The route of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift 2024 was announced today in Paris. For the first time, the world’s most important multi-day women’s cycling race will start outside France, with three stages over two days in the Netherlands: Rotterdam-The Hague on 12 August and Dordrecht-Rotterdam on 13 August, as well as an individual time trial in Rotterdam.
The third edition of the Tour de France avec Zwift will take place from Monday, 12 August to Sunday, 18 August, and will include eight stages. The Grand Départ in the Netherlands will take place the day after the closing ceremony of the Olympic Summer Games in Paris. It is a collaboration between the cities of Rotterdam, The Hague and Dordrecht, the goal of which is to put on an event that is accessible to all, gets people excited about cycling and encourages exercise.
First stage, Rotterdam-The Hague (138 km)
The route was unveiled today at a presentation at the Palais des Congrès in Paris. The Grand Départ will take place on Monday, 12 August, in Rotterdam, next to the Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen in the Museumpark. The opening stage will cover a distance of 138 kilometres and, after passing through Voorne-Putten and the Westland region, will end with a grand lap in The Hague. The line will be drawn in Kijkduin, at the foot of the dunes and beach.
Stage two, Dordrecht-Rotterdam (73 km)
There are two stages on Tuesday, 13 August. In the morning, the second stage will cover 73 kilometres from Dordrecht to Rotterdam via the windmills of Kinderdijk, the Alblasserwaard and the southern outskirts of Rotterdam. The race will start on the Energieplein in Dordrecht and finish on the Boompjes in Rotterdam, at the foot of the Erasmus Bridge.
Stage three, Rotterdam individual time trial (6 km)
The Erasmus Bridge will also be the focus of the third stage, a 6 km individual time trial in the afternoon. It is a fast course right through the city, starting at the Erasmus Bridge, via Coolsingel and Hofplein, with the Erasmus Bridge and Willemsbrug on the way, and the finish line once again on Boompjes.
After Rotterdam to Valkenburg
After two days in the Netherlands, the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift heads to the south of Limburg for a stage from Valkenburg to Liège. The women’s tour will finish at l’Alpe d’Huez on Sunday, 18 August. There, it will become clear who will succeed the winners of the first two editions of the Tour, Annemiek van Vleuten (2022) and Demi Vollering (2023).
City programme on 11 August
The Dutch Tour party comes to life the weekend before the Grand Départ with an extensive programme in Rotterdam on Sunday, 11 August. There will be Tour rides, allowing visitors to cycle along the Tour route themselves and in the run-up to the event, The Hague, Dordrecht and the finish municipalities will also unveil a supporting programme dedicated to cycling.
Pride of Rotterdam
Rotterdam’s alderman for sports, Faouzi Achbar, is proud that the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will start in Rotterdam. “I am looking forward to this festival where everyone is welcome. Whether you can ride a bike or not. We are giving cyclists the stage they deserve. A source of inspiration for girls and women to try the sport or get on their bikes more often. And thanks to the cooperation of The Hague, Dordrecht, the neighbouring municipalities and the Metropolitan Region, we will soon be painting our cities and the whole province yellow.”
Enthusiasm in The Hague
Hilbert Bredemeijer, alderman for sports in The Hague, looks forward to the first stage. “It is fantastic that the Tour de France Femmes has chosen The Hague for the opening stage, which will end in The Hague. The riders will start in Zuidwest, cycle around the city and finish in Kijkduin. A route that, together with the helicopter shots, gives a great view of the city. It will be a sporting festival for the entire city and will inspire the people of The Hague to get on their bikes. The Hague looks forward to welcoming the cyclists and cheering them on with all the cycling fans in The Hague.”
Dordrecht connection
Dordrecht alderman Marc Merx: “The Tour de France Femmes allows us to show a wide audience how beautiful our city is and how sport can connect people and cities. The route is designed for this. We want the event to contribute to a sporty, lively, inclusive Dordrecht. We will make it a party where we want to inspire people to ride their bikes more often.”