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The 2024 version of Paris-Good seems to be set to be determined in a tricky mountainous ultimate weekend subsequent 12 months, however a fraught, hilly opening leg, the danger of cross-winds on stage 2 and a mid-race TTT may also assist determine who succeeds Tadej Pogačar (UAE Crew Emirates) because the winner of France’s second largest stage race.
The disclosing of the 82nd version of Paris-Good in December confirmed the repeat of the 2023 TTT on stage 3, this time within the metropolis of Auxerre, however with the identical uncommon format of the time being set by the primary rider throughout the road.
A summit end on the cat. 2 climb of Mont Brouilly, final seen in Paris-Good in a time trial received by Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal-QuickStep) follows 24 hours later.
The important thing ultimate weekend begins as soon as once more with a cat.1 summit end within the Alpes-Maritimes in Auron. Then, stage 8’s mountainous circuit round Good might look acquainted, however it has a vital innovation: a brief however very steep Col-des-Quatre-Chemins simply 9km from the end.
Final 12 months’s exceptionally thrilling version noticed Pogačar take three phases on path to victory forward of David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) and Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma). And whereas the Slovenian is just not anticipated to return to defend his title in 2024, race director Christian Prudhomme reminded his viewers in Tuesday’s press convention why Paris-Good all the time has a permanent attraction.
“We didn’t have the ultimate podium in Paris-Good in the identical order that we had within the Tour de France, however Paris-Good this March made it clear we knew we’d have a giant battle on our arms in July,” Prudhomme mentioned.
And with the Tour ending in Good subsequent summer time, these early omens of what may occur 4 months later over most of the similar roads will probably be even stronger than regular.
Stage 1: Les Mureaux – Les Mureaux, 157.7km
Beginning within the Yvelines Départment close to Paris for the fifteenth time in its historical past within the city of Les Mureaux, stage 1 is peppered with class 3 ascents after which finishes on a tricky uphill ramp, which means the GC riders must be on the ball and on the entrance of the pack proper from the phrase go.
Stage 2: Thiory-Montargis, 177.6km
Stage 2 then continues with one other of the standard Paris-Good early challenges, with its flat, uncovered run from Thoiry to Montargis. As ever on this terrain, if there are crosswinds, irrespective of how light, then quite a lot of potential challengers may discover themselves within the mistaken part of a shattered peloton and out of the GC battle.
Stage 3: Auxerre-Auxerre (TTT), 26.9km
The stress will not let up throughout the next two days, beginning with the repeat of the 2023 TTT. Measuring in at 5km shorter than final March’s collective race towards the clock when there was lower than half a minute’s distinction between the highest 5 general on the outcomes sheet, in an occasion typically determined by seconds, the variations on the hilly 26.9km run in Auxerre subsequent March will nonetheless be crucial once more.
Stage 4: Chalon-Sur-Saône – Mont Brouilly, 183km
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The rugged terrain on Stage 4, maybe hardened by the winter climate which regularly predominates within the hills of central France in early March, represents one other necessary problem, comprising lower than 5 class 2 ascents – and one class 1 – culminating in a double ascent of Mont Brouilly.
As soon as once more, variations between the very high favourites will seemingly be minimal on the stage most probably set to weed out the weaker challengers with out creating definitive successful margins. However in an occasion whose final result is usually poised on a knife edge like Paris-Good the gaps, nevertheless, small, all matter.
The subsequent two extra easy phases taking the race even additional south will seemingly favour the breakaways.
Stage 5: Saint-Sauveur-de-Montagut – Sisteron, 193.5km
Stage 6: Sisteron – La Colle-sur-Loup, 198.2km
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Stage 7: Good – Auron, 173km
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Stage 7’s unprecedented class 1 summit end at Auron is one other story altogether from the earlier days. On paper a lot easier than stage 7’s mammoth ascent of the 15km Col de la Couillole in 2023, Auron’s powerful common gradients of seven.2% will nonetheless certainly depart a serious mark on the 2024 race’s general rankings.
The inclusion of the 7km climb within the Alpine foothills may also imply a summit end options the second-last stage of Paris-Good for a ninth consecutive version of the race, in a sequence now stretching again to 2016.
Stage 8: Good – Good, 109.3km
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Whoever is main by this level, although, will certainly face but extra challenges on the final day’s trek via the mountains overlooking the end in Good. Three class 2 ascents and a class 1 climb of Cote de Peille are simply the opening difficulties on a brief however ferociously tough ultimate day.
This culminates with an extended, tough drag as much as the summit on the Col d’Eze with segments at 13%, then a brief, a lot punchier and steeper climb of Col des Quatre-Chemins previous a quick drop again to the shoreline and Good’s Promenade des Anglais.