explore destinations around the globe, including the Vermont countryside, South Carolina Lowcountry, and the Sonoran Desert of Arizona.

Photo courtesy of Wilderness Voyageurs

Wilderness Voyageurs

From the arid depths of New Mexico to the lush forests of the Olympic Peninsula, Wilderness Voyageurs provides guests with an opportunity to traverse some of the most gorgeous bike paths across the lower 48. While road, gravel, and mountain bike tours are all available, the company's inn-to-inn rail trail tours offer a more relaxing perspective on the sport, combining outdoor adventure with cozy accommodations throughout the trip.

About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards

Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best .

The Experts

Brandon withrow.

Brandon Withrow is a travel journalist based in...   Read More

Brandon Withrow is a travel journalist based in Northwest Ohio, covering ecotourism, wildlife, outdoor adventures, and eco-friendly stays, as well as the secrets of underrated cities. He appears in The Daily Beast, BBC Travel, Canadian Geographic, Business Insider, The Hill, and Sierra Magazine. You can find him at  www.brandonwithrow.com ,  @bwithrow  on Twitter, and  @bgwithrow  on Instagram.

Chelle Koster Walton

Chelle Koster Walton — the Local Expert for...   Read More

Chelle Koster Walton — the Local Expert for Naples, Florida and the Caribbean — has been covering the destination for 30 years. Her top-selling  Sarasota, Sanibel Island, and Naples  guidebook (Countryman Press) is in its sixth edition. She was contributing editor for  Caribbean Travel & Life  for 12 years and has written guidebooks on the Bahamas. A veteran travel writer, Chelle has published thousands of articles for  Miami Herald, USA TODAY, Latitudes;  has written/contributed to a dozen guidebooks, and produces travel shows for the local PBS station.

Chez Chesak

‘Chez’ Chesak is Executive Director of the Outdoor...   Read More

‘Chez’ Chesak is Executive Director of the Outdoor Writers Association of America, an adventure travel writer, board member of the Society of American Travel Writers and 22-year veteran of the outdoor and travel industries. While he’s lived all over the U.S. and traveled to more than 30 countries, he has the most fun when he’s exploring with his wife Sally and two daughters. An avid outdoors person, he’s happiest on a trail, on skis, or nestled into a sleeping bag. Learn more about him and his work at www.chezconnects.com .  

Dave Stamboulis

Dave Stamboulis is a travel writer/photographer...   Read More

Dave Stamboulis is a travel writer/photographer based in Bangkok. Born in Athens, Greece and growing up in the U.S., Dave first discovered Bangkok while on a 45,000-kilometer bicycle trip and moved there for good in 2005. Dave's photos appear in publications around the world. He's the author of Odysseus' Last Stand , which received the Silver Medal for Travel Book of the Year from the Society of American Travel Writers. In addition to updating the Fodor's Guidebook to Thailand, he is the author of 500 Hidden Secrets to Bangkok, and his travel stories and photography appear in publications around the globe. 

Jamie Davis Smith

Jamie is an attorney, writer and photographer. She...   Read More

Jamie is an attorney, writer and photographer. She was born with deeply ingrained wanderlust and has visited 45 countries and counting. She often brings her children along for the adventure and is passing her love of travel on to the next generation. Jamie has written for   Insider,   Fodor's Travel ,   Yahoo ,  the Huffington Post , the  Washington Post,   Viator  and  Reviewed  among many other publications. Jamie is from Philadelphia and now lives in Washington, DC, where she takes advantage of everything the region has to offer.    Jamie can be reached at  [email protected]  and can be found on  Twitter ,  Instagram  and  TikTok .

Melanie Reffes

Melanie is an island girl at heart . Born in...   Read More

Melanie is an island girl at heart . Born in Manhattan, she now lives on the sunny island of Montreal and covers  the Caribbean for a variety of publications  including  USA TODAY 10Best, CaribbeanTravel.com and MarryCaribbean.com.  A journalist with a boatload of writer awards under her belt, Melanie's affection for the Caribbean started  young when her family vacationed in Puerto Rico.   An avid fan of spicy food,   Melanie enjoys the diversity of Montreal - especially during the warmer months -when she's not en route to the Caribbean. She  holds a Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Toronto. 

10Best Editors

USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,...   Read More

USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.

‘Opportunities Day School Tour’ Grand Finale

MOBILE, Ala. ( WALA ) - The following was provided by event organizers:

Event Details:

Date: Saturday, May 4, 2024 Resource Event Time: 10:00am - 1:00pm

Talent Showcase: 1:00pm - 2:00pm Location: Bishop State Community College, Delchamps building Address: 351 N Broad Street, Mobile, AL 36603

Today, we bring you an exciting update on a initiative aimed at shaping the future of our youth. The Opportunities Day School Tour, a flagship program dedicated to inspiring and empowering students across Mobile County, is gearing up for its grand finale! We’re not just talking talent—this event is a hub of knowledge and resources, with over 40 organizations coming together to support our community.

This unique initiative has traversed 11 Mobile County Public Schools this academic year, engaging with over 9000 students and educators, spreading awareness about various educational, career, violence prevention, financial wellness, mental health opportunities and more within our community.

The grand finale promises to be nothing short of spectacular! Imagine all the winners from the School Talent Shows coming together on one stage to compete for the ultimate grand prize. It’s a celebration of talent, creativity, and community spirit! Picture this: mouthwatering delights from local food trucks, a sweet escape with ice cream treats, and an adrenaline-pumping rock climbing wall that’ll have everyone reaching new heights! And that’s not all! We’ve got DJ beats pumping live, setting the stage for an electrifying atmosphere where talent meets groove. Attendees will have access to free health screens—ensuring wellness is at the heart of this celebration. And for those dreaming big about their future, there’s a chance to explore college and career opportunities firsthand. And here’s an exciting offer you can’t miss: if you land a job offer from Whataburger during this event, Common Wealth National Bank will waive the $100 deposit requirement to open a checking account! Plus, get up close and personal with our local heroes—the fire department will be giving tours of their impressive fire trucks! Whether you’re a student, educator, or parent, there’s something for everyone. Discover pathways to success and unlock new possibilities.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 4th, and join us at the Delchamps building, Bishop State Community College, for a day packed with fun, opportunities, and inspiration.

This is more than just a talent showcase—it’s a celebration of potential, community, and the bright futures ahead. Don’t miss out on the Grand Finale of the Opportunities Day School Tour!

Copyright 2024 WALA. All rights reserved.

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Major Races

• Elite Men / 202.8km
• Elite Men | Josselin - Plumelec / 196.4km
• Elite Women | Plumelec / 95.7km

• Giro d'Italia 2024 route
• Giro d’Italia 2024 - Analysing the contenders
• Giro d'Italia history
• View All 23 Stages
• Stage 1 - 2024 Giro d'Italia stage 1 - preview | Venaria Reale - Turin / 140km
• Stage 2 - 2024 Giro d'Italia stage 2 - preview | San Francesco Al Campo - Santuario di Oropa / 161km
• Stage 3 - 2024 Giro d'Italia stage 3 - preview | Novara - Fossano / 166km
• Elite Women | Josselin / 114.7km
• Elite Men | Eschborn - Frankfurt / 203.8km

• La Vuelta Femenina 2024 – Analysing the contenders
• Vuelta Femenina 2024 route to tackle Pyrenees and finish in Sierras of Madrid
• View All 8 Stages
• Stage 3 - La Vuelta Femenina: Marianne Vos fastest in reduced bunch sprint to win stage 3 | Lucena del Cid - Teruel / 131km Results | Contenders
• Stage 2 - La Vuelta Femenina: Alison Jackson wins stage 2 sprint after crash-marred finale | Buñol - Moncófar / 118km Results | Contenders
• Stage 1 - La Vuelta Femenina: Lidl-Trek win opening team time trial despite late crash | Valencia / 16km Results | Contenders

• View All 10 Stages
• Stage 5 - UCI Men - Tour of the Gila: Wilmar Paredes takes Gila Monster Road Race win | Silver City - Piños Altos / 161.9km
• Stage 5 - UCI Women - Lauren Stephens wins Tour of the Gila | Silver City - Piños Altos / 106km
• Stage 4 - UCI Men - Tour of the Gila: Cade Bickmore claims criterium as Stites keeps race lead | Silver City / 69.5km

• Tour de Romandie past winners
• Tour de Romandie 2024 route
• View All 6 Stages
• Stage 4 - Tour de Romandie: Richard Carapaz wins stage 4 as Juan Ayuso's lead crumbles | Sailion - Leysin / 151.7km
• Stage 3 - Tour de Romandie: Brandon McNulty takes comfortable win on stage 3 time trial | Oron / 15.5km
• Stage 2 - Tour de Romandie: Thibau Nys wins stage 2 as Plapp attacks for GC | Fribourg - Salvan/Les Marécottes / 171km

• Stage 7 - Tour of Turkey: Andresen scores third win in stage 7 sprint finish | İzmir / 179km
• Stage 6 - Tour of Turkey: Frank van den Broek takes Queen stage and overall lead | Kuşadasi - Manisa / 165.8km
• Stage 5 - Tour of Turkey: Tobias Lund Andresen wins stage 5 to retain overall lead | Bodrum - Kuşadasi / 181.9kms

• Stites and Ehrlich on form to repeat Redlands Bicycle Classic GC wins - Analysing the contenders
• Stage 5 - Pro Men - Tyler Stites wins Redlands Bicycle Classic for third year in a row | Redlands / 91.1mile
• Stage 5 - Pro Women - Nadia Gontova wins Redlands Classic women's overall as Mara Roldan takes stage 5 | Redlands / 68.1mile
• Stage 4 - Pro Men Criterium - Redlands Classic: Scott McGill wins Downtown Criterium | Redlands / 90minkms

• View All 4 Stages
• Stage 3 - Giro d'Abruzzo: Alexey Lutsenko cracks UAE Team Emirates on stage 3 mountain finish | Pratola Peligna - Prati di Tivo / 169km
• Stage 2 - Giro d'Abruzzo: Jan Christen grabs race lead with stage 2 victory | Alanno - Magliano de' Marsi / 161km
• Stage 1 - Giro d'Abruzzo: Enrico Zanoncello wins photo finish sprint on stage 1 | Vasto - Pescara / 161km

• Elite Women - Ronde de Mouscron: Daria Pikulik powers to team's first win of 2024 | Mouscron / 122.5km

Racing Calendar List

• Clear Filters
• cyclo-cross (15)
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• November 2024 (1)
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• June 2024 (16)
• May 2024 (24)
• April 2024 (36)
• March 2024 (35)
• February 2024 (35)
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• View All 2 Races
• Elite Women - Fem van Empel outlasts Lucinda Brand to win X2O Trofee Baal | Baal
• Elite Men - Mathieu van der Poel extends streak with X2O Trofee Baal victory | Baal

• View All 9 Races
• Road Race - Elite/U23 Women - Relentless Ruby Roseman-Gannon wins Australian elite women's road race title | Buninyong / 104km
• Road Race - Elite Men - Luke Plapp takes third elite men's Australian road title in a row | Buninyong / 185.6km
• Road Race - U23 Men - Fergus Browning claims Australia's U23 men's road title day after being knocked off bike | Buninyong / 139.2km

• Elite Women - Fem van Empel dominates on the sand in Koksijde for 14th win of the season | Koksijde
• Elite Men - Mathieu van der Poel superior again in X2O Trofee Koksijde sand dunes | Koksijde

• Elite Men - Michael Vanthourenhout fends off field for solo win at Hexia Cross Gullegem | Gullegem
• Elite Women - Zoe Backstedt claims first win of 2024 in Hexia Cross Gullegem | Gullegem

• Elite Men - Mathieu van der Poel crushes opposition yet again in Zonhoven World Cup | Zonhoven
• Elite Women - Puck Pieterse clinches crash-marred Zonhoven World Cup with solo triumph | Zonhoven
• Elite Men | Middelkerke
• Elite Women | Middelkerke

• All roads lead to Willunga Hill – Women’s Tour Down Under preview
• Women's Tour Down Under 2024 route
• Women's Tour Down Under past winners
• Down Under Criterium Women - Nienke Veenhoven pips Georgia Baker to Down Under Criterium victory | Adelaide
• Stage 3 - Gigante blasts up Willunga Hill and wins overall title at Women's Tour Down Under | Adelaide - Willunga HIll / 93km Results | Live report
• Stage 2 - Women's Tour Down Under: Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig wins stage 2 and takes over lead | Glenelg - Stirling / 104km Results | Live report

• Men's Tour Down Under – Can Jayco-AlUla continue their run of early 2024 success?
• Tour Down Under past winners
• Tour Down Under 2024 route
• View All 7 Stages
• Stage 6 - Stephen Williams takes final stage and wins Tour Down Under | Unley - Mount Lofty / 128km Results | Live report
• Stage 5 - Tour Down Under: Oscar Onley wins on Willunga Hill | Christies Beach - Willunga Hill / 129km Results | Live report
• Stage 4 - Tour Down Under: A third win for Sam Welsford on stage 4 | Murray Bridge - Port Eliot / 136km Results | Live report

• Elite Men - Cameron Mason repeats as British cyclocross champion | Falkirk
• Elite Women - Anna Kay dominates elite women's British cyclocross championship | Falkirk

• View All 3 Races
• Elite Men - Eli Iserbyt wins Belgian men's cyclocross title | Meulebeke
• U23 Men | Meulebeke
• Elite/U23 Women - Sanne Cant claims 15th Belgian cyclocross title | Meulebeke

• Elite/U23 Men - Joris Nieuwenhuis claims Dutch elite men's cyclocross title | Hoogeveen
• Elite/U23 Women - Lucinda Brand fights the pain to win Dutch elite women's cyclocross title | Hoogeveen
• Pro men/women | McLauren Vale / 106km

• Elite men - Dylan Groenewegen sprints to Clàssica Comunitat Valenciana victory | La Nucía - Valencia / 200km

• Elite men - Exact Cross Zonnebeke: Vanthourenhout holds off Vermeersch for victory | Zonnebeke
• Elite women - Exact Cross Zonnebeke: Marion Norbert Riberolle powers to solo victory | Zonnebeke

• Challenge Femenina Mallorca 2024 routes
• Trofeo Binissalem – Andratx - Gasparrini wins the Challenge Mallorca - Trofeo Binissalem Femina | Binissalem - Andratx / 114.3km
• Trofeo Palma - Magdeleine Vallieres solos to Trofeo Palma Femina victory | Palma / 138.2km
• Trofeo Felanitx – Colonia de Sant Jordi - Rüegg takes first win for new EF Education-Cannondale at Trofeo Felanitx Challenge Mallorca Feminina | Felanitx / 127.3km

• Elite men - Michael Matthews fastest in uphill sprint to win Ruta de la Cerámica-Gran Premio Castellón | Castellón - Onda / 173.9km

• Elite Men - Wout van Aert wins despite last-lap crash and without saddle at Benidorm World Cup | Benidorm
• Elite Women - Fem van Empel pips Puck Pieterse to claim Benidorm World Cup | Benidorm

• Challenge Mallorca 2024 route
• View All 5 Races
• Trofeo Palma - Gerben Thijssen wins chaotic final sprint at Challenge Mallorca - Trofeo Palma | Palma / 150km
• Trofeo Pollença - Port d'Andratx - Pelayo Sánchez takes thrilling win at Challenge Mallorca - Trofeo Pollença | Pollença - Port d'Andratx / 158.4km
• Trofeo Serra Tramuntana - Lennert Van Eetvelt conquers Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana at Challenge Mallorca | Selva - Lluc / 153.8km

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Virginia Tech Grand Touring Team builds race car for 12-hour endurance race

A group of virginia tech mechanical engineering students built a race car this year to race in a 12-hour endurance race.

Thomas Mundy , Multimedia Journalist

Every year, a group of senior mechanical engineering students at Virginia Tech builds, or works on, a race car for their senior project.

“The goal of the projects are reliability and safety,” said Michael Wiciak, Virginia Tech mechanical engineering student and Virginia Tech Grand Touring team member. “Every two years we will cycle a new car in. We will get a Facebook [marketplace] car, put a roll cage in and basically, once the safety requirements are done, any project can go.”

As part of the mechanical engineering degree, the student-led team is tasked with organizing a project from start to finish and recording the results.

For the Virginia Tech Grand Touring team, that means getting a car to survive a 12-hour endurance race.

“Our goal is to finish the race every year and that is a feat of accomplishment,” said Wiciak. “Getting a whole new system we didn’t design, we don’t know how it works and then adding our own input into it and really saying ‘Hey, let’s see if this thing breaks or runs or not.’”

The team of fifteen brainstorms its ideas and then each person on the team has a specific part of the car they have to improve.

“Everybody was very aware of the fact that we picked up this car in mid-October and we need it to be ready by March 2,” said Dominic Hanna, co-captain of the Grand Touring team.

They said as the race got closer, everything was going fine until disaster struck.

“A week and a half before the race, oil pan went in, sealed it up, tried to test the kill switch--there was power,” said Wiciak. “[We] went to start the car, didn’t start the car, didn’t work at all.”

After ripping the dash out of the car, they found the issue and how to fix it.

“We put the key in, we’re all standing there waiting,” said Wiciak. “I have a little iPad I had to buy because I was trying to diagnose the system, turn it on [and] all you hear is ‘vroom.’”

With just hours to get to the track, the team was still able to race their car.

“We were able to finish, 25th out of 26 and that’s all we can ask for is finishing,” said Wiciak.

They said with this project, it has already helped in the search for jobs post-graduation.

“Having that knowledge knowing you are able to set those goals and meet them within such a timeframe really gives you the confidence to kind of go into the workforce,” Hanna said.

Next year, the rising seniors will take this car and improve on it.

Copyright 2024 by WSLS 10 - All rights reserved.

About the Author

Thomas mundy.

Thomas grew up right here in Roanoke and is a graduate of Salem High School and Virginia Tech.

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Lobnya Park of Culture and Recreation - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• (0.41 km) Iceberg House
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