"I hope it will be a stage for men like Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel" - Tour de France course designer Thierry Gouvenou amidst criticism of gravel inclusion
Cycling
Ever since the complete, stage-by-stage profile of the 2024 Tour de France was revealed on Wednesday, the talk of the cycling world has been stage 9 and the controversial inclusion of gravel.
Speaking to L'Equipe, ASO course designer responsible for working out how the Tour de France will look, Thierry Gouvenou has responded to this somewhat mixed reaction to this particular stage. “We have made the promise never to plan two sprint stages in a row again. So we had to come up with a smart way to cross the Alps," he reveals. "It's a bit like the cobblestone stage in 2010 (won by Thor Hushovd. ed.). Then it had also been 20 years since we had put cobblestones in the course."
Whilst criticism have come from such varied sources as Jumbo-Visma's Richard Plugge, Soudal - Quick-Step leader Remco Evenepoel and BORA - hansgrohe boss Ralph Denk, Gouvenou remains steadfast in his belief the stage will bring brilliant entertainment for spectators both on the roadside and watching on TV.
If a team decides to go all the way, it will be a draw. And that ribbon will eventually break. I hope it will be a stage for men like Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel. I hope they will create chaos," he explains.
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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🔎 A look at some of the gravel roads of stage 9. Here is the Chemin de Baroville, 2nd sector of the day. 🔎 Un œil sur certains des chemins blancs au programme de l’étape 9 du #TDF2024, avec ici le Chemin de Baroville, 2eme des 14 secteurs du jour.
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