Who are the favourites for the 2024 Tour de France? Jonas Vingegaard, Tadej Pogacar, Primoz Roglic and more

The leading contender on the back of two outstanding wins in the Tour de France in 2022 and 2023, it seems it will take something special to stop the Dane in his pursuit of further greatness. Fitness concerns mean it looks likely Vingegaard will skip other races this year, including the Vuelta a Espana, perhaps in a move to ensure he can go all out when he takes the lead this time around again.

Close behind the incumbent champion, the Slovenian is another man looking to join an elite band of cyclists with three general classification wins at the event, having won in 2020 and 2021. Pogacar was previously denied by Vingegaard on collecting his hat-trick, and it seems fitting that the two men are likely to battle it out to see who can get there first this season. 

The former ski jumper was the first Slovenian to win a stage at the Tour de France, back in 2017, but is looking to complete a sweep of the three grand tours this time around after he won the Giro d’Italia in 2023. Three prior general classification wins at the Vuelta a Espana underline his pedigree, but Roglic will have to be at his best if he is to go all the way and collect the full set.

The young Belgian took his first general classification victory almost two years ago at the 2022 edition of the Vuelta a Espana and was a gold medalist at the World Championships in the elite time trial last year, too. Evenepoel has enjoyed success there but has yet to fully translate that to the Tour de France, meaning he will be all the more determined to prove his mettle near the front of the pack this time around.

The winner of Stage 14 in last year’s event, the young Spaniard could be considered something of a dark horse, but appears to be peaking in form at just the right moment. He claimed victory in the Tour de Romandie earlier this year, and will arrive in France full of confidence that he can break through  the established order at the top of the field and spring a surprise along the way.

The Briton won the young rider classification in 2016 and picked up his first stage win as a senior last year. That sets the scene for him to have a stronger tilt at the yellow jersey this year, and while Yates will be considered an outsider to many, his slowly burnished reputation - most recently capped with a Tour of Oman victory earlier this year - could see him set in good stead for this grand tour.

Last year’s young rider classification winner, the Spaniard has made a fast ascent through the peloton to emerge as a surprise candidate to impress at this year’s event. Victory in the Tour of the Basque Country won’t have hurt his chances in the slightest, and the 21-year-old could be one to watch for the future, particularly if he lays down a gauntlet this time around.

A two-time grand tour winner, Bernal made history when he won the Tour de France in 2019. But the Colombian hasn’t quite hit those heights again, at least not since a general classification win in the 2021 edition of the Giro d’Italia. That might put him in the frame to fly under the radar and surprise a few heavyweights, particularly if he can find his rhythm during the early stages of the event.

The American claimed the Tour of Oman last year, and won the Paris-Nice this year, which could hand him an advantage given his impressive performance in France so far this term already. But in what will be a very competitive field, he will have to see if he can cut through a crowded pack to stand out from the rest of the peloton when it comes down to business.

Victory at Stage 15 of the 2021 Tour de France is the American’s best result in this grand tour, but he will have to show some serious improvement to break away near the front. That being said, a surprise victory in the general classification of the 2023 Vuelta a Espana has seen his stock dramatically soar over the past year, and he may hope he can use it as a springboard for success this time around.

The Australian claimed the 2022 Giro d’Italia before picking up victory at Stage 5 last year in the Tour de France, briefly holding the yellow jersey afterwards. He came home in seventh in the end, unable to keep up with the frontrunners all the way through, but that will only encourage him to push further and faster this year, as he chases a piece of history in Europe.

Arguably the greatest cyclist of the modern era to never win the general classification at the Tour de France, the Manx racer’s task will likely be to find a record 35th stage win rather than the yellow jersey. A two-time points classification winner here, Cavendish has never won any of the three grand tours outright but is sure to be eyeing up a hero’s send-off from legions of fans and other racers who admire him.

When does the 2024 Tour de France start?

The 2024 Tour de France starts on Saturday, June 29 this year, and runs through Sunday, July 21.

Who is the defending champion at the 2024 Tour de France?

Jonas Vingegaard is the defending champion at the 2024 Tour de France, having won it last year. The Dane, riding with Team Jumbo-Visma, is looking to join the elite group of riders to win three editions and will have high hopes of a historic hat-trick in France.

What is the prize money at the Tour de France?

The prize money for the Tour de France is a total pot of €2.3m (£1.9m/$2.5m), with the winner of the general classification earning €500,000 (£420,000/$535,000) for victory in the event.

Where can I watch the Tour de France?

In the United States, the Tour de France will be broadcast by NBC Sports across NBC, USA Network, and Peacock.

With coverage of the entire race, plus a host of other sports and entertainment coverage, subscribers can enjoy a rich selection of options with Peacock. Customers can subscribe to Peacock Premium with ads for $5.99 per month and Peacock Premium Plus without ads for $11.99 per month.

Watch the Tour de France on Peacock in the US

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In the United Kingdom, fans can watch coverage of the Tour de France through ITV4 and Eurosport, and stream the action on Discovery+.

Offering coverage from all TNT sports channels, Discovery+ allows customers to access a wide variety of sporting content for just £3.99 per month.

Watch the Tour de France on Discovery+ in the UK

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