According to a report by Italian sports newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, widely cited in other international media, the 2024 Tour de France may not finish on Paris’ Champs-Elysées. It would be the first finish outside of Paris in the race’s long history. The first edition of the world’s greatest bicycle race was held in 1903. For its 2024 edition, the Tour is expected to have its final stage on July 21st in Nice instead of Paris. This change is due to the 2024 Olympic Games being hosted in France’s capital city just days after the Tour de France is due to finish, Gazzetta dello Sport explained. Furthermore, the 111th edition of the bicycle race in 2024 is set to start in Florence to celebrate Italy’s history at the Tour de France 100 years after Ottavio Bottecchia’s victory. In 1924, Bottecchia was the first Italian to win the iconic bicycle race. It will be a unique start as well, since the Tour de France, which has visited Italy a number of times, has actually never started there. In addition to Bottecchia, Gazzetta dello Sport has revealed that some initial stages of the 2024 Tour de France will honor other Italian winners of the Tour, specifically Gino Bartali (who won it in 1948), Fausto Coppi (the winner in 1949 and 1952), Gastone Nencini (1960), and Marco Pantani (1998).

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