2024 Cycling Season Review: The Year’s Biggest Races

2024 was an extraordinarily rewarding year for cycling. The Paris Olympics ignited passion around the world, the Tour de France once again delivered fierce battles, and Taiwan’s own domestic races drew large numbers of top riders. This article looks back at the most important cycling races of 2024, revisiting the unforgettable moments of competition.

Tour de France 2024

Dates: June 29 – July 21, 2024
Route: 21 stages, roughly 3,492 km total

Race Highlights

The 2024 Tour de France set off from Florence, Italy — a rare Grand Départ outside France in the race’s history, adding a distinctive cultural flavor to the event.

Final General Classification (Top 3):

Rank	Rider	Team	Time Gap
1	Tadej Pogačar	UAE Team Emirates	—
2	Jonas Vingegaard	Visma–Lease a Bike	+6’17"
3	Remco Evenepoel	Soudal Quick-Step	+9’18"

Pogačar claimed his third Tour de France title by an overwhelming margin, while also completing the historic Giro–Tour double (having also won the Giro d’Italia that same year), setting a new benchmark for modern professional cycling.

Key Stage Recaps

1. Stage 11 (Le Col du Galibier): Pogačar launched a decisive attack on the final climb, establishing a commanding lead in the overall standings
2. Stage 14 (individual time trial): A time trial that confirmed Pogačar’s all-round dominance
3. Stage 20 (Col de la Couillole): The toughest mountain stage of the year — Vingegaard fought hard but was unable to close the gap

Focus for Taiwanese Fans

Interest in the Tour de France among Taiwanese cycling fans has grown year after year. This edition featured Asian riders across several UCI WorldTour teams, and although no Taiwanese rider has yet reached the Tour de France stage, continued improvement in Taiwan’s cycling standards makes it a promising prospect for the future.

Paris 2024 Olympics Cycling Events

Dates: July 27 – August 11, 2024

The cycling events of the Paris 2024 Olympics spanned multiple disciplines held in and around Paris, with the roads outside the Palace of Versailles becoming an iconic backdrop for the road races.

Road Race Results

Men’s Road Race:

• Gold: Remco Evenepoel (Belgium)
• Silver: Biniam Girmay (Eritrea)
• Bronze: Christophe Laporte (France)

Evenepoel launched a powerful attack before the final sprint, successfully defending his Tokyo Olympics individual time trial gold while also claiming the road race title, making him the biggest winner of this Olympic cycling program.

Women’s Road Race:

• Gold: Kristen Faulkner (USA) — a stunning upset victory
• Silver: Marianne Vos (Netherlands)
• Bronze: Lotte Kopecky (Belgium)

Track Cycling and Mountain Biking

Track cycling events were held at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines velodrome in Paris, where Great Britain and the Netherlands once again delivered standout performances, continuing to dominate the track. In mountain biking, BMX Freestyle drew a large young audience, showcasing the diverse appeal of cycling.

Taiwan KOM Challenge 2024

Date: October 2024
Route: Qixingtan, Hualien → Hehuanshan (Wuling) Main Peak, approximately 105 km with about 3,275 m of climbing

Event Overview

The Taiwan KOM Challenge is Taiwan’s most iconic mountain cycling race, drawing top riders from Taiwan and abroad every year. The 2024 edition continued the event’s tradition of high-level competition.

2024 KOM Highlights:

• The proportion of international riders reached a record high
• Top men’s finishing times were concentrated between 3 hours 30 minutes and 3 hours 50 minutes
• Competition in the women’s category intensified, with strong performances from Taiwanese riders
• Favorable weather conditions allowed many riders to post personal best times

Taiwanese Riders’ Performance

Taiwanese riders showed clear overall improvement at the 2024 KOM, particularly with the rise of a younger generation injecting new energy into Taiwan’s competitive cycling scene. Several riders have begun making a name for themselves in UCI-sanctioned races, a sign of the growing maturity of Taiwan’s training environment.

Vuelta a España 2024

Dates: August 17 – September 8, 2024

Rank	Rider	Team
1	Primož Roglič	Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe
2	Ben O’Connor	Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale
3	Enric Mas	Movistar Team

Roglič claimed his fifth Grand Tour title overall (including four Vuelta a España wins), once again demonstrating his dominance in stage races.

Giro d’Italia 2024

Dates: May 4 – May 26, 2024

Tadej Pogačar likewise swept this edition of the Giro d’Italia, displaying unmatched dominance and securing the title well ahead of time, setting the stage for his later Giro–Tour double.

UCI Road World Championships 2024

Location: Zurich, Switzerland

Men’s Road Race: Remco Evenepoel took gold, cementing his status as the best all-round rider of 2024
Women’s Road Race: Elisa Balsamo (Italy) took gold

Overall Trends in 2024 Cycling

On the Racing Side

1. The Establishment of the Pogačar Era: His double-title feat in 2024 sparked industry-wide discussion about whether he is heading toward Eddy Merckx-level dominance
2. The Rise of Emerging Markets: Strong performances by African riders (especially from Eritrea) in the Olympic road race hint at an expanding global map for the sport
3. Greater Visibility for Women’s Racing: Major races increased media coverage of women’s events, with more broadcast time and higher prize money

On the Taiwan Cycling Scene

1. Continued Growth in Participation: Registration numbers for major cycling events repeatedly hit new highs
2. Infrastructure Upgrades: Multiple counties and cities built or improved their cycling lane networks
3. Increased International Exchange: More Taiwanese riders traveled abroad to compete in UCI races and accumulate points
4. Growing E-bike Community: The user base for electric-assist bicycles has diversified in age, spurring discussion around related events

Looking Ahead to 2025

Key points of interest for the 2025 cycling season include:

• Whether Pogačar can complete a third consecutive Tour de France title
• Vingegaard’s form as he returns from injury
• Whether a rider can break the existing Taiwan KOM record
• The performances of emerging young riders in the Grand Tours

Conclusion

2024 was a year full of historic moments in cycling. From Pogačar’s legendary double title to the thrilling competition of the Paris Olympics, from the high-mountain showdown of Taiwan KOM to spectacular races held around the world, the sport of cycling continues to captivate hundreds of millions of fans worldwide. Here’s looking forward to even more surprises and inspiration in 2025.

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