Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic triathlon route revealed, with races taking place in the heart of the city 

On Thursday 27 April, Paris 2024 revealed the route for the Olympic and Paralympic triathlon events, which will both take place in the heart of the city of Paris.

The individual triathlon events of Olympic Games Paris 2024 will take place on 31 July 2024, starting at 8:00 am and 10:45 am CET. The 55 male and 55 female triathletes who qualify for the Games will compete to win gold, following in the footsteps of Kristian Blummenfelt (Norway) and Flora Duffy (Bermuda) who both triumphed in Tokyo.

“At Paris 2024, we wanted to magnify the triathlon, which has been a popular Olympic sport since its debut on the Olympic programme at Sydney 2000. Therefore, we have taken special care to design the triathlon and Para triathlon course, which will both be spectacular, in the heart of the city and at the foot of some of the most beautiful monuments in Paris,” explained Tony Estanguet, President of Paris 2024.

The start will take place on a floating pontoon below the Pont Alexandre III bridge. After a 1.5 km swim through the River Seine (covering two laps, with a 910m first lap and a 590m second lap), the triathletes will reach the transition zone (swim to bike) for the first time on the Pont Alexandre III bridge, after climbing 32 stairs - a first in the history of the Olympic Games.

Cycling on the Champs-Élysées

Competitors will then cycle for 40 km (7 laps of 5.715 km), riding along the Avenue Winston Churchill, and passing in front of the Grand Palais and the Petit Palais, before arriving at two of the most beautiful avenues in the world, the Champs-Elysées and the Avenue Montaigne, crossing the Seine by the Pont des Invalides and reaching the Quai d'Orsay. They will then head for the Boulevard Saint-Germain, before returning to the banks of the Seine via the Rue du Bac, the Quai Anatole France and Quai d’Orsay.

After cycling seven laps, which include sections on cobbled roads, the triathletes will again reach the transition zone for the third and last part of the event: the run. On the menu is a 10 km (4 laps of 2.5 km) race through the heart of Paris to the finish line on the Pont Alexandre III bridge, where 1,000 spectators will be waiting for them.

“The course of the triathlon and Para triathlon events in Paris is just everything that the family of triathlon has been dreaming of for years. The heartbeat of the city will be echoed in the rhythm of the race, as athletes swim, bike and run right through the heart of the City of Lights,” said Marisol Casado, President of World Triathlon.

Leo Bergere, the 2022 world champion and two-time mixed relay world champion, was thrilled by the announcement of the route, which will pass through some of the world's most iconic locations.

"It will be something quite special because we will be fortunate enough to sightsee while competing in the Olympic Games," he said, before adding: "I think the tide of the River Seine and the cobbled streets in the bike ride will allow the strongest, and also the smartest, to win. You won't just have to push hard on the pedals or swim as fast as possible but also use your brain to achieve the best position possible."

And two-time Olympic gold medallist and triathlon legend, Alistair Brownlee was equally excited about the course announcement as he makes plans to watch the race in Paris. 

"We’ve seen some amazing triathlon venues since the Sydney Games," he said, "The course in Paris continues the wonderful legacy of putting triathlon in the heart of the host city and showcasing its famous landmarks; a swim in the Seine; cycling and running on the Champs-Elysées; a spectacular finish on Pont Alexandre III. I can’t wait to be there to watch the action unfold in such an iconic location.'

The route will be mainly the same for the Paralympic Games Paris 2024

With some exceptions, the Para triathlon event will follow the same course as the Olympic triathlon. Those exceptions include the first transition taking place on the lower banks of the Seine rather than on the Pont Alexandre III bridge, and the cycle and run taking place on different roads due to the start times of different categories.

At Paris 2024, 120 para-triathletes in six categories will set off on 1 and 2 September 2024 with the aim of winning the 11 Paralympic titles on offer.

Three courses will be tested during the test events organised by Paris 2024 from 17 to 20 August 2023, offering a dress rehearsal for the Games in the exact same location.

Paris 2024 triathlon events: Information and schedule

Olympic Games Paris 2024

Individual events – standard distance: Swimming, 1,5 km; Road Cycling, 40 km; Running, 10 km

• Men: Tuesday 30 July 2024 (postponed Wednesday 31 July 2024) – Start at 10:45 am – Pontoon Alexandre III

• Women: Wednesday 31 July 2024 – Start at 8:00 am – Pontoon Alexandre III

Mixed team event – super sprint distance – 4 athletes (2 women/2 men): Swimming, 300 m; Road Cycling, 5,8 km; Running, 1,8 km

• Monday 5 August 2024 – Start at 8:00 – Pontoon Alexandre III

**Paralympic Games Paris 2024 **

Individual events – sprint distance: Swimming, 750 m; Para cycling, 20 km; Running, 5 km

• Men and Women – Categories PTS2 à PTS5 – Sunday 1 September 2024 – Starts from 8:15 am – Pontoon Alexandre III

Men and Women – Categories PTVI et PTWC – Monday 2 September 2024 – Starts from 8:15 am – Pontoon Alexandre III