It’s only a little over a week since the conclusion of the Tour de France, which had to sacrifice its traditional finale stretch along the Champs-Elysées, however, as you might have guessed because of that little thing called the Olympics, cycling hasn’t stayed away from the French capital for long. The best part? The majority of the road races can be watched for free.
The men’s competitors are tackling a whopping 273 km route on August 3 from 11am CEST, and the women are taking on a 158 km route on August 4 from 2.30pm CEST. Both races set off from Les Invalides, head towards the Latin Quarter, then journey southwest for a pass in front of the Palace of Versailles. From there, they’ll loop through the hilly Chevreuse Valley before returning to the city for the (ticketed) finale.
Upon zooming back into Paris, the 18.4km circuit weaves through the northeast of the city, crossing the Saint-Martin and Ourcq canals, following Boulevard Sérurier, descending Rue de Ménilmontant, and winding towards Montmartre. The cyclists will have to complete the circuit three times, but where is best to watch it?
We’d recommended plonking yourself on the Montmartre hill to catch a glimpse of the cyclists who’ll be riding for their lives to grasp Olympic glory. After the climb, it’s a high-speed race to the finish line on the Pont Alexandre III – sounds pretty exhilarating!
Here’s our full guide to everything you need to know about the Paris 2024 Olympics, and here’s a roundup of the other free events on offer.
Did you see that a massive new cycling route linking eight European countries has opened?
Plus: Here’s why the Czech Republic has changed its name to Czechia.
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