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Jeremy Clarkson Confirms The Grand Tour’s Final Episode on Amazon Prime

TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson has confirmed the end of The Grand Tour on Amazon Prime after next year. This announcement marks the conclusion of a series beloved by fans since its inception in 2016.

Key Takeaways:

• End of The Grand Tour: Jeremy Clarkson, along with co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May , will no longer film new series of The Grand Tour after next year, following a decision by Amazon Prime’s executives. This marks the end of a popular show that started in 2016 and quickly garnered a devoted fanbase.
• Fan Reactions and Future Prospects: Fans expressed their disappointment and gratitude on social media, reflecting on the impact the show had on their lives. Despite the end of this era, there’s speculation that Amazon Prime may revive The Grand Tour with new hosts, a move reportedly welcomed by the current presenters.
• Clarkson’s Future Endeavours: Clarkson mentioned a focus on his other project, ‘Clarkson’s Farm’, and there are two more special episodes of The Grand Tour slated for release, featuring travels to Mauritania and Zimbabwe.

TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson, renowned for his role in the popular car show The Grand Tour alongside Richard Hammond and James May, has recently spoken about the future of the series. The show, which began on Amazon Prime in 2016, has been a fan favourite but will see no further series after next year. This decision, made by the streaming platform’s bosses, brings an end to a series that has been both entertaining and influential for car enthusiasts.

Clarkson shared his thoughts on Instagram, stating:

“Been a busy day. No more Grand Tour after next year but a LOT more Clarkson’s Farm. Which, this evening, is looking extremely lovely.”

This post quickly became a hub for fans to express their feelings about the series ending. The emotional reactions ranged from sadness over the show’s conclusion to appreciation for the years of entertainment it provided.

One fan commented:

“Please start a podcast with the three of you, it can just be called the news and you rant for an hour about cars.”

Others expressed their gratitude:

“The end of Clarkson, Hammond and May in whatever it’s called is a sad day. Thank you for everything you did for petrolheads. And now farmheads!”

The influence of the trio was evident in another fan’s words:

“It’s really nice coming to the comments and seeing how these 3 impacted the lives of so many. These lads got me through countless dark times with laughter and endless banter. We all knew the day was coming, and the truest of fans will wish you, Hammond, May, and indeed all of the crew that made the magic happen the absolute best in the next stage. Thank you for inspiring countless enthusiasts around the world.”

Despite Clarkson’s announcement, there’s talk that Amazon Prime might continue The Grand Tour with new hosts. An insider revealed:

“It’s a surprising decision and everyone realises it very much marks the end of an era for the three presenters.”

This potential revival aligns with the presenters’ acceptance of passing the torch to a new generation.

“The Grand Tour is one of Prime Video’s most watched shows and Jeremy, James and Richard have a devoted following. But the guys have made no bones about the fact they’re all advancing in years and they have lots of other projects to pursue,” a source informed The Sun. “They just felt like the time was right and wanted to go out on a high when the show remained popular.”

As fans prepare to bid farewell to this iconic trio, they can look forward to two more special episodes of The Grand Tour, showcasing the team’s adventures in Mauritania and Zimbabwe. This farewell follows their departure from Top Gear in 2015, after a disagreement with producers.

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The Tour de France is Grand. But Is the Giro Tougher?

I t’s not debatable that Tadej Pogačar is the best all-around cyclist in the pro peloton. The 25-year-old Slovenian’s ability to win one-day classics and three-week Grand Tours justifiably compares with Eddy Merckx, the greatest racer of all time. However, Pogačar has never ridden the Giro d’Italia —the first Grand Tour of the season preluding the Tour de France. But he is thinking about it.

Each of the three Grand Tours has its own flavor and unique challenges. The highly anticipated and widely followed Tour de France follows a tried-and-true formula of an opening week of relatively flat stages, a brief stint in the mountains, more flat transition stages, another brief stint in the mountains, and then a short run into Paris.

But the Giro d’Italia offers a thrilling blend of diverse terrain, technical challenges, and mano-a-mano racing, creating a more dynamic experience for riders. With reduced pressure from teams and media, the Italian Grand Tour stands out as a race where athletes can test their limits while savoring the joys of Italian cuisine and scenery.

Lots of climbing

“The Giro is much more surprising because it doesn’t follow a general formula,” explains Andy Hampsten , the first and only U.S. American to win Italy’s grand tour. “There can be mountains in almost any region of Italy. What surprised me the first Giro I ever did, and I kept an eye peeled for it later, were just incredibly hilly days, usually in central Italy in the Marche or Umbria or even further south in Campania or Calabria.”

Easy stages in the Giro where racers can rest and relax can be hard to find. “A stage without categorized mountains can still be up and down every kilometer of the race,” adds Hampsten. “Those days that usually aren’t highly rated might finish in a reasonably leveled area, and a sprint finish will be the prediction. But they could have 2,000 meters of climbing throughout the day, which could really shatter the field.”

Chaotic finishes

After all the ups and downs, the difficulties aren’t over when a stage reaches the finishing town. The towns that pay to host the finish don’t want to waste their investment. “They want to highlight the best parts of the towns, usually through some gates that emperors in the Roman Empire built. That might be in the final kilometer, and it might get down to a lane and a half or two lanes,” notes Hampsten, who lives and runs Cinghiale Cycling Tours out of his home base in Tuscany.

“When I did the Giro in 2009, you would be close to the finish because you were entering the town, but they would find ways to send you around the neighborhood and through the shopping district just to make it total chaos before the finish,” remembers former NBC Tour de France analyst and grand tour winner Chris Horner. “It was technical. You could crash in the middle of it. I was scared for my life on a few of those finishes.”

“In the Tour, you will come into the finishes on much bigger, wider roads. There are still crashes at the Tour, but there are other reasons for that. [The Giro is] a little scarier in terms of the towns, but the Tour is scarier in terms of the fight for position. Every team has their A team riders, so the level of the peloton is super fast and curb to curb the whole time,” adds Horner.

A grand tour for the neo-pros

Italian cycling fans, known as ‘tifosi’, go wild for the Giro, but the Tour de France is more popular worldwide. Results at the Grand Boucle can make or break a team’s sponsorship, which goes a long way in explaining the composition of the teams for each race. “Normally, what happens when the riders show up at the Giro is that they are bringing A guys mixed with B guys and C guys,” notes Horner. “Typically, when you go to the Tour de France, it is your whole A team.”

“The Giro and the Vuelta [a España] are where you will bring in your neo-pro guys or your one- or two-year guys who haven’t done their first grand tour,” explains Horner. “Even Visma-Lease a Bike has to bring in a neo-pro sooner or later!”

But not having a team composed of all your best riders has some interesting side effects. Horner notes that at the Giro and Vuelta, you see much more ‘mano a mano’ racing in the stage finales, whereas on the tour, the teams are so stacked that it is common for the top teams to have five or six guys on the front on the last climb.

Lower stakes

Another side effect of the difference in popularity between the Giro and the Tour is the pressure on the racers. “It is so much easier for a foreigner or a racer on a foreign team to do your seven or eight hours of race and podium, and interviews then get to the hotel and relax in a delightful country without the towns being completely overrun like it would be at the Tour de France,” recalls Hampsten. “At the Tour, it is hard to get away from the pressure for the racers. I would say they recuperate better at the Tour of Italy than the Tour de France.”

“He’s [Tadej Pogačar] going to realize that it is not as stressful and the press is a little bit easier. He is going to realize that the Giro is fun compared to the Tour,” agrees Horner. “When he gets off the bike, I mean, he is Pogačar, so he is going to be swarmed a little bit, but it’s not going to be the all-demanding every member of the world press in your face.”

Unpredictable weather and great food

The weather in the Giro can be horrendous. Hampsten won his Giro after attacking the peloton and surviving an epic blizzard on the Gavia Pass on the stage, known as ‘The Day Strong Men Cried.’ “It’s rare to have terrible weather in the Tour in July. Certainly, in any hilly area [in Italy], it could be snowy or cold rain, which is just about as bad as snow,” explains Hampsten. “People are demoralized. Any wet day. It’s more nerve-wracking because there are more crashes with the bad traction.”

Hampsten, the first American to win the Tour stage to l’Alpe d’Huez, is a true gourmand. “And don’t even get me started on the food. It is much nicer for all racers to have good food in Italy than in France. The Italians are just so proud of their food. It makes so much difference for any racer’s morale to have wonderful, healthy, easy-to-digest food that’s tasty. It is a delight for the racers.”

Whether it’s the Giro or the Tour, the riders will give 100 percent, and the racing will be exciting. But the Giro has its own unique qualities and challenges, and it seems to always provide a worthy winner; this year’s might be Tadej Pogačar . So don’t wait until July to be excited about bike racing.

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Tour de France 2020

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Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) sailed in to claim the overall victory in the 2020 Tour de France on the final stage to Paris. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma), who led the race until the stage 20 time trial, and Richie Porte (Trek-Segafredo) rounded out the podium.

Green jersey winner Sam Bennett (Deceuninck-Quickstep) cemented his status as the race's top sprinter, taking out the final sprint on the Champs Elysees ahead of world champion Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) and seven-time green jersey winner Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe).

Pogacar stood atop the final podium through most of the ceremonies, having swept the overall classification, the mountains classification, and finishing as best young rider.

"It's unbelievable. It's really crazy," Pogacar said after finishing. "Even if I didn't win - even if I came second or last, it's nice to be here. This is the top of the top. I cannot describe this feeling with words. 

"Today was very special - special moments with my teammates. Finally I had some time to talk with them on the bike, not just going full gas every day. A lot of respect for the other riders. Every single one of them congratulated me today. I am really thankful. This sport is really amazing."

The race, which took place from August 29 to September 20 after being postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, made it to Paris without any riders testing positive for the virus.

Click or swipe through the gallery above to see who won each stage.

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Organisers of the Tour de France, Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), revealed the route of the 2020 Tour de France at the Palais des Congrès in Paris on Tuesday October 15. 

After delays due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the 107th edition of the Grande Boucle is scheduled to begin in Nice on August 29 and conclude on September 20 in Paris.

The Grand Départ will take place in and around the coastal mediterranean city of Nice. It will begin with a 156km road stage on Saturday, August 29, followed by a 190km road stage the next day.

ASO have routed the race through five mountain ranges: Alps, Massif Central, Pyrenees, Jura and the Vosges. It will be an unconventional and mountainous route that will include includes 29 categorised climbs and five mountain finishes.

There will be no finishes on iconic ascents such as L'Alpe d'Huez and Mount Ventoux. The stand-out mountain finishes in this edition will happen on the ascents of the Puy Mary in Massif Central on stage 13 and on the Col de la Loze at Méribel in the Alps on stage 17.

There will be the introduction of four new climbs: Col de la Lusette and Suc au May in the Massif Central, Col de la Hourcère in the Pyrenees and summit of the Col de la Loze.

Other ascents include Grand Colombier, Pyramide du Bugey and Mont Aigoual, Col de Peyresourde, Cormet de Roselend, Col des Saisies and Les Aravis.

There will be no team time trial in this year's edition of the race, but there is one 36km individual time trial between Lure and La Planche des Belles Filles on stage 20.

The route is designed for the best climbers in the world to contest the overall title at the 2020 Tour de France. 

There will be stages that favour the sprinters, too. Flat parcours are schedule on stage 1 and 3 in Nice, stage 5 in Privas, stage 7 in Lavaur, stage 10 in Ile de Re Saint-Martin-de-Re, stage 11 in Poiters, stage 14 in Lyon, stage 19 in Champagnole and the stage 21 finale in Paris.

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Tour de France 2020 Contenders

The 2020 Tour de France route will suit the pure climbers of the peloton. Team Ineos are expected to line up behind defending champion Egan Bernal , while Jumbo-Visma threaten the British team's dominance with Primož Roglič ably supported by newcomer Tom Dumoulin.

The French contenders should not be underestimated. Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-QuickStep) astounded the cycling world this July after winning two stages, placing fifth overall and spending 14 days in the yellow jersey. He will return in 2020 as will his compatriots Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) and Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale).

Other contenders include Nairo Quintana, who got a great start to the year with Arkéa-Samsic, Mikel Landa, a new addition at Bahrain-McLaren, Emanuel Buchmann (Bora-Hansgrohe), and Rigoberto Urán (EF Education First).

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Tour de France bikes

No matter if it's held in July or September, the Tour de France will always be a hotbed of tech. Teams' sponsors utilise the rigorous environment to test their products at the highest level and use the international stage to launch their latest tech. 

Our Tour de France tech preview gives a run down on everything we're expecting to see at this year's race, and below, we highlight all the tech news, features and interviews as the racing continues. 

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Results and Highlights from the 2024 Giro d’Italia

Check out stage-by-stage recaps and overall standings of the Italian Grand Tour.

Stage 2: San Francesco al Campo - Santuario di Oropa, 161 km

Stage 1: venaria reale - torino, 140 km.

Check out stage-by-stage recaps of the action below.

Stage 3: Novara - Fossano, 166 km

Soudal quick-step’s tim merlier takes sprint victory amidst gc favorites’ late attack.

Stage Winner: Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step)

Race Leader: Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates)

May 6, 2024 – The sprinters had their first chance to shine, as the race’s third stage from Novara to Fassano featured just 750 meters of elevation over 166 kilometers.

However, it wasn’t without a bit of drama, as the race’s biggest GC favorites launched a thrilling attack over the last four kilometers, throwing a wrench into what was expected to be a straightforward day. After an early move from EF-Education EasyPost’s Mikkel Honore, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) and Geraint Thomas (INEOS Grenadiers) followed, forming a small, three-man breakaway that, for a moment, looked as though it might stay away from the group.

Honoré was swallowed up by the group with about 1 kilometer to go, and given the day’s high pace and series of breakaways, there was some thought that Pogačar and Thomas’s attack might just stick. However, the two GC men were caught with about 400 meters to go, setting up the bunch sprint everyone expected the day to end with.

Soudal Quick-Step’s Tim Merlier nipped a group at the line that included Lidl-Trek’s Jonathan Milan and Intermarche Wanty’s Biniam Girmay, who rounded out the day’s podium, along with Arkea’s Jenthe Biermans and dsm-Firmeninch PostNL’s Tobias Lund Andersen.

After a masterful recovery from a late crash to win Sunday’s second stage, Pogačar started the day in the maglia rosa , forty-five seconds clear of Dani Martínez of BORA-hansgrohe and Geraint Thomas of Ineos Grenadiers. By the time stage 3 was over, those standings remained exactly the same.

“It wasn’t the plan,” Thomas said of the two-man attack over the closing kilometers. “We just wanted to stay out of trouble.”

He added that, over the final few hundred meters, it took everything he had to keep contact with Pogačar. “I was just trying to hold his wheel,” Thomas said, admitting that the attack was never part of the day’s plan.

“It was the hardest victory so far,” stage winner Merlier said of the unexpected chase he and his group of sprinters found themselves in as Thomas and Pogačar rode away. Merlier said he hesitated, causing him to miss out on his leadout man, and eventually forcing him to attack directly into the wind without any support.

Tadej Pogačar Wins Stage 2 and Takes the Maglia Rosa

Stage Winner: Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates)

May 5, 2024 - Tadej Pogačar of UAE Team Emirates wins Stage 2 of the Giro d’Italia 2024 and takes the Maglia Rosa. Twenty-seven seconds behind, Dani Martínez (Bora-hansgrohe) takes second, and Geraint Thomas (INEOS Grenadiers) is third.

It was a masterful performance by UAE Team Emirates once Pogačar made it back to the front of the peloton after a small crash due to a front flat tire. The Slovenian leads Thomas and Martinez by 45" in the General Classification.

In the post-race interview, Pogačar was asked if he panicked after crashing in the lead-up to the last climb. “Not really. I was quite calm. I hit a hole in the city and had a super fast flat tire. There was a bit of confusion. I wanted to stop before the corner, but the DS said, ‘No, no, after the corner.’ I was feeling good. The team was super good today. And then we set the pace that we like and it was perfect,” said the race leader.

“I didn’t know the climb well. Everybody was maybe doing this climb for the first time, and it was hard to guess where to do the [hard] pacing, but I think we did a really good job today. And it was super good the last pull of Rafał Majka in the hard part so that I could attack,” Pogačar added.

“I just wanted a stage win today and some gap. Test the legs a little bit. And the [goal] was to take the pink jersey. Now I can relax a little bit in the next few days with the team and we stay safe in the sprints.”

Watch the final kilometer of Stage 2 on the Giro d’Italia’s YouTube Channel

Geraint Thomas of INEOS Grenadiers found himself meeting his limit in today’s stage. “It was so hard to follow, but I knew if I tried to keep going I would completely blow up. I felt bad for sitting on Ben [O’Connor], but I was on the limit for a while there,” said Thomas in the post-race interview.

Regarding Pogačar’s crash, Thomas said, “Honestly, I didn’t know until I was on the climb, and someone said Tadej was back. The plan was to go to the front, not to attack, but to stay safe on the front.”

Narváez Upstages Pogačar to Secure Stage 1 Victory and Maglia Rosa

Stage Winner: Jhonatan Narváez (INEOS Grenadiers)

Race Leader: Jhonatan Narváez (INEOS Grenadiers)

May 4, 2024 - The opening stage of the Giro d’Italia produced plenty of fireworks and a surprise winner on the line. Team UAE Emirates set it up perfectly for Tadej Pogačar on the opening stage. After some long-lasting breakaways were caught, Pogačar broke free in the last four kilometers with Jhonatan Narváez (INEOS Grenadiers) and Max Schachmann (Bora-Hansgrohe). The Slovenian just couldn’t gap those two rivals, and it set it up for a sprint finish. In a bit of a surprise, it was Narváez, the 27-year-old Ecuadorian national champion, outsprinting Schachmann (second on the stage) and Pogačar (third). Narváez earns the first Maglia Rosa of the 2024 Tour of Italy.

Though he didn’t win the stage, Pogačar will head into Stage 2 with an advantage over many of his top GC rivals. Geraint Thomas (INEOS Grenadiers) was 10 seconds behind Pogačar on the stage and, after factoring in time bonuses, 14 seconds behind Pogačar in the GC standings.

Watch Stage 1 Highlights on the Giro d’Italia’s YouTube Channel

“It was a great feeling. We knew it was going to be a stage for me, and I worked a lot on it,” Narváez said in the post-race interview. “Following the best guy in the world on the climb was really hard, so it’s a special victory today. It’s still hurting me now. It was really hard—really, really hard. But in the end, I made it.”

“I think [Pogačar] went too long in the sprint, 200 meters after a really hard stage, and I did a short sprint, and in the end, I took the victory. For me, it’s amazing. There aren’t many opportunities in a Grand Tour to get the maglia rosa on the first day because you have a bunch sprint, a TT, or a different stage. Today was a good opportunity. I worked really, really hard for it,” added Narváez.

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From palm-lined lakeshores to sparkling glaciers, from medieval villages to buzzing cities – the Grand Tour of Switzerland packs in an incredible number of sights. The concentration of attractions is unrivalled worldwide.

What is the Grand Tour of Switzerland?

• A 1,643km circuit of Switzerland that encompasses all of the country’s highlights
• 650 road signs to point the way (or simply let your GPS  guide you)
• 46 top attractions, 22 lakes, 5 Alpine passes, 13 UNESCO World Heritage sites on 8 stages
• Numerous photo spots that guarantee the best views
• Charging made easy: the Grand Tour  is also easy to complete using an electric vehicle

Sections along the Grand Tour of Switzerland

Stage 1: Zurich – Appenzell

The most diverse stage of all – starting in the trendy city of Zurich, you’ll continue on to Zurich’s wine country, the thundering Rhine Falls and on to the historic book and textile city of St. Gallen before ending up in rural Appenzell.

Stage 2: Appenzell – St. Moritz

The stage with the most records – from Europe’s smallest town, Werdenberg, to Switzerland’s oldest city, Chur, and on to the Salginatobel Bridge, Switzerland’s only world monument, before you end up in St. Moritz.

Stage 3: St. Moritz – Bellinzona

Stage with the biggest change in altitude – from Alpine St. Moritz, at 1,822 metres above sea level, the route descends down into the imposing Bellinzona, at around 240 metres above sea level.

Stage 4: Bellinzona – Zermatt

The stage with the most bends – the Tremola snakes its way from Airolo up to the Gotthard Pass. At its most spectacular point, over a length of four kilometres the road climbs a height of 300 metres in 24 hairpin bends, each with its own name.

Stage 5: Zermatt – Lausanne

This is the stage where it’s time to get out – Zermatt is not only known for the Matterhorn, but also for being a car-free village. Visitors must leave their car in Täsch and take the train to Zermatt and back to Täsch, where the journey continues on by car through Valais to Lake Geneva.

Stage 6: Lausanne – Neuchâtel

The stage with the watchmaking tradition – watchmaking and innovation used to play out mainly in Geneva. Watchmaking soon spread across the Jura mountain range to other regions, including Le Sentier and Neuchâtel.

Stage 7: Neuchâtel – Bern

The stage with the most water – from Lake Neuchâtel, the route takes you to Lake Murten, Lake Schiffenen, Lake Gruyère, Lake Thun, Lake Brienz and finally along the Aare River to the capital, Bern.

Stage 8: Bern – Zurich

The stage with the most Swiss history – from Bern, the route leads into the Canton of Uri, the location of the well-known Rütli meadow, where the oath marking the alliance of the three original cantons was sworn in 1291.

Access road: Basel – Neuchâtel

There are around 40 museums in the cultural metropolis of Basel. From here, the access road coasts along the Doubs River to the towns of La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle, both known for their watchmaking traditions. The route ends in Neuchâtel.

Access road: Chiasso – Bellinzona

From Chiasso, the route meanders into the palm tree-lined streets of Lugano, a starting point for excursions to several local mountains. It continues to the historic old town of Locarno and then on to Bellinzona with its castles, which are a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Access road: Geneva – Saint-George

From the cosmopolitan Swiss city of Geneva, where the Jet d’Eau, a 140-metre-high fountain in Lake Geneva, shoots into the sky, the route continues on to Nyon before ending up in Saint-George, which makes up part of the Vaud Jura Park.

Travel Planning

This is where you will find all the useful information and tools to make your Grand Tour of Switzerland an unforgettable experience, such as:

Grand Tour Highlights

The highlights along the Grand Tour of Switzerland including 13 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Discover the Grand Tour

Stage by stage, e-grand tour, the magic of beautiful places, discover switzerland by train with roger federer, touring magazine, the grand tour photo spots, idyllic drives, dream route vich - le brassus.

A drive along the blissfully calm, peaceful and remote roads on this route between Lake Geneva and Lac de Joux reveals the hidden gems of the Jura.

Dream route Corseaux - Lutry

Like something out of a fairytale, Lavaux is almost too beautiful to be true.

Dream route Ardon - Saillon

With vineyards reaching as far as the eye can see, Ardon is the gateway to wine country.

Dream route Greppen - Beckenried

The lake promenade leads dramatically along the base of steep mountain slopes, passing through the two historic holiday resorts of Weggis and Vitznau.

Dream route Airolo - Gletsch

The Tremola is the king of the Alpine roads. From Airolo, the historic pass road snakes around hairpin bends up to the Gotthard.

Dream route Melide - Montagnola

Though short, this stretch of the tour really makes an impression. It’s worth stopping as often as possible to admire Ticino’s beauty in all its glory.

Dream route Thusis - Splügen

What a wild wonderland! Over centuries, the Posterior Rhine has gouged out this deep ravine and sculpted a landscape of bizarre rock formations.

Dream route Zernez - Silvaplana

Engadine means the “garden of the Inn”. This garden can be experienced in all its glory on the drive that shadows the River Inn from Zernez to Silvaplana.

Dream route Eschenz - Tägerwilen

This route takes you upstream towards a broad horizon. Beyond Stein am Rhine, the river becomes Untersee, the most idyllic corner of the Lake Constance.

Dream route Burgdorf - Affoltern i. E.

The loveliest way to see the mystery-enshrouded Emmental is on the country lanes that weave through it.

Dream route Unterseen - Oberhofen

The Bernese Oberland mountain panorama simply doesn’t get more impressive – from Unterseen there are uninterrupted views of a row of magnificent peaks that rise above the glittering lake.

Dream route La Sauge - Sugiez

The drive from Lake Neuchâtel over Mont Vully to Lake Murten is an absolute delight.

Virtual Touring experience

Experience the beauty of Switzerland like never before with our immersive VR / 360-degree videos!

Book your Grand Tour

Grand tour deluxe, accessible grand tour of switzerland, overnight stays on the tour.

Relax after a day of touring packed with highlights.

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The great variety of Swiss gastronomy at a glance, so you can quickly and easily find the perfect restaurant: A traditional tavern, light cuisine in a modern restaurant with an urban garden, a gourmet temple for connoisseurs or a tourist restaurant with views over the lake or of mountains.

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The grand tour snack-box., road trip 101, packing list for your road trip, 7 reasons why you need a road trip, grand tour playlist.

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Zurich z volt, charge at unit price.

With the Z Volt charging app, drivers of electric cars can charge their vehicle at over 2250 charging points from Green Motion (evpass) and GOFAST in Switzerland at a standard price.

Europcar: Your car rental becomes pure pleasure!

Book now and discover Switzerland in a rental car.

The trip of your life begins with Harley®.

Take the Grand Tour of Switzerland and discover the country’s most beautiful roads in the best way you can: with a rented motorcycle from an official Harley-Davidson® Authorized Rentals Dealer.

Discover Switzerland with Hertz

The Touring Map and Guide for Grand Tour of Switzerland

Thanks to the Touring Map you will keep the optimal orientation along the Grand Tour.

Accommodation along the Grand Tour of Switzerland

Experience unforgettable moments in first-class accommodation along the Grand Tour of Switzerland. Carefully selected accommodation options not only offer a cosy place for you to retreat to, but also a unique starting point for exploring the picturesque landscapes.

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Grand Départ Lille-Nord de France 2025

The start of the 112th edition of the Tour de France will be given from the European Metropolis of Lille on Saturday 5 July 2025.

NORTHERN POWERHOUSE! by Christian Prudhomme, Director of the Tour de France

The Hauts-de-France Region, the Department of Nord and the Lille European Metropolis have joined forces to bring the Grand Départ back to France after three successive excursions beyond our borders. We look forward to being in one of cycling’s strongholds, indelibly associated, of course, with Paris-Roubaix and its cobbles, and with Jean Stablinski, a champion who left an enduring and glorious legacy. The North of France, in the broad and generous sense in which we regard it today, is particularly dear to me. It was here, at the École Supérieure de Journalisme in Lille, that I learned my first trade. The Tour de France has already started from here on four occasions, two of them orchestrated by Jean-Marie Leblanc, my eminent predecessor and mentor. This fifth Grand Départ will be an opportunity to pay homage to one of the heartlands of world cycling. We’re relishing seeing the huge crowds that we’ve previously witnessed when the Tour has visited the Lille metropolitan area, and then continuing in that same celebratory manner on the road from Lauwin-Planque to Boulogne sur-Mer, from Valenciennes to Dunkirk, and in Amiens. I’m absolutely certain that from the moment the race gets under way in Lille, the Hauts-de-France region will provide the perfect setting, one that’s both warm and welcoming, for the opening four days of the 112th Tour de France.

Another prestigious competition and another great festival of cycling in the Hauts-de-France region! Xavier Bertrand, President of the Hauts-de-France region

As a major partner of Paris-Roubaix, the Quatre Jours de Dunkerque , the Grand Prix de Fourmies and many other races, the Region is passionate about cycling and the popular fervor it generates. In 2025, the whole of the Hauts-de-France Region will turn out to support the champions at the Tour de France’s Grand Départ. We’re all very proud to have the chance to do so. Long live cycling in the region!

To our great delight, the Tour de France is back in Nord, department the most populous in France. Christian Poiret, President of the department of Nord

The Department is happy and proud to be hosting the Tour de France’s Grand Départ in 2025. It has huge significance for the department’s inhabitants and for our heritage. Our department is synonymous with cycling: its people, their conviviality, their generosity and their sense of celebration will all be highlighted by this magnificent event.

Hosting major events has become a hallmark of the Lille European Metropolis. Damien Castelain, President of the Lille European Metropolis

The Tour de France, which we’ve had the pleasure of welcoming on many occasions, is no exception. That’s why, after an unforgettable stage in 2022, we wanted to dream even bigger with the Grand Départ in 2025. We’re renowned for the depth and warmth of our hospitality. The Tour will be the focus for a great popular celebration.

We're thinking big! The Hauts-de-France region, the department of Nord and the Lille European Metropolis are part of a territory that’s seen a remarkable transformation. The textile and coal mining industries nurtured the area’s fertile entrepreneurial soil, and it’s no surprise that the heartland of France’s electric battery manufacturing has been established here, further accelerating our transition to low-carbon mobility. This commitment is also reflected in the ongoing construction of the Seine-North Europe Canal and the booming number of cycle routes. As a consequence, you can discover the region’s highlights by bike: the Lille metropolitan area, the Flanders hills, the Bay of the Somme, our museums and the giants that have long been a draw at our festivals, the revitalised mining area, and not forgetting the region’s inescapable gastronomy. By working together, we’re thinking big! Prior to the Tour, the Rugby World Cup and the Olympic Games opted to come to the Lille Metropolis, establishing Nord and the Hauts-de-France region as a venue for the biggest international events.

Hauts-de-France Region Administrative region in Northern France comprising five departments: Aisne (02), Nord (59), Oise (60), Pas-de-Calais (62), Somme (80) - Surface area: 31,806 km2 - Population: 6,000,000

Department of Nord Prefecture :  Lille - Population: 2,600,000 - France's most populous department Lille European Metropolis Metropolis comprising 95 communes  around the towns of   Lille, Roubaix, Tourcoing and Villeneuve-d’Ascq - Population: 1,183,000 - Lille, stage town for the nineteenth time Lauwin-Planque   Commune in the department of Nord   - Population: 1,750 - Stage town for the first time Boulogne-sur-Mer   Sub-prefecture in the department of Pas-de-Calais   - Population: 42,500 - Stage town for the fifth time   Valenciennes   Sub-prefecture in the department of Nord - Population: 44,000 - Stage town for the fifth time Dunkerque   Sub-prefecture in the department of Nord - Population: 89,000 - Stage town for the twenty-first time Amiens Métropole   Prefecture of Somme - Population: 134,000 - Stage town for the fourteenth time   1906  FIRST STAGES  in the North in Lille and Douai 37  TOWNS AND CITIES STAGES  in the Hauts-de-France Region since 1906

GRAND DÉPARTS IN THE HAUTS-DE-FRANCE 1960 Lille 1969 Roubaix 1994  Lille 2001 Côte d’Opale Dunkerque

• Wednesday 2 July  : opening of the race headquarters and press centre
• Thursday 3 July  : presentation of the 2025 Tour de France Teams
• Saturday 5 July  : STAGE 1  Lille Métropole > Lille Métropole
• Sunday 6 July  :  STAGE 2  Lauwin-Planque > Boulogne-sur-Mer
• Monday 7 July  :  STAGE 3  Valenciennes > Dunkerque
• Tuesday 8 July  :  STAGE 4  Amiens Métropole > ?

STAGE 1 | Lille Métropole >  Lille Métropole  | 5 Juillet 2025 | 185km

This will be a perfect opportunity for the sprinters to contest the first Yellow Jersey. There are three climbs – the first in Artois (Notre-Dame-de-Lorette), shortly after passing through Lens, then two in Flanders (the cobbled side of Mont Cassel and Mont Noir, around 40km from the finish). These will produce a great battle for the King of the Mountains jersey. After this loop around Lille, where vigilance will be needed as there’s the possibility of a cross-wind that could produce splits in the bunch, victory should be decided between the peloton’s fastest riders, with the finish located at the foot of the Citadel and at the end of a wide and perfectly flat kilometre-long straight.

STAGE 2 | Lauwin-Planque > Boulogne-sur-Mer   | 6 Juillet 2025 | 209km

Starting in the heart of the Douais region, this stage’s profile will almost certainly lead to a new name in the Yellow Jersey. If, as expected, the previous stage has been won by a pure sprinter, it will be difficult for them to cope with the constant wear and tear in the Artois and Boulonnais hills and by the incessant battle for position as those climbs open out onto windy plateaus. The finish, meanwhile, is tailor-made for puncheurs with two tough climbing tests on the coast, at Saint Étienne-au-Mont, where there are sections at 15%, then at Outreau, with around 5km remaining, the finish line will be located at the top of a kilometre-long climb. The favourites for the overall crown will need to have their wits about them.

STAGE 3 | Valenciennes > Dunkerque   | 7 Juillet 2025 | 172km

Starting on fairly sheltered roads, the route will cross the coalfields initially to reach the intermediate sprint at Isbergues, a major cycling venue in northern France. After climbing Mont Cassel, the final 35 kilometres through the vast expanse of the Flanders countryside will be exposed to the wind. The leaders will need strong team-mates around them for protection just in case echelons form. The finale will be decided by the strength and direction of the wind: the peloton will either split into several groups, or there’ll be a bunch sprint. If this second eventuality plays out, the finish location, close to the Marcel-Tribut stadium, will provide the ideal setting for a showdown between the sprinters.

STAGE 4 | Amiens Métropole > ?  | 8 Juillet 2025 | 

Seven years have passed since Dutch sprinter Dylan Groenewegen’s victory on the most recent of the Tour’s ten finishes in Amiens and its metropolitan area. This will be the race’s 14th visit to Jules Verne’s adopted city, from which the riders will depart for an as yet unknown destination. The historic capital of Picardy, and the second-largest city in the Hauts-de-France region after Lille, will showcase its majestic setting to race followers, spectators and television viewers. Lying at the heart of it is the Notre-Dame cathedral, the largest in the country and a jewel of Gothic art, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981.

Two winners : 

1903  : The first winner of the Tour de France, Maurice Garin , was born in Italy’s Aosta valley. Naturalised as a Frenchman, he settled at Lens in the Pas-de-Calais after his racing career, opening a service station. He is buried in the Lens-Est cemetery at Sallaumines.

1904 :  Aged just 20 when he took the title and still the youngest Tour de France winner, Henri Cornet was born in Desvres (Pas-de-Calais). He grew up in the Paris region, but made a glorious return to the north of France when he won Paris-Roubaix in 1906.

A leader of the overall classification

1910 : Charles Crupelandt (standing in white), born in Wattrelos in the department of Nord, twice led the Tour after winning the opening stage in the 1910 and 1912 editions. He also took two victories in Paris-Roubaix, in 1912 and 1914, and the last cobbled sector of the race now bears his name.

Seven Yellow Jerseys

1922 :  Roubaix-born Jean Alavoine took the Yellow Jersey in the Pyrenees during the 1922 Tour. He kept it for five stages, ceding it as the race left the Alps. Over the course of an exceptionally long career extending from 1909 to 1923, he claimed 17 stage victories.

1939  : Born in Armentières, Department of Nord, and partly schooled within the tough environment of Belgian kermesse races, Amédée Fournier developed a fine turn of speed. It enabled him to win the opening stage of the 1939 Tour in a sprint and hold the Yellow Jersey.

1973 :  José Catieau , who came from the village of Coutiches (Nord) and later moved to Saint-Quentin (Aisne), took the Yellow Jersey in Reims two days on from his stage win in Saint-Nicolas (Belgium). He would later relinquish it to his team leader Luis Ocaña, the overall winner of the 1973 Tour.

1987  :  Martial Gayant , who hails from Chauny (Department of Aisne), took a solo win on the 11th stage of the 1987 Tour in Chaumeil. As a result, he “borrowed” the Yellow Jersey from team mate Charly Mottet, to whom he returned it two days later in Pau at the end of the first mountain stage.

1997  :  Cédric Vasseur won the fifth stage of the 1997 Tour in La Châtre, at the end of a long and daring raid, and then held the Yellow Jersey for five days. A native of Hazebrouck, he has remained loyal to his home region, as he now heads the Cofidis team, which is based in the region.

1998  : Winner of a stage of the 1997 Tour in Perpignan, Laurent Desbiens , born in Mons-en Baroeu, in the Nord, wore the Yellow Jersey for two days the following year after slipping into a breakaway that was led home by Jacky Durand in Montauban.

2001  : Hailing from the department of Aisne and specifically from Vervins (Department of Aisne), Christophe Moreau became the first Yellow Jersey of the 2001 Tour thanks to his victory in the prologue at Dunkirk during the Grand Départ on the Côte d’Opale. He held it until the end of the second stage in Antwerp, Belgium.

An emblematic figure Jean Stablinski , who was born in 1932 in Thun-Saint-Amand (Nord) and died in 2007 in Lille, won more than 100 professional races, including the world championship in 1962, four French championships in 1960, 1962, 1963 and 1964, the Tour of Spain in 1958 and five Tour de France stages between 1957 and 1967. While living in Valenciennes, he discovered the Arenberg Trench, one of the key sectors of Paris-Roubaix. Roubaix’s indoor velodrome is called “Le Stab” in tribute to him. A Tour de France director A former professional cyclist who raced the Tour twice in 1968 and 1970,  Jean-Marie Leblanc went on to become a journalist with La Voix des Sports and L’Équipe, and then became an astute director of the Tour de France from 1989 to 2006. He now follows the cycling news from his home village of Fontaine-au-Bois in the Avesnois region.

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• Route des Grandes Alpes Itinerary
• Things to do

Europe’s highest road, the Route des Grandes Alpes, built in 1920, is one of the region’s absolute must-dos. Running from Thonon-les-Bains to Nice, it spans around 720 km and crosses majestic Alpine landscapes and mountain passes. Truly breathtaking!

The world-famed Col du Galibier mountain pass forms the first stage of the Route des Grandes Alpes . One of the highest mountain passes in the Alpes French South , it is also a classic on the Tour de France. Revel in the exceptional natural scenery of Écrins National Park before heading to Briançon Fort and the Jardin Botanique Alpin du Lautaret , where you will learn all there is to know about Alpine plants!

From Briançon , head to the Queyras Regional Nature Reserve via Col d’Izoard , also featured several times in the Tour de France . If you fancy a novel excursion, don’t miss Casse Déserte – a series of rocky mountain slopes resembling a lunar landscape. Wind up your tour with the beautiful Gorges du Guil or nearby Cascades de Ceillac waterfalls.

The third stage leads you to Vallée de l’Ubaye . On the way, Col de la Cayolle unveils an exceptional landscape of rocks and pine trees. You might even hear the local marmots whistling! Stop off in the picturesque town of Barcelonnette on the Route des Grandes Alpes : the history of this town has been intimately linked to that of Mexico since the 19th century, as witnessed by its multitude of colourful house frontages.

Marking the entrance to Mercantour National Park , Vallée de la Vésubie – nicknamed the Switzerland of Nice – is a genuine paradise for outdoor sports fans and the perfect place to get your fill of the French Alps, with activities ranging from fishing to mountaineering. If you’re travelling with the family, head to Parc des Loups du Mercantour for a close-up encounter with the legendary and bewitching Alpine wolves.

For this last stage of the Route des Grandes Alpes , we invite you to tackle the aptly-named Vallée des Merveilles on foot or by mountain bike, offering an endless choice of walks and hikes across the most stunning landscapes of the French Alps. This area is famed for its many cave paintings, so don’t miss a stop-off at the Musée des Merveilles retracing 5,000 years of Vallée de la Roya ‘s history. If you’re more of an outdoor buff, the Roya river is a fabulous playground for white water fans!

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Tadej Pogačar is starting his first Giro d’Italia as the overwhelming favorite

FILE - The pack of cyclists pedals past the ancient Colosseum, during the last stage of the Giro d’Italia cycling race, in Rome, on May 28, 2023. Rarely has the Giro d’Italia had such an out-and-out favorite. But Tadej Pogačar has never competed in the Italian Grand Tour before this year. The two-time Tour de France champion is attempting an audacious Giro-Tour double and has been in dominant form since the start of the year. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP, File)

FILE - Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar, wearing the best young rider’s white jersey, celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the twentieth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 133.5 kilometers (83 miles) with start in Belfort and finish in Le Markstein Fellering, France, Saturday, July 22, 2023. Rarely has the Giro d’Italia had such an out-and-out favorite. But Tadej Pogačar has never competed in the Italian Grand Tour before this year. The two-time Tour de France champion is attempting an audacious Giro-Tour double and has been in dominant form since the start of the year. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole, File)

Britain’s Geraint Thomas pedals during the 20th stage of the Giro d’Italia cycling race, an individual mountain time trial from Tarvisio to Monte Lussari, Italy, on May 27, 2023. Rarely has the Giro d’Italia had such an out-and-out favorite. But Tadej Pogačar has never competed in the Italian Grand Tour before this year. The two-time Tour de France champion is attempting an audacious Giro-Tour double and has been in dominant form since the start of the year. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)

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MILAN (AP) — Rarely has the Giro d’Italia had such an overwhelming pre-race favorite.

Tadej Pogačar is competing in the Italian grand tour for the first time in an audacious attempt at the Giro-Tour de France double. The two-time Tour champion has been in dominant form this year.

Adding to his short odds, three of the few riders who can challenge Pogačar over a three-week race — titleholder Primož Roglič , Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel — will not be at the Giro starting on Saturday.

“It’s going to be a big challenge coming up against Tadej. I’d prefer if he wasn’t going but at the same time having him there is great,” Geraint Thomas, last year’s runner-up, says.

“It’ll change the race completely and his team will take on the weight of the race and everything that comes with that.”

Pogačar has started only five grand tours and made it to the podium of all five. He won the Tour in 2020 and 2021, was runner-up twice more, and was third in his one and only Spanish Vuelta in 2019.

The 25-year-old UAE Team Emirates rider has been the overwhelming favorite for the Giro since he announced his decision in December.

But the Giro is often wet, wild and unpredictable, as Thomas knows only too well.

The Giro starts in Turin on Saturday and the 3,321-kilometer (2,064-mile) route ends in Rome on May 26.

POGAČAR vs THOMAS

Thomas is looking for a do-over at the Giro.

Last year, the Ineos Grenadiers cyclist had a 26-second lead over pre-race favorite Roglič going into the penultimate stage but lost 40 seconds on that mountain time trial to his rival, who stormed to the Giro victory.

Thomas faces another Slovenian star in Pogačar, and both are aiming to be the first rider to win the Giro and Tour in the same year since 1998 when Marco Pantani accomplished the double.

“You don’t think that first place is gone — if anything, it takes pressure off because everyone expects him to win. They don’t expect any of us to do anything,” Thomas says.

“It definitely makes the race different to last year … the main thing was getting here in good shape and then you just do what you can. It’s a massive task because (Pogačar is) a phenomenal bike rider — I’ve said recently probably one of the greatest ever — but we’re relishing the challenge.”

Beside his narrow loss last year, Thomas is no stranger to disappointment at the Giro, having had to abandon the race twice. In 2017, he was involved in a crash caused by a police motorbike, and three years later he broke his hip after a drinks bottle became lodged under his wheel.

“It’s the Giro, a lot can go good and go bad as we all know,” he said. “So yeah, we’re excited.”

Grand tours traditionally start slow and steady and bunched up. Not this year. The start is expected to be explosive.

Not only will the riders tackle the second-category climb up the Colle Maddalena on the opening day but the first summit finish comes on the second stage, at the Santuario di Oropa. It will be the earliest mountain finish at the Giro since 1989 when the race began in Sicily and went up Mount Etna.

“The riders who want to win it will have to be ready from the start and I expect a lot of spectacle,” Giro director Mauro Vegni said when the route was revealed in October.

The second uphill finish is at the end of the first week with a top-category climb of more than 14 kilometers to Prato di Tivo.

“You need to be good from start to finish,” Thomas says, “but I think it’s kind of nice in a way, it settles the race down quite early on.

“If anything, it’s nice to get a bit of tiredness in the peloton straight away. The thing with the Giro is you got to be strong at the end. Obviously, Stage 2 is important, but it’s not the be-all and end-all.”

DECISIVE DOLOMITES

Despite race organizers’ insistence that the finale is less tough than previous editions, the final week has three of the five stages that have been given a five-star rating for maximum difficulty.

Stage 16 features 4,400 meters of elevation and the highest point of the race, over the Stelvio Pass. That is immediately followed by the Queen Stage, the hardest leg.

Apart from one short section, the peloton will constantly be climbing or descending on the brutal 159-kilometer (99-mile) route from Selva di Val Gardena, with four classified climbs before the top category ascent to the finish on the Passo Broncon.

The winner of the Giro will likely be decided on the penultimate stage, with two category-one climbs up Monte Grappa on May 25, Thomas’ 38th birthday.

The race will transfer to Rome for the largely processional 126-kilometer (78-mile) final leg through the streets of the capital, ending near the Colosseum.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

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Cambridge tour de grand: cycling meets strategy.

Your Ultimate Guide to Cycling Adventures and Expert Betting Insights

Creative Betting Options Transform Cycling Engagement

Cycling has long been a popular sport for betting enthusiasts. The classics like picking the race winner or predicting who will finish on the podium offer a thrill for viewers. However, in recent years, bookmakers have started expanding the betting markets available for major cycling events. This allows fans new ways to get skin in the game. Let’s examine some of the emerging wagering options that are changing how audiences engage with professional cycling.

In-Race Specials

Beyond betting on the final outcome, bookmakers now offer in-race specials. These are wagers focused on specific events within a race’s timed sections. Popular options include picking the first rider over a climb or the winner of an intermediate sprint. In-race specials increase excitement by letting viewers bet on pivotal moments before the finish line. The variety also provides more winning chances compared to just picking the race winner.

In-race specials require an intimate knowledge of the course route and riders’ strengths. For example, climbers like Nairo Quintana would be good bets for mountain stages. Sprinters like Mark Cavendish are smart picks for intermediate sprints on flatter areas. In-race specials reward viewers who do their homework about riders’ skills and race profiles.

Secondary Podium Markets

Many bookmakers now let customers bet on more podium finishers than just the winner and runner-up. Markets exist for 3rd, 4th, 5th (or lower) place finishers. These exotic podium markets again require dedicated research. Picking a top 10 or top 20 finisher means assessing domestiques and support riders versus just the star favorites.

Secondary podium betting also sustains engagement race-to-race. After the winner is confirmed, focus shifts to other medals. It encourages viewers to watch entire events since later placings affect wagers. Exotic podium markets thus expand betting opportunities across cycling’s long multi-stage races.

Matchup Bets

Head-to-head matchups between riders are another relatively new cycling wager. These bets let audiences directly pit favorites against each other. Matchups also involve handicaps for lopsided contests. A star rider like Tadej Pogačar might spot his opponent five minutes, for example. Bookmakers install handicaps to create attractive underdog opportunities.

Matchup bets encourage studying riders’ form and psychology. How will rivals race each other? Who needs the win more? These face-offs leverage cycling’s personalities and rivalries. Matchups also sustain engagement as riders battle despite overall race results. The head-to-heads run side-by-side with the real race creating a race within the race.

Famous Cycling Athletes

Cycling has a rich history of iconic riders who have left their mark on the sport. Legends like Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Miguel Indurain, and Jacques Anquetil set new records and influenced generations of cyclists . More recently, riders like Chris Froome, Vincenzo Nibali, Peter Sagan, and Alejandro Valverde have dominated the peloton with their versatility and results across cycling’s major events. And today’s current stars like Tadej Pogačar, Wout van Aert, and Annemiek van Vleuten are building their palmares with impressive victories. These are just some of the all-time greats whose careers and stories add prestige and legacy to professional cycling. Their accomplishments provide benchmarks and context that enrich engagement with the sport for dedicated fans.

Novelty Bets

Bookmakers also now offer special novelty bets around cycling’s majors. These wagers focus on specific events like who will win Stage 1 or the King of the Mountains jersey. Novelty bets increase liquidity by letting fans focus on narrow outcomes versus the whole race.

Some novelty bets are decided early, like sprint or young rider classifications. Others, like King of the Mountains, build drama over weeks. Novelty betting makes each stage and milestone moment count. This gives casual viewers achievable wins besides just the overall. Novelty bets also encourage learning rules around cycling’s specialty jerseys and contests.

Briefly to conclude, cycling betting continues to evolve beyond picking basic race winners. In-race specials, exotic podiums, head-to-head matchups, and novelty bets give viewers new ways to get invested. They encourage studying riders, courses, and tactics more closely. While risks exist around responsible gambling, ultimately these emerging markets sustain engagement across cycling’s long seasons. They emphasize that there is more at stake in each pedal stroke than just the final podium.

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Pogacar starts explosive first Giro weekend in pole but potholes await

The outstanding Slovenian cyclist is putting the hype in perspective as he prepares for his debut in historic Grand Tour

T adej Pogacar may be the outstanding bet to win his debut Giro d’Italia, but the Slovenian is also acutely aware of how three weeks of Grand Tour racing can throw up sudden, unexpected moments of weakness.

He has exploited that in the past, usurping his stunned compatriot Primoz Roglic to win the 2020 Tour de France. But he has also been victim, as in last year’s Tour, when Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard applied the coup de grâce on the Col de la Loze.

Pogacar, leader of the powerful UAE Emirates team, a serial winner this spring at Strade Bianche, the Volta a Catalunya and Liège–Bastogne–Liège, is the hottest favourite to start a Grand Tour for years, but he knows that Italy’s capricious Corsa Rosa is best treated with respect.

The 21-stage Giro begins on Saturday in Turin and has a potentially explosive opening weekend, with the first summit finish coming as soon as Sunday, on the 12km climb to the Santuario di Oropa at Biella. The three-week race also features two individual time trials and six mountain finishes prior to the final stage in Rome on 26 May.

Speaking before the race, Pogacar tried to put the hype into perspective by showing due deference to elders, such as Geraint Thomas, of Ineos Grenadiers and French veteran, Romain Bardet, leader of Team dsm-firmenich PostNL.

“There’s a lot of good riders in this Giro,” Pogacar said. “In three weeks there can be a lot of surprises. Bardet has shown some good form and Thomas, like always, will be good in this Giro.”

The 25-year-old Slovenian has been both audacious and arrogant this spring, winning with long, lone breakaways – a jaw-dropping 80km in Tuscany’s Strade Bianche in March followed by an equally bold solo attack to win the coveted Belgian Classic Liège–Bastogne–Liège – but quickly dismisses any suggestions of complacency.

“Every race I go to, I’m the favourite now,” Pogacar said, “so I just have to live with it,” adding that “everyone is trying to race against us and we need to control from the start.”

Thomas, who has already described Pogacar as destined to be “one of the greatest,” is in a relaxed frame of mind as he returns to a race that he lost last May by a handful of seconds. “It takes the pressure off us because everyone expects Pogacar to win,” the Welshman said.

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As ever, the volatile weather, the specifics of racing in Italy and the steepness of legendary climbs such as the beloved Stelvio and the dreaded Mortirolo, will play a big part in the outcome of a race that is sometimes depicted as dull, but that usually provides a suitably dramatic finale.

Thirty-somethings Bardet and Thomas are definite podium contenders, but Pogacar’s most likely rivals may be lesser-known names, such as the fast-rising Belgian Cian Uijtdebroeks, who will lead the Visma-Lease a Bike team and Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale’s Australian leader, Ben O’Connor, fourth in the 2021 Tour de France and more recently second overall in last month’s Tour of the Alps.

But for the moment, this Giro is set to be all about Pogacar, already hugely popular in Italy after two wins in Strade Bianche and three victories in the season-ending Giro di Lombardia.

His showboating and swagger is not to everyone’s taste and the apparent ease of his dominance also triggers cycling’s sceptics, but his appetite for racing and winning, shows no sign of abating. French critics have depicted him as an “ogre,” and his rivals at this Giro are now wondering just how monstrous he is willing to be.

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Billie Eilish Reveals ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft’ World Tour, Starting in September

By Ellise Shafer

Ellise Shafer

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Billie Eilish is embarking on a world tour in support of her forthcoming third album, “ Hit Me Hard and Soft ,” set for release on May 17.

The Live Nation-produced tour will kick off in September in Quebec and continue through North America until December. In February 2025, Eilish will hit Australia, followed by Europe, the U.K. and Ireland from April to late July.

Tickets will be available for presale for American Express cardholders on April 30, with additional presales running throughout the week. General tickets go on sale May 3 through Ticketmaster .

Popular on Variety

See the full tour dates below.

North America

Tue Feb 18, 2025 – Brisbane, Australia – Brisbane Entertainment Centre Wed Feb 19, 2025 – Brisbane, Australia – Brisbane Entertainment Centre Fri Feb 21, 2025 – Brisbane, Australia – Brisbane Entertainment Centre Sat Feb 22, 2025 – Brisbane, Australia – Brisbane Entertainment Centre Mon Feb 24, 2025 – Sydney, Australia – Qudos Bank Arena Tue Feb 25, 2025 – Sydney, Australia – Qudos Bank Arena Thu Feb 27, 2025 – Sydney, Australia – Qudos Bank Arena Fri Feb 28, 2025 – Sydney, Australia – Qudos Bank Arena Tue Mar 4, 2025 –Melbourne, Australia – Rod Laver Arena Wed Mar 5, 2025 – Melbourne, Australia – Rod Laver Arena Fri Mar 7, 2025 – Melbourne, Australia – Rod Laver Arena Sat Mar 8, 2025 – Melbourne, Australia – Rod Laver Arena

Europe/U.K./Ireland Wed Apr 23, 2025 – Stockholm, Sweden – Avicii Arena

Thu Apr 24, 2025 – Stockholm, Sweden – Avicii Arena

Sat Apr 26, 2025 – Oslo, Norway – Telenor Arena Mon Apr 28, 2025 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Royal Arena Tue Apr 29, 2025 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Royal Arena

Fri May 2, 2025 – Hannover, Germany – ZAG Arena Sun May 4, 2025 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Ziggo Dome Mon May 5, 2025 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Ziggo Dome Wed May 7, 2025 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Ziggo Dome Fri May 9, 2025 – Berlin, Germany – Uber Arena Thu May 29, 2025 – Cologne, Germany – Lanxess Arena Fri May 30, 2025 – Cologne, Germany – Lanxess Arena Sun June 1, 2025 – Prague, Czech Republic – O2 Arena Tue June 3, 2025 – Kraków, Poland – Tauron Arena Wed June 4, 2025 – Kraków, Poland – Tauron Arena Fri June 6, 2025 – Vienna, Austria – Stadthalle Sun June 8, 2025 – Bologna, Italy – Unipol Arena Tue June 10, 2025 – Paris, France – Accor Arena Wed June 11, 2025 – Paris, France – Accor Arena Sat June 14, 2025 – Barcelona, Spain – Palau Sant Jordi Sun June 15, 2025 –Barcelona, Spain – Palau Sant Jordi

Mon Jul 7, 2025 – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro Tue Jul 8, 2025 – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro Thu Jul 10, 2025 – London, UK – The O2 Fri Jul 11, 2025 –London, UK – The O2 Sun Jul 13, 2025 – London, UK – The O2 Mon Jul 14, 2025 – London, UK – The O2 Wed Jul 16, 2025 – London, UK – The O2 Thu Jul 17, 2025 – London, UK – The O2 Sat Jul 19, 2025 – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live Sun Jul 20, 2025 – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live Tue Jul 22, 2025 – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live Wed Jul 23, 2025 – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live Sat Jul 26, 2025 – Dublin, Ireland – 3Arena Sun Jul 27, 2025 – Dublin, Ireland – 3Arena

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The Sun’s fluffy corona in exquisite detail

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This otherworldly, ever-changing landscape is what the Sun looks like up close. ESA's  Solar Orbiter  filmed the transition from the Sun's lower atmosphere to the much hotter outer corona. The hair-like structures are made of charged gas (plasma), following magnetic field lines emerging from the Sun's interior.

The brightest regions are around one million degrees Celsius, while cooler material looks dark as it absorbs radiation. 

This video was recorded on 27 September 2023 by the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) instrument on Solar Orbiter.  At the time , the spacecraft was at roughly a third of the Earth’s distance from the Sun, heading for a closest approach of 43 million km on 7 October.

On the same day that this video was recorded, NASA’s  Parker Solar Probe  skimmed just  7.26 million km  from the solar surface. Rather than directly imaging the Sun, Parker measures particles and the magnetic field in the Sun’s corona and in the solar wind. This was a perfect opportunity for the  two missions to team up , with ESA-led Solar Orbiter’s remote-sensing instruments observing the source region of the solar wind that would subsequently flow past Parker Solar Probe.

Spot the moss, spicules, eruption and rain

Lower left corner: An intriguing feature visible throughout this movie is the bright gas that makes delicate, lace-like patterns across the Sun. This is called coronal ‘moss’. It usually appears around the base of large coronal loops that are too hot or too tenuous to be seen with the chosen instrument settings.

On the solar horizon: Spires of gas, known as spicules, reach up from the Sun’s chromosphere. These can reach up to a height of 10 000 km.

Centre around 0:22: A small eruption in the centre of the field of view, with cooler material being lifted upwards before mostly falling back down. Don’t be fooled by the use of ‘small’ here: this eruption is bigger than Earth!

Centre-left around 0:30: ‘Cool’ coronal rain (probably less than 10 000 °C) looks dark against the bright background of large coronal loops (around one million degrees). The rain is made of higher-density clumps of plasma that fall back towards the Sun under the influence of gravity.

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12 February 2021 CMEs seen by Proba-2 and SOHO