Less that ten minutes until the stage gets underway with Davide Ballerini (AST) kicking things off. 

Now retired darling of French cycling, Thibaut Pinot, enjoying his time around Nice on a Lime Bike with his friends earlier today…

This is a tough, tight and technical course today with lots of climbing and descending on the menu. An added technicality is that rain is in the locale and has already been raining. 

This will likely mean all riders will probably be using road bikes. But, the use of tech will be very interesting to see. 

Interestingly, Vingegaard (TVL) has been pictured riding his TT bike on his stage recon. 

A brilliant race by several other riders involved in the break with Jonas Abrahamsen (UXM) animating the first week and a half of the race then with the baton taken on by Richard Carapaz (EFE) who takes a stage win, polka dots and has been given the super combativity prize too. 

Jonas Vingegaard (TVL) just over 100 days after being in hospital when he broke almost every bone in the upper right hand side of his body as well as a puncture and collapsed lung. He is set to finish a magnificent second place and also takes away a stage win, too. He starts today around three minutes ahead of world time trial champion, Remco Evenepoel (SOQ). 

The first one that will also get a lot of focus today is Sir Mark Cavendish (AST) finishing his final Tour de France as the record holder for the most stage wins. 35 and out for the Manx Missile. It will be an emotional moment for him. 

Today will have a lot of attention around Tadej Pogačar (UAD) and rightly so. However, there was so much more to shout about in this race…

Just 45 minutes until the first rider, Davide Ballerini (AST), sets off. 

Cube have really stepped up with the custom paint job for history maker, Biniam Girmay (IWA)… What a beautiful bike!

Fans in Nice were treated to what looked like a truly spectacular light show last night with drones being the stars of the show as they made various shapes in the sky, such as this cyclists…

Check out our preview of the time trial course courtesy of Nice resident and former WorldTour pro Joe Dombrowski!

Tour de France ITT finale in Nice ‘test of nerves and descending prowess’ – Joe Dombrowski’s stage 21 analysis

And the stage 20 results/GC picture heading into stage 21…

A look back at yesterday’s stage 20, where Tadej Pogačar triumphed yet again…

Tour de France: Tadej Pogačar stamps his authority in yellow with stage 20 victory ahead of Jonas Vingegaard

Richard Carapaz, already a stage winner and the king of the mountains at this Tour, has been awarded the super-combativity prize, too.

How to watch the 2024 Tour de France – TV schedule, live streaming worldwide

There’s also news from Chloe Dygert as she prepares to take on the Paris Olympic Games.

‘There were times when I thought I wasn’t going to make it’ – Chloé Dygert ready for third Olympic Games

Some news away from the Tour this morning is that Peter Sagan is ending his career today.

Peter Sagan draws professional career to a close at Slovak MTB Championships

And the map with the route winding west from Monaco to Nice… 

Here’s the profile of today’s stage…

Take a look at the full list of Tour de France stage 21 start times here.

Ballerini kicks the time trial off at 14:40 and Tadej Pogačar is last off at 18:45.

Around two hours to go until the first riders – Davide Ballerini, Mark Cavendish, Jarrad Drizners – start their efforts today.

Bonjour and welcome to Cyclingnews’ live coverage of stage 21 of the 2024 Tour de France!