After a flat and fast Stage 10 at the 2024 Tour de France, Stage 11 will be a challenging 211 km route from Évaux-les-Bains to Le Lioran through the Massif Central region. Getting into the mountains in the back half of the stage, this will likely mark the beginning of the "true competition" which can begin to divide the field, lead to heroic breakaways, and create tactical battles between the general classification contenders.
Évaux-les-Bains is a commune located in the Creuse department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of central France. This small town has a rich history dating back to Roman times and is known for its thermal baths and spa facilities. The town was founded by the Romans in the first century, who developed thermal baths and called the place "Ivaonum," possibly after a deity named Ivaos. Over the centuries, Évaux-les-Bains has played various important roles: It became a place of pilgrimage after the 6th century due to the tomb of Christian hermit Marien. In the 13th century, it served as the regional capital of the Combraille area. During the Hundred Years War, the town was besieged by the Routiers. The Roman baths, which had been abandoned since the 5th century, regained popularity at the beginning of the 17th century and again in the 19th century. Today, Évaux-les-Bains boasts one of the most modern spa centers in France, offering therapeutic and warm waters suitable for various treatments
Le Lioran is a family-friendly ski resort located in the Auvergne region of France, situated in the heart of the Auvergne Volcanoes Regional Nature Park. It is the largest ski area in the Massif Central, covering 150 hectares. This region for the finish, the Massif Central, is a significant highland region located in south-central France, covering approximately 15% of mainland France's area. It consists of mountains and plateaus, formed during the Variscan orogeny, primarily composed of granitic and metamorphic rocks
This mountainous stage has over 4,350 meters of elevation gain, making it one of the most difficult stages of the 2024 Tour de France. The finale of this stage is also identical to stage 5 of the 2016 Tour de France, where Greg Van Avermaet won solo to takeover the Maillot Jaune. The last 50 km are particularly challenging, with the hardest climbs concentrated in this section. The final climb peaks 3 km from the finish, followed by a descent and a short uphill section to the line. The stage will offer opportunities for attacks and could create time gaps among the favorites.
The route has six categorized climbs, which will be key to follow and include the Côte de Mouilloux (Category 4), the Côte de Larodde (Category 3), the Col de Néronne (Category 2), the Puy Mary Pas de Peyrol (Category 1), the Col de Pertus (Category 2), and finally the Col de Font de Cère (Category 3)
Some names to keep an eye on at the start include Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek), Ben Healy (EF Education - EasyPost), Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers), and Richard Carapaz (EF Education - EasyPost.
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