The 2024 Tour de France is almost certain to start in Italy, with Piedmont president Alberto Cirio revealing that the race will conclude with stages in Tuscany and Reggio Emilia, followed by Italy's first grande parle in Turin and Pinerolo.

The 2023 Tour will start in the Basque Country, and race organizers are likely to announce in January that the 2024 Grande Boucle will start in Italy.

The Tour has visited Italy many times, and Italian riders have won the Tour 10 times, but the race has never started in Bel Paese. Race director Chirstian Prudhomme and his staff have visited Italy many times, but have avoided confirming that the race starts in Italy.

After celebrating the success of the recent ATP Finals of Tennis in Turin, the President of the Piedmont region could not help but confirm a visit to the Tour in 2024.

"I can say that the 2024 Tour de France will visit Piedmont with important stages around Turin and Pinerolo. At the moment, I can't say more than that," said Alberto Cirio.

Thanks to a donation of 10 million euros from Tuscany, Emilia Romagna, and Piedmont, the 2024 Grand Boucle will include four stages in Italy before crossing the Alps into France.

Because Paris will host the 2024 Olympics from July 26 to August 11, this year's Tour will be held a week earlier than usual, from June 29 to July 21. The finish could be in Nice instead of Paris.

Ottavio Bottecchia was the first Italian to win the Tour de France, and 2024 will mark the 100th anniversary of his victory. [Meanwhile, the second stage starts in Cesenatico, where Marco Pantani was born, and finishes in the center of Bologna. The stage may climb to Barberino di Mugello in memory of Gastone Nencini, the 1960 winner.

Stage 3 enters Piedmont from northern Emilia, possibly visiting Castellania, birthplace of Fausto Coppi, before finishing in Turin. Stage 4 starts in Pinerolo and crosses the Alps into France.