"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

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.