Featured image courtesy of Gruber Images
If cycling was an earthquake then the Tour de France would be the epicentre. The most important, historic and well-known cycling even is almost about to begin, and for 2022 we have a glorious spectacle ahead.
The 109th edition from Friday 1st to Sunday 24th July, will feature the usual mix of stages – time trialling, sprints, difficult hills and tough mountain stages in the Alps and Pyrenees. But to make this year’s route more intriguing, the organisers have included the extra mountain ranges France offers – the Vosges, Jura and Massif Central.
Add in an unpredictable Grand Départ in Denmark plus some nervy flat days in northern France and you have a recipe of entertainment for fans but chaos for the riders. To make things worse, we have the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix in week one, which have been used on the Tour so many times before.
With more transition stages and more decisive stages back-to-back, where will the 2022 Tour de France be won or lost?
From Copenhagen to Paris, below is the route map for the 109th edition,
Grand Départ: Denmark hosts first foreign start in three years
For the first time since Brussels in 2019, the Tour begins on foreign soil once again. This year’s Grand Départ takes place in Demark, where for the very first time a Baltic state has hosted the race. The country has hosted cycling’s UCI Road World Championships before in 2011 and the 2012 Giro d’Italia, but in Tour terms this is a joyous debut for a country that ranks second as the happiest.
The Danes have plenty to shout and be proud about with this Grand Départ. The 24th foreign start for the Tour will begin with a 13km individual time trial among the sights of the capital city Copenhagen.
Key Stage No. 1 – Stage 1 Copenhagen (Friday 1st July, Individual Time Trial)
Sharp turns and a course suited to the best time trial specialists, this 13km long time trial will kick off the Tour, not too dissimilar to when the 2012 Giro d’Italia started with a ITT in Herning, when American Taylor Phinney just edged out Britain’s Geraint Thomas and home boy Alex Rasmussen.
The GC favourites will just want to get around the course as safely as possible without losing seconds to rivals, but for specialists they will zoom this course because it is flat and rather technical. World time trial champion Filippo Ganna is the red hot favourite but the Danes will be hoping that Kasper Asgreen, Mads Pedersen or maybe Magnus Cort can claim the first yellow jersey on home roads.
Stage 2 will present the first road stage but it could be tough with crosswinds near the finale in Nyborg after crossing the 18km long Storebælsbroen bridge, which links together the eastern and western parts of Denmark. A sprint is expected to happen but the yellow jersey contenders will also need to be alert to any crosswinds. As the traditional saying goes: “You cannot win the Tour de France in week one, but you can lose it”.
At 182km, Stage 3 from Vejle to Sønderborg should be straight forward. The first ascents after Stages 2 and 3 will give out the first polka-dot jersey and for the sprinters, the chance to accumulate some green jersey points will matter here too.
Which sprinter will shine at this Tour is another question. Mark Cavendish, who matched Eddy Merckx’s record of 34 Tour stage victories last year, is not around the try and beat the record so instead Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl have elected Fabio Jakobsen on debut to try and deliver some wins.
Bienvenue en France: Survive the worst if you can
After a day off to travel, the riders will finally race on French soil set among the often dull scenery of northern France, but for the race it will be anything but.
Stages 4 to 6 will be full of tension where every single day will probably see crashes and on Stage 4 in particular it will be a hilly day running alongside the Opal Coast. 171.5km between Dunkerque and Calais, where coastal towns will serve up windy conditions, and the last climb of the day at the Côte du Cap Blanc-Nez might prove a drag – this should be one for tough sprinters who can climb well.
Key Stage No.2 – Stage 5 Lille – Arenberg (Wednesday 6th July – Cobbles)
Stage 5 is going to be a crucial day with 20 of the 157km stage featuring the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix. None of the big name sectors such as the Trouée d’Arenberg, Mons-en-Pévèle or the Carrefour de l’Arbre will be featured, but because of the distance of each sector inside the final 55km, we should get a spectacle.
Numerous teams will be taking care of their GC leader but there will be a separate clash for the yellow jersey. We could see the ultimate trio of riders take on this stage – Mathieu van der Poel will start as favourite, whereas the likes of Wout Van Aert and Tom Pidcock will be required to help their GC leaders. It’ll be a day where some will be held back from individual glory.
Stage 5 cannot be dismissed as a potential day where your yellow jersey hopes turn to dust, quite literally! The Tour last visited the pavé in 2018, when John Degenkolb won the stage, and in 2015, when Tony Martin took both the day honours and the yellow jersey.
From Lille to Arenberg, this will be a day of survival.
A quick trip into Belgium sees Stage 6 start in Binche, which hosted a stage start in 2019.
The longest stage of this Tour at 219.9km in total, this day is sure to suit the puncheurs because the final climb to the Longwy Citadel peaks out at 11%, but compared to a similar finish in 2017, the finale has a steeper ramp of 800 metres at 12.3% – a chance for the best puncheurs and fast sprinters who can climb to come to the fore.
Peter Sagan as world champion five years ago was the last man to win in Longwy.
Into the Vosges and Jura via Switzerland: The Mountains have finally arrived
After a stage suited to fast sprinters with the best climbing legs, you’ll need strong ability at high altitude to conquer the next three stages to conclude week one.
Key Stage No.3 – Stage 7 Tomblaine – La Planche des Belles Filles (Friday 8th July – Mountains)
Since being introduced back in 2012, La Planche des Belles Filles will be making its sixth appearance in the race. In all that time, it was in 2014 when the climb saw big differences after a day in the rain with several large ascents beforehand, but ever since the Belles Filles has become the traditional first climb of the race, and like in 2017 it will be a one-effort day.
The climb has became a very measured effort though, with it’s expansion to a higher ski slope, it now features two ramps of around 20%, even 24% in the final km – one coinciding with the finish. This will see the climbers save their legs until the very finale as, being the first summit finish of the race, few will risk going into the red before such sharp efforts.
A GC contender could win it but so could a breakaway, as Belgian Dylan Teuns managed to do in 2019. Compared to three years ago, when the stage featured quite a few Vosges climbs, this year’s Stage 7 atop the Belles Filles won’t be as difficult because there are fewer ascents before the super finale.
The race will then head onto Switzerland. Stage 8 is another puncheur finish in Lausanne where there could be a battle between the likes of Wout van Aert, Mathieu van der Poel and maybe Tom Pidcock. It has weekend stage written all over, but the Swiss portion of the race will be quite interesting, where the finale will feature the Côte du Stade Olympique, an irregular climb with 1km at 9.5% right after a short descent, while that steep section precedes a last km at 3.4%.
Stage 9 is a well designed one, and coming before the rest day it hopefully triggers some moves in the bunch. From Aigle to Châtel, the riders tackle three intermediate climbs in the second half of the race before the finish runs slightly uphill.
The first 33km of the race are played out on the flat before the riders enter the Côte de Bellevue. The 4.3km at 4% does not precede a downhill, but continues to climb false flat until 50km into the stage.
The foot of the Col des Mosses appears around the halfway marker. The 13.3km climb at 4.1% precedes the Col de la Croix, 8.8km and a little testing at 7.6%.
The riders descend back to Aigle and after a section on the flat the Pas de Morgins looms. The 15.4km climb at 6.1% is expected to be decisive – or, at least, pre-decisive. After cresting the Morgins the riders drop down to the base of the last climb. The finish lies at the gate of ski area Portes du Soleil at an elevation of 1,297 metres. To get there the riders climb 3.7km at 3.9%.
Alpine heights: The Tour begins to take shape
After the second rest day, week two of the Tour begins with a 148.1km route between Morzine and Megève, while the finale is a long and gradual climb to the line.
The riders tackle a hilly route where in the first 100km they travel over the Côte de Chevenez (2.2km at 2.9%), Col de Jambaz (6.7km at 3.8%) and Côte de Châtillon-sur-Cluses (4.5km at 3.9%) before a flat section of some 25km ushers in the climb to the line.
The finale is a 21.2km climb at 4.1%. It’s a steady affair with the steepest part, 200 metres at 7.1%, at the end. A breakaway should fancy themselves to go all the way here – expect Bauke Mollema, Tim Wellens, Matej Mohoric to probably feature but why not Lennard Kämna, the young German has taken a stage at the Tour before but did win at Megève when riding at the Critérium du Dauphiné.
Key Stage No.4 – Stage 11 Albertville – Col du Granon (Wednesday 13th July – Mountains)
After a relatively calm Alpine stage, this is where the Tour really clicks into gear.
Stage 11 travels from Albertville to a hard summit finish at the Col du Granon, where at 151.7km, the route also tackles the Lacetes de Montverrier, Col du Télégraphe and Col du Galibier along the way. The first hour of racing takes place on flat roads. Then the Lacets de Montvernier is a good place to test the legs. Just 3.4km long and averaging 8.2%, which is nothing compared to the giants ahead.
The Galibier peaks out with 45km remaining, where most of it then goes downhill to Saint-Chaffrey at the foot of the Col du Granon, which is a steady climb in the sense that the gradients never fall below 8%. The Granon is 11.3km, features several double digit sectors, and averages 9.2%.
Given the easygoing first phase, a group of riders with a diverse skillset is likely to make it into the breakaway. But not necessarily good climbers – in fact, quite the contrary. So, when the GC riders start tightening the screws on the climbs, the attackers are unlikely to survive. Expect the big guns to roll out their heavy weaponry on the Granon.
Key Stage No.5 – Stage 12 Briançon – Alpe d’Huez (Thursday 14th July – Mountains)
Stage 12 is the final Alpine challenge, and what a challenge awaits the riders on Bastille Day. 165.1km kicks off in Briançon, while the Col du Galibier and Col de la Croix de Fer serve as intermediate climbs.
The riders enter the Col du Galibier from the start, or, actually, first the Col du Lautarat and then the Galibier. The two passes together add up to 23km of climbing at 5.1%. The Col du Télégraphe appears halfway through the descent, which is merely a 4.5km false flat on this side. Interestingly, the riders travelled these exact same roads on Stage 11, only in the opposite direction.
The riders reach Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne at 80.5km into the race and that’s where the Col de la Croix de Fer begins. This is a giant 29km long climb with an average gradient of 5.2%. The statistic is misleading though, as it’s an extremely irregular ascent. The first part features a number of double digit ramps, and downhills as well. The last 6km of the Croix de Fer are more steady with an average gradient of 7.6%.
A descent of almost 30km leads to Allemond and after 10km on the flat the Grande Finale presents itself. Famous for its 21 hairpins, the orange clad mob of Dutch corner, and its 8.1% gradient – this is Alpe D’Huez. The hardest ramp at 11.5% appears with almost 4km remaining and on the French national holiday, this is due to be a cracking stage.
Geraint Thomas was the last rider to win atop Alpe D’Huez in the yellow jersey, first British winner atop the famous mountain too! Numerous French riders have taken the win here before, including Thibaut Pinot and Pierre Rolland but what we do not want to see again is another fall like the one Vincenzo Nibali suffered due to a spectator.
The 2022 Tour de France won’t be won on Alpe D’Huez but we will get a decent indication as to who is strong and who doesn’t have the legs.
What will the Massif Central offer?
With long ascents, steep walls and rolling terrain, the Massif Central is many times a nervous section of the Tour for the climbers who love a more explosive style of racing.
Stage 13 from Bourg d’Oisans to Saint-Étienne will be similar to four editions ago when the race left Alpe D’Huez behind to reach Valence and Peter Sagan took his third and final stage that year. A sprint finish of a small group is the most likely outcome again in Saint-Étienne.
It is hard to know whether the pure sprinters will make it this far after a tough run through the mountains. Of all the fast men who should survive to claim some of the sprint stages is Wout Van Aert but also don’t discount the likes of Michael Matthews, Jasper Stuyven and Magnus Cort.
Key Stage No.6 – Stage 14 Saint-Étienne – Mende (Saturday 16th July – Hills)
This will be a demanding stage, not just because of the distance, but also the amount of climbing. 192.5km in total, the terrain is lumpy and the final in Mende is well-known to the Tour.
It’s a fitting finale for a race with hardly a flat metre. The riders travel from one climb to the next, five of which are classified. Shortly after the start, the Côte de Saint-Juste Malmont is expected to see a lot of action. Is the breakaway going to be established after the 7.7km climb at 3.9%? Doubtful
Flat, rolling, short drop, short climb – and after 40km there are new KOM points available on the Côte de Châtaignier before an undulating phase and a descent later. The riders move through Le Puy-en-Velay before the route then starts to climb again and continues to do so for 20km.
The riders descend onto a new false flat, which gradually gets steeper before passing into the Côte de Grandieu, a 6.3km ascent at 4.1%. No summit though, as the road continues to climb before a short descent leads to the base of the Côte de la Fage.
The finale is the Côte de la Croix Neuve. The French call the punchy last ascent Montée Laurent Jalabert, since their hero claimed the stage on Bastille Day 1995. Jalabert has been succeeded by Marcos Serrano (2005), Joaquim Rodriquez (2010), Steve Cummings (2015), and Omar Fraile (2018) – who will become the next rider to win on the famous Mende airstrip.
At this point in the race, fatigue is kicking in and many rouleurs are getting desperate to win a stage. That makes for a lot of breakaway hopes and they have a good chance of succeeding on Stage 15 between Rodez and Carcassonne, where it is designed for the fast men but also the hopefuls have a chance to succeed.
Pyrenean pain to decide the Tour
The third week of the Tour de France opens with a transition stage of 178.5km to Foix, where the town in the foothills of the Pyrenees has been the end station of successful breakaways on several occasions.
The killer climb of Stage 16 will be the Mur de Péguère, a wall of a climb where the last 3.3km peak out at 13%.
The first rider over the top enters a flying descent of 17km, where the downhill flattens out a little in the last 10km, but still, the road continues to go downhill.
Obviously, the big question is whether or not the GC riders will go for the stage win. If so, their teams have to keep the lead group on a leash for the entire day before the leaders come forward in the last kilometres of the Mur de Péguère and give it a shot at the win and the time bonuses. Otherwise, the winner will emerge from the breakaway and minutes later we’ll see another interesting battle between the riders with yellow on their minds.
A strong climber like Canadian Michael Woods, recent winner at the Route d’Occitanie, will fancy his chances here.
Key Stage No.7 – Stage 17 Saint-Gaudens – Peyragudes (Wednesday 20th July – Mountains)
A mountain stage, short and explosive at 130km with four cols in the last 76km, Stage 17 is arguably the ‘Queen Stage’. To pep things up the last 500 metres rise at 13% to the line, so the stage winner has to be a versatile climber, good at both long ascents and short uphill kickers.
Are we going to see the stage winner emerge from the breakaway, or will it be a GC rider? It depends largely on the place where the breakaway establishes itself. If it’s early on, there is unlikely to be a good climber on board, as the first hour of racing takes place on the flat. The riders then enter the Col d’Aspin and, obviously, you need climbing legs to get away from the main group on the 12km ascent at 6.5%.
After the Aspin the riders continue to the Hourquette d’Ancizan (8.2km at 5.1%) and Col de Val-Louron-Azet (10.7km at 6.8%) before the finish climb kicks in. The road to Peyragudes goes up for 8km with an average gradient of 7.8% and it’s really the last part that’s going to do the damage. First km at 9%, then it levels out to 6% before the last 500 metres are insane with an average gradient of 13%.
Could this be the stage where Tadej Pogačar seals the deal in yellow? Or by this point, could he be nowhere near the top step? In 2017, when in yellow, Chris Froome suffered a small setback on Peyragudes before he did go on to seal his fourth title.
Key Stage No.8 – Stage 18 Lourdes – Hautacam (Thursday 21st July – Mountains)
If you’re a bad time trialist and you want to move up in the GC, Stage 19 is your last chance to do so because after the race to Hautacam, there are only two flat stages and a time trial left.
Following a short local lap in Lourdes, the riders head for Louvie-Juzon and turn left to enter the Ossau Valley. The Pyrenees loom in the distance and shortly another left-hander leads them onto the Col d’Aubisque.
The intermediate sprint is situated at the base of the Aubisque. If the battle for the points classification is still open, chances are that the peloton remains bunched until that point in order to give green jersey contenders the opportunity to sprint for the points.
In that case the breakaway will take shape on the Aubisque, meaning that the lead group will feature solely strong climbers, which makes it more likely that the winner will come from the breakaway.
After the Aubisque (16.4km at 7.1%) the route continues with a long descent before the riders enter the Col de Spandelles (10.3km at 8.3%). A 15km downhill takes them to the foot of the last climb of this year’s Tour de France. The road ascends to the ski resort Hautacam, a 13.6km long ascent, and averages 7.8% – the last time it featured was in 2014 when Vincenzo Nibali sealed his ultimate dominance in yellow that year.
The perfect scenario for the last mountain stage would be a huge battle among yellow jersey contenders. If the time gaps are so small by this point, every second will count so even the time bonuses at the line, could be fascinating to watch a dash for the line take place.
The finale to the 109th Tour: Last chances, time trial and celebration
The riders leave the Pyrenees behind on Stage 19, for what can perfectly be described as a transition stage. 188.3km from Castelnau-Magnoac to Cahors, it happens every so often that the peloton miscalculates, through exhaustion of disinterest, most especially in the last week of a Grand Tour. It would be a surprise if this happens on Stage 19 because this year’s Tour is not exactly packed with chances for fast men.
The sprinters should grab their opportunity here and could that sprinter be Caleb Ewan? The Australian crashed out after just three stages at last year’s race – redemption is his watch-word for 2022.
Key Stage No.9 – Stage 20 Lacapelle-Marival – Rocamadour (Saturday 23rd July – Individual Time Trial)
The final key stage to determine who will win the 109th Tour de France and settle all the final classifications is a 40.7km long time trial, the third year in a row that a TT has featured on the penultimate stage.
Stage 20 from Lacapelle-Marival to Rocamadour is a rolling course with undulating terrain in the direction of Rocamadour, a magnificent town set in a gorge high above the River Alzou – a first-ever visit from the race.
First with a climb of 1.6km at 4.7% and just before the line with a climb of 1.5km at 7.8%, this time trial is harder than the Stage 20 TT we saw last year between Libourne and Saint-Émilion. Wout Van Aert won the stage last year and Tadej Pogačar sealed his second title – what will the outcome be in 2022?
The final showdown of the 2022 Tour de France has been a given for years. After a parade into Paris we’ll see eight laps at breakneck speeds before a sprint finish on the Champs-Élysées.
The riders clip into their pedals near Paris La Défense Arena in Nanterre, a western suburb op Paris. The riders approach the French capital as if pedalling to the beach. A glass of champagne, a photo shoot, a very slow pace – those are the ingredients of the parade stage on the final day of action. But once the riders hit the cobbles on the Champs-Élysées the bunch accelerates. The stage ends with eight fast laps of almost 7 kilometres.
Mark Cavendish was the fastest sprinter in Paris in the period 2009-2012. In subsequent years Marcel Kittel (2013, 2014), André Greipel (2015, 2016), Dylan Groenewegen (2017), Alexander Kristoff (2018), Caleb Ewan (2019), Sam Bennett (2020), and Wout Van Aert (2021) powered to victory. Who will take the Holy Grail of all the sprinting stadiums in world cycling this year?
The final celebration and podium ceremony will crown a new Tour de France champion, plus the four classification jersey’s. Who will win the 2022 Tour de France? Check out our contenders piece.
Final image courtesy of Bettini Photo
