Tour de France 2024 | Geo-Sports

Stage 21: Underwater Alps

Do the underwater Alps exist? We look at plate tectonics one more time and find a twist in the tale on the Mediterranean coast on stage 21.
Stage 1: A shaky start

Stage 1 could get off to a shaky start as Italy is prone to earthquakes. We explain what happens below the ground.
Stage 2: Add some salt

Can you imagine the Mediterranean completely barren and dry? It happened in the Messinian. Today we add some salt to the stage.
Stage 3: A long ride

It’s a long ride on stage 3 of the Tour de France today but along the route riders and spectators will be able to see some amazing things like underground wine cellars
Stage 4: An ocean on a mountain

How do you get an ocean on top of a mountain? Follow the journey of the oceanic rocks to the top of the Montgenevre.
Stage 5: What time is it?

How do you determine what time it is when you are examining rocks? Ask the ammonite! These fossils lived in the seas along today’s course.
Stage 6: Wine and mustard

Geology shapes the landscape but also how to use it. The Bresse Graben along stage 6 made for great transport routes and fabulous wine.
Stage 7: Ancient seas make fine wines

Ancient seas make fine wines. This is true for Burgundy where limestones from the time the land was covered in sea, define wine flavor.
Stage 8: Building history

We are building history with limestone today, after making wine yesterday and racing gravel tomorrow. It’s a limestone weekend!
Stage 9: It’s all about gravel

Limestone is at the basis of today’s stage as it is the very foundation we race on. It’s all about gravel on stage 9 but what is gravel?
Stage 10: The Paris Basin

The surface of stage 10 may seem flat but below the wheels of the riders we find the fascinating history of the Paris Basin.
Stage 11: Fiery future

What if stage 11 would take place in a fiery future? What if there would still be volcanic activity around the course?
Stage 12: First humans

We looked under the earth, at rocks, dinosaurs, high mountains, deep plate tectonics, and oceans but we never looked at the people on the earth. There are almost 8 billion of us right now and 68 million of them in France but there was a moment the first hominid, or early humans, entered what we…
Stage 13: Fuel up

Riders need to fuel up for stage 13 but so does most of the race caravan. France has oil and gas reserves but also uses geology to store CO2.
Stage 14: Tectonic training camp

For today’s stage 14, Earth went on a tectonic training camp to work on the strong forces needed to create those Pyrenean climbs.
Stage 15: Velo d’ore

We ride through the Pyrenees on stage 15. The region is rich in ore. Some ores are used in our tyres making them a true velo d’ore.
Stage 16: Dinosaur paradise

In a true dinosaur paradise, a set of big teeth were found near stage 16 finish line. It led to the discovery of a new species of dinosaur.
Stage 17: Vercors

The Vercors Massif of stage 17 brings us truffles grown on limestone from an ancient sea plus a natural fortress to defend against the enemy.
Stage 18: Uplifting story

Ready for an uplifting story? The Alps of stage 18 are still getting higher. Will the riders have to climb even higher next year?
Stage 19: How high is high?

How high is high is the question when we cross the highest peak of the Tour de France on stage 19. The science of geodesy has the answer.
Stage 20: Catastrophe

In 2020 catastrophe hit the Vésubie valley, a place we see on stage 20. Sediments from the river caused major damage. It could happen again.