"I am not in favour of that, because the luck factor is greatly involved" - Richard Plugge laments appearance of gravel in 2024 Tour de France route
Cycling
The profiles and routes of the 2024 Tour de France have been revealed and an interesting, exciting race looks assured. Jumbo-Visma boss Richard Plugge has given some reaction and despite being mostly pleased, there is one standout concern.
"It is a beautiful course, but with a small blemish," Plugge says to the global press immediately following the presentation, in quotes collected by In de Leiderstrui. "And that is the 32 kilometres of gravel. I am not in favour of that, because the luck factor is greatly involved. Why do you have to go looking for gravel again?"
The potential damage that stage 9 around Troyes could do may possibly outweigh many of the mountain challenges and that is what concerns Plugge. "When we had three kilometres on the Col de la Loze, I thought it was already a lot. It can destroy so much," said the Dutchman. "Why are you looking for it? I'm glad there are well-paved roads."
Nevertheless, the chances of a third successive Maillot Jaune look positive he believes. "The Tour de France is the highest achievable. I also expect Primoz Roglic, Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel to come, so that will be fantastic to see. With Jonas we can go for a third victory," he explains. "We have now had a great year, with three Grand Tours. That will be difficult to match, so we have to see how it will be possible to ride a good Giro, Tour and Vuelta for next season. Who goes where then, other than Jonas, is something for later."
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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Etape 9 / Stage 9 - #TDF2024 🚩 @VilledeTroyes - @VilledeTroyes 🏁 199 km 🤩 14 sectors of white roads, 32 km in total onto the gravel and into the dust. 🤩14 secteurs de chemins blancs pour un total de 32 km dans la poussière et les cailloux.
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