Tour de France 2024 - Stage 20 preview

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The Paris-Nice regulars will be racing over familiar terrain on stage 20, but that won’t make things any easier if the contest for the Yellow Jersey is still raging, particularly over such a short distance of 132.8km. 

After heading North from Nice, the battle could commence as early as the climb to the Col de Braus (19km at 6.6%), 25 kilometres into the stage. There will then be no respite on the climbs of the eastern side of Col de Turini (20.7km at 5.7%), Col de la Colmiane (7.5km at 7.1%) and finally Col de la Couillole, the final ascent extending for 15.7km at an average gradient of 7.1%.

The famous Nice to Pra-Loup stage in 1975, when Bernard Thévenet removed the yellow jersey from the shoulders of Eddy Merckx, included an ascent of the Col de la Couillole, the polka-dot jersey of King of the Mountains Lucien Van Impe leading over its summit. In the 2017 edition, Richie Porte was the winner as this summit hosted a finish for the first time. The Race to the Sun returned to the Col de la Couillole for a second summit finish in 2023, when Tadej Pogačar came out on top before going on to win the overall.

Stage 20 Sprints

• Intermediate sprint, km 87.8

Stage 20 Mountains

• Col de Braus (19km at 6.6%), cat. 2, km 24.7
• Col de Turini (20.7km at 5.7%), cat. 1, km 59.8
• Col de la Colmiane (7.5km at 7.1%), cat. 1, km 95.9
• Col de la Couillole (15.7km at 7.1%), cat. 1, km 132.8