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Tour de Romandie Féminin: Route, start list, how to watch and all you need to know
The Tour de Romandie Féminin kicks off this week, running from Friday 6th September until Sunday 8th September. The women’s stage race through French-speaking Switzerland will take place for the third time this year, with Demi Vollering and Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio having won the first two editions.
The race falls just one month before Switzerland hosts the UCI World Road Championships, so should prove to be an ideal tune-up for those looking to target the rainbow jersey in Zürich later this month.
The three-stage race will also see Tour de France Femmes champion Kasia Niewiadoma return to racing for the first time since her triumph atop Alpe d’Huez last month. In fact, the full podium from the Tour – Niewiadoma, Demi Vollering and Pauliena Rooijakkers – will all be present on the start line in Romandy. Other big names in attendance include World Champion Lotte Kopecky, Juliette Labous, Évita Muzic, Neve Bradbury, Gaia Realini and former Swiss champion Marlen Reusser.
Tour de Romandie Féminin 2024: Key information
Dates: Friday 6th September to Sunday 8th September
Start: La Grande Béroche
Finish: Morges
Total length: 379.9km (three stages)
Total elevation gain: 5,130m
UK television coverage: Discovery+
2023 winner: Demi Vollering (SD Worx)
Tour de Romandie Féminin 2024 route
The 2024 Tour de Romandie Féminin takes place across the French-speaking Romandy region in the west of Switzerland. This year’s route spans three road stages, starting in La Grande Béroche and finishing in Morges.
The parcours covers two hilly stages either side of Stage 2’s mountainous summit finish in Vercorin. All the towns hosting the 2024 edition of the race are newcomers with the exception of Lausanne, which held the opening stage of the 2022 race won by Arlenis Sierra. Vercorin on Stage 2 has never hosted a stage finish in a men’s or women’s pro race.
Stage 1: La Grande Béroche to Lausanne, 133.8km
The opening stage of the women’s Tour de Romandie will take the riders on a postcard lap around Switzerland’s biggest lakes. Starting in La Grande Béroche on the banks of Lac de Neuchâtel, the route then negotiates some rolling terrain before the race opens up on the shore of Lake Geneva.
The final challenge of the day will come in Lausanne, the home city of this year’s Olympics. The approach to the finish line will last 2.2km at an average gradient of 4.6%. This finish will be familiar to fans of the men’s Tour de France, having been used on Stage 8 of the 2022 Tour.
in terms of predictions, look no further than Kopecky.
Stage 2: Chippis to Vercorin, 101.9km
We move into the mountains for Stage 2 as the race weaves its way around the mountainous end of the Rhône valley before the climb to the finish. The profile is mostly flat for the first part of the stage, bar a categorised climb up to Varen.
However, the final sting in the tail comes in the final 10km with the climb up to Vercorin. The climb is 9.6km at a 8.2% average gradient. This Category 1 test will be the hardest climb of the 2024 race, and the only summit finish on the menu this year. The summit, at 1,319m, will be the highest point in the 2024 race.
For the GC riders, the climb up to Vercorin will be pivotal and will likely decide the fate of the podium candidates. For Vollering, it will be her chance to use the climb to seal a back-to-back victory in the Swiss race. Other hopefuls such as France’s Évita Muzic may also challenge on this kind of slope.
Stage 3: Morges to Morges, 144.2km
The Tour de Romandie Féminin ends with a punchy stage around Lake Geneva, finishing in the town of Morges.
At around 40km to go, the climb of Signal du Bougy is well place to shake up proceedings. The sharp, 4km long climb at 6% is hard enough, and close enough to the finish, that any time gaps that open up could well be decisive. After some shorter inclines, the road will dive down back into the lakeside town for one last chance for glory.
This stage could be fought out by a breakaway, or if the GC is tight, by the favourites in a select group. Either way, it should be an unpredictable finale to the 2024 edition.
Tour de Romandie Féminin 2024: How to watch on live TV and streaming
The 2024 Tour de Romandie Féminin will be available to watch on Discovery+. The cheapest plan for the streaming service is £6.99 per month, which includes cycling and all other Eurosport programmes.
It is being broadcast across 198 countries, but it’s not being shown in your country, you may be able to watch coverage using a VPN – Virtual Private Network – which allows users to mask their IP address and watch geo-blocked content, provided they don’t need to pay for a subscription. This is also helpful for watching paid-for coverage while travelling abroad in countries without access.
One such example is ExpressVPN, which is very well reviewed, helps users to find a way to watch cycling without having to pay for broadcasters services, and costs £5.36 per month, with three months free. Other options include NordVPN, Surfshark and Kapersky.
Tour de Romandie Féminin 2024 broadcast times
All times BST and subject to change by broadcasters
Stage 1: Friday 6th September
Discovery+: 13:00-16:00
Stage 2: Saturday 7th September
Discovery+: 13:00-16:00
Stage 3: Sunday 8th September
Discovery+: 13:00-16:00
Tour de Romandie Féminin 2024 start list
Data powered by FirstCycling.com
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