Any pre-race fears of a boring Tour de France have been put to bed in the first week. We’ve reached the first rest day of the 2024 Tour, and it’s been non-stop excitement for nine stages.

We discuss it all in this rest day episode of the Velo Podcast. Velo social media manager Hannah Knapp hosts the discussion with Velo European correspondent Andrew Hood, who’s following the race on the ground in France, and Velo contributor and former pro cyclist Bobby Julich, who raced the Tour nine times and once finished in third place. 

We kick things off with a discussion of the much talked about gravel stage, stage 9. Does this parcours have a place in grand tour racing? Then we discuss the GC standings. Pogačar is in first, but doesn’t have the margin he would hope after a week of attacking. 

Then we shift to Mark Cavendish’s record setting 35th stage win, and Biniam Girmay’s excellent Tour, with two stage wins and the green jersey. On the flip side, Jasper Philipsen is having a frustrating Tour with second places and a relegation. 

The show also covers the incredible Tour that small teams and French teams and riders have been having, and then looks ahead to the second week of racing and what everyone is excited to watch.