The course of the Tour de France 2022 offers many highlights from Copenhagen to Paris. The riders have to deal with the sea breeze, bump over cobblestones and conquer legendary passes in the Alps and Pyrenees. If you want to win, you have to have absolute all-rounder skills.
Copenhagen is known as the most bicycle-friendly city in the world. It was about time that the largest tour in the world would make a stop in the Danish capital. It was supposed to be in 2021, but there was a risk of a collision due to Corona. Because Copenhagen was also the venue for the European Football Championship, which was postponed by a year. The tour entourage is therefore a year later than planned and will spend three days in Denmark at the beginning of the tour. It won’t be an easy start for the drivers, because a short individual time trial and the expected sea breeze require maximum concentration right from the start.
Cobblestone first challenge
Slowly rolling in is therefore not possible at the Tour de France 2022 – but hardly any time to take a deep breath. Because after Denmark and an early rest day, which is used for the transfer to northern France, things get down to business early on. Already on the 5th stage, the organizers have installed a very difficult section with cobblestone passages, which will give the favorites a headache.
| characteristics of the stages | |
|---|---|
| 6 mountain stages | |
| 5 mountain arrivals | |
| 7 hilly stages | |
| 6 flat stages | |
| 2 individual time trials | |
| 19 km of cobblestones (Stage 5) |
While there will not be too many presentation opportunities for the sprinters – unlike in previous editions – throughout the tour, the contenders for the overall victory will have to demonstrate all-rounder skills.
The Alps are waiting early
Once a big challenge has been mastered after Arenberg, a real mountain stage awaits the pros early on on the seventh day section with climbing to La Planche des Belles Filles. Since 2012, this climb has appeared again and again on the tour course – each time it was of great importance for the outcome of the race.
After the second day of rest, it’s off to the Alps on the 10th day of racing. There, on July 13th, the Col du Granon, a feared mountain, awaits the drivers, which will ensure a spectacular finale after a tough day with the Col du Télégraphe and Col du Galibier.
Hardly any long stages
As has often been the case in recent years, the individual stages are not too long – but the load is increased early on. That’s going to be a factor for the fast guys in the peloton, who have to be really careful not to break the time limit on some parts of the day.
From Copenhagen to Paris – the route of the 2022 tour
This also applies to July 14, when the ascent to Alpe d’Huez is on the program on the French national holiday. The total length of the course on this day is just over 160 kilometers, and after just over 30 kilometers the Galibier has to be conquered again before the climbing continues tirelessly.
Time trial could bring decision
The decision about the overall victory will then be made in the last week, when the three days are spent in the Pyrenees before an approximately 40-kilometer individual time trial will decide the final overall winner on the penultimate day.
The 2020 edition will not be forgotten, when Primoz Roglic gambled away his apparently comfortable lead in the final battle against the clock against compatriot Tadej Pogacar and had to make do with second place.
A similar scenario is also conceivable this time. What is certain is that the 2022 course promises excitement for everyone involved from the first to the last day.