The 2024 Tour de France - the first not to finish in Paris owing to the Olympic Games in the same city - will kick off on Saturday, June 29.
The biggest cycling race on the calendar has a clear favourite in Tadej Pogacar, but plenty of other contenders to take home the famous yellow jersey.
Here is a quick recap of every stage, and the ones you can't afford to miss.
Stage 1: Florence to Rimini
Date: Saturday, June 29
Distance: 206km
Type: Hilly
General classification importance: 6/10
A difficult, hilly opening to the Tour this year in Italy. Plenty of hills as the peloton snake their way towards the coast, before a flat finish in the city of Rimini.
A series of Category 2 and Category 3 climbs situated between 70 and 27 kilometres from the finish line will certainly create some nervous sprinters holding dreams of putting on the first yellow jersey.
Hard to say if they will make it to the end though. Without those teams controlling things at rapid pace, it could even be that a breakaway sneaks away for the opening win of this year's Tour.
Stage 2: Cesenatico to Bologne
Date: Sunday, June 30
Distance: 199km
Type: Hilly
General classification importance: 4/10
Another difficult early stage. Four Category 3 climbs lumping their way over the final 60 kilometres of the course will once again create difficulty for sprinters desperate to get off the mark.
The climbers and general classification candidates trying to stay out of trouble will make things a bit hairy too.
Sprinters should be able to take this one though, even if the final climb only tops out 13 kilometres from the finish line.
Stage 3:
Date: Monday, July 1
Distance: Plaisance to Turin
Type: Flat
General classification importance: 0/10
The final day of the race in Italy finally sees a genuine chance for the sprinters. At 230 kilometres, it's a long one, but there is little doubt that with only three Category 4 climbs on the course, they will take the chocolates here.
Stage 4: Pinerolo to Valloire
Date: Tuesday, July 2
Distance: 139.6km
Type: Mountain
Importance: 8/10
The race crosses back into France during Stage 4 and with it comes the first major mountain stage.
A long dragging climb to Sestrieres - almost 40 kilometres uphill - will burn the legs early, before the sharper Category 2 climb of the Col de Montgenevre follows directly afterwards.
Then, it's straight up the Col du Galibier. A beat of a climb usually reserved for the second or third week being tackled on Stage 4 will be a nasty wake up call for the peloton, with a dangerous descent then to follow down to the finish line.
You can't win the race on Stage 4, but you can certainly lose it.
Stage 5: Saint-Jean-De-Maurienee to Saint-Vulbas
Date: Wednesday, July 3
Distance: 177.4km
Type: Flat
Importance: 0/10
After the first day in the mountains, it'll be back to the sprinters for Stage 5.
A flat 177.4 kilometre run into Saint-Vulbas, the race will only feature two Category 4 climbs before setting up for a fast and furious finish.
Stage 6: Saone-Et-Loire to Dijon
Date: Thursday, July 4
Distance: 163.5km
Type: Flat
Importance: 0/10
The race will continue to snake up the eastern side of France, with Stage 6 finishing in Dijon.
A tick over 160 kilometres, and pancake flat. There is a single Category 4 climb shortly after the start, and then the road doesn't vary more than 50 metres up or down.
A breakaway will go clear, get mowed down, and the sprinters will have their way.
Stage 7: Nuits-Saint-Georges to Gevrey-Chambertin
Date: Friday, July 5
Distance: 25.3km
Type: Individual Time Trial
Importance: 10/10
It doesn't get any more important than the race against the clock. A little lumpy through the middle, but otherwise flat, and long enough to cause the non time trialists some serious headaches.
Expect that, after Stage 4, this will be the second major shake up of the general classification and determine which riders need to go for broke afterwards.
Stage 8: Semur-En-Auxois to Colombey-Les-Deux-Eglises
Date: Saturday, July 6
Distance: 183.4km
Type: Flat
Importance: 1/10
A fairly flat, yet dangerous stage as the peloton continue to snake up the eastern corridor of France. Five categorised climbs, all either Category 3 or Category 4, won't add a heap to the profile, but they will just add a little bit to a fast and furious stage.
A danger day for the general classification riders and a chance for the sprinters.
Stage 9: Troyes to Troyes
Date: Sunday, July 7
Distance: 199km
Type: Hilly, Gravel
Importance: 7/10
This stage is being regarded as hilly. In truth, four Category 4 climbs won't really prove to be the challenge here.
Instead, it's 14 seconds of gravel roads.
Cobblestones or gravel at a race where riders who like cobblestones or gravel are carnage. Cobblestones or gravel at the Tour de France with general classification riders trying to stay out of trouble and opportunists looking for a stage win are ridiculous.
This will be a stage you can't miss leading into the first rest day.
Stage 10: Orleans to Saint-Amand-Montrond
Date: Tuesday, July 9
Distance: 187.3km
Type: Flat
Importance: 0/10
After getting as close to Paris as it was going to get, the race now heads back to the south, starting out from Orleans after the well deserved rest day.
No categorised climbs, an early intermediate sprint and no other difficulties to speak of mean this is one for the sprinters. Chances dwindle during the second half of the race, so the green jersey race kicks into overdrive during Stage 10.
Stage 11: Evaux-Les Bains to Le Lioran
Date: Wednesday, July 10
Distance: 211km
Type: Mountain
Importance: 7/10
This is one of those stages that is somewhere between hilly and mountain, and has a breakaway written all over it.
Two early easy climbs and a long stretch of flat where the sprint teams won't be interested, and the climbing teams will keep their powder clear could give enough time to the men in the break.
Four climbs at the back end including the Category 1 Puy Mary Pas de Peyrol with little time for respite on downhill or flat mean there could be changes to the general classification.
Stage 12: Aurillac to Villeneuve-Sur-Lot
Date: Thursday, July 11
Distance: 203.6km
Type: Flat
Importance: 0/10
The stage starts 600 metres above sea level in Aurillac and finishes at just 69 metres in Villeneuve-Sur-Lot.
Three Category 4 climbs lie in between, but there isn't much in the way of difficulty. Sprinters stage.
Stage 13: Agen to Pau
Date: Thursday, July 12
Distance: 165.3km
Type: Flat
Importance: 0/10
Pau is a typical rest day spot for the Tour. It won't be this year, but still hosts the end of a flat Stage 13, with it being the last chance for the sprinters before things launch uphill.
A little bit on the hilly side towards the end of the day, but this will be a race for the finish.
Stage 14: Pau to Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla D'Adet
Date: Saturday, July 13
Distance: 151.9km
Type: Mountain
Importance: 9/10
The first summit finish of this year's tour comes on Stage 14 at Saint-Lary, a hors categorie climb that snaked uphill for 10.6 kilometres at almost 8 per cent.
That's brutal enough, but when you consider the peloton will have battled the Col du Tourmalet and Hourquette d'Ancizan, this is going to be as hard as it gets.
Stage 15: Loudenvielle to Plateau de Beille
Date: Sunday, July 14
Distance: 197.7km
Type: Mountain
Importance: 9/10
If Stage 14 was tough enough, then the organisers have been keen to ensure this would be a weekend from hell, with the Col de Peyresourde, Col de Mente and Col de Portet-d'Aspet all climbed in the first 65 kilometres of Stage 15.
Long valley roads that could allow a breakaway to go well clear follow, before the Col d'Agnes and then a hors categorie summit finish to the Plateau de Beille - 15.8 kilometres at 7.9%. This weekend will knock a lot of general classification cyclists out of the running.
Stage 16: Gruissan to Nines
Date: Tuesday, July 16
Distance: 188.6km
Type: Flat
Importance: 0/10
The rest day - which comes after two tough stages - is then followed by a flat stage to Nimes. It's long at almost 190 kilometres, but brings with it no major difficulties. One for the sprinters before the legs hurt going uphill again.
Stage 17: Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux to Superdevoluy
Date: Wednesday, July 17
Distance: 177.8km
Type: Mountain
Importance: 8/10
The road goes back uphill on Stage 17 into Superdevoluy. All of the climbs though are at the back end in what could be a day for the breakaway. No hors categorie climbs, but the sequence of the Category 2 Col Bayard, Category 1 Col du Noyer and Category 3 summit finish are brutal with barely a metre of flat roads.
Stage 18: Gap to Barcelonnette
Date: Thursday, July 18
Distance: 179.5km
Type: Hilly
Importance: 5/10
This should be one for the breakaway. Five Category 3 climbs, barely a metre of flat and a long uphill uncategorised plateau into the finish will make this far too tough for the sprinters, but the climbers won't be interested either, instead saving their powder for the last three stages.
Stage 19: Embrun to Isola 2000
Date: Friday, July 19
Distance: 144.6km
Type: Mountain
Importance: 10/10
This is a brutal stage to kick off the final three days of action. At just 144.6 kilometres, it's fairly punchy, and includes three big climbs. First, it's up the Col de Vars, which is summited just over 100 kilometres from the finish line.
The Cime de La Bonette - at over 22 kilometres in length - comes next, before a long descent leads to the final climb to Isola 2000, 16.1 kilometres at 7.1 per cent. More riders will be tossed by the wayside here.
Stage 20: Nice to Col de La Couillole
Date: Saturday, July 20
Distance: 132.8km
Type: Mountain
Importance: 9/10
Starting where the race finishes in Nice, this stage has four categorised climbs and will undoubtedly create gaps. Anyone who is down the pecking order or needs time before a time trial will go early given the stage is only 132km.
It kicks off in Nice, going to the Category 2 Col de Braus, then the Category 1 Col de Turini within the first 60 kilometres.
A long descent follows before the riders climb the 7.5-kilometre, 7.1% Col de la Comiane, with the final climb to the finish then also Category 1, 15.7 kilometres at 7.1 per cent. There is barely a metre of flat on the route.
Stage 21: Moncao to Nice
Date: Sunday, July 21
Distance: 33.7km
Type: Individual Time Trial
Importance: 10/10
A picturesque final stage if there ever was one - for the audience anyway.
Instead of champagne, photos and the slow roll into Paris, Stage 21 this year is a hilly individual time trial including the steep Col d'Eze and La Turbie.
This is as tough a finish to a Tour de France as there ever has been, and whoever stands on the top finish of the podium in Nice will have certainly earned it.
