L'Etape by Tour de France

The Tour de France organizers A.S.O. stand behind an international series of sportive cycling events under the name L'Etape by Tour de France. In 2024, the road courses at Hærvejsløbet - The Viking Gran Fondo together with the finishing city of Viborg are part of this series under the name L'Etape Denmark by Tour de France.

This means that you get the chance to feel almost like a Tour de France rider for a day.

Below, you can read more about, what this means for you as a participant.

What does it mean to you as a participant?

All participants will still experience the exciting and challenging routes, the great signage, the great atmosphere and selection in the feeding stations, the unique ending and parade riding and the big celebration in the finish area.

In addition, the event as a whole and especially the road riders will now have an added Tour de France feel.

This means amongst other things:

• The experience in the finishing area will be extraordinary with a so far unseen yellow celebration and the addition of a smaller Village known from the Tour de France finishing cities.
• Use of Tour de France logos, colors and symbols on the website and in our communication.
• The routes contain short timed KOM and Sprint segments. Here it's possible to compete for the official Tour de France leaders' jerseys.
• The green jersey is awarded to the male and female on each route with the fastest accummulated time on all timed flat segments.
• The polka dot jersey is awarded to the male and female on each route with the fastest accummulated time on all timed climbing segments.
• The yellow jersey is awarded to the male and female on each route with the fastest time for the whole route.
• The feed stations will have the incredible atmosphere and selection they are known for, but with more of a french and Tour de France vibe.
• The winners of the different jerseys will be celebrated at an official podium ceremony in the finishing area.
• Further improved routes and rider safety.
• Unique pre-access to registration for the L'Etape du Tour de France.

Are the MTB and gravel routes included?

The L'Etape by Tour de France event series are based on road races - just like the actual Tour de France. Therefore, the MTB and gravel routes are not an official part of the L'Etape concept.

If you ride MTB or gravel, you can expect an event of the usual high quality that characterize Hærvejsløbet - The Viking Gran Fondo. You will meet the Tour de France atmosphere in the finish area in Viborg though, so that's an added bonus.

It has been important to us to remind ourselves and A.S.O. that the MTB and gravel participants are equally important to our event as the road participants.

Therefore, the MTB and gravel routes still have our full attention, so that we can maintain our high quality.

Is the event all about competition now?

It is not. It's important for us to keep hold of the DNA of Hærvejsløbet - The Viking Gran Fondo. This DNA is about riding together, sharing a great cycling experience, taking your time to enjoy the feed stations and challenge yourself at your own level.

We won't change that. The L'Etape concept is an add-on that lifts the quality of the whole event, that throws a bit of Tour de France magic over especially the finishing area and that reminds us of the Danish Grand Depárt of 2022.

Furthermore, L'Etape gives a unique opportunity to the riders wanting to compete with an against eachother.

The timed segments make it possible for you to follow your group to the start of the segment, do the segment as quick as you can, if you want to, and then wait for you group again afterwards.

Why is Hærvejsløbet - The Viking Gran Fondo part of the L'Etape series?

Just like the rest of us, A.S.O. were hugely impressed by the Danish Grand Depárt. They wanted to leave a lasting mark in Denmark for the Danes to remember the Tour de France and to let the cycling fever continue in Denmark for many more years.

The Danish event organizers Sport Event Denmark together with the finishing city of Viborg and us, the organizers of Hærvejsløbet - The Viking Gran Fondo, share ambitions to attract more international participants to our event.

Together, we want to showcase cycling and sports in Denmark internationally, show off our beautiful and cycling friendly country as well as the charming city of Viborg as a tourist destination, and involve the local clubs and communities in the development of cycling and our event.

By creating an even better event under the L'Etape concept, more people want to participate and start riding their bikes. More participants can lead to more cyclists in general and more members in the cycling clubs.

Furthermore, the organizing clubs and associations will receive more money for their work, so they can create even better framework for sports in their local communities.