2022 Tour de France Race Preview
The details of this year's 2022 Tour de France are falling into place. Find the latest route profiles and maps below, followed by our strategic preview of the race.
The 2022 Tour de France gets underway in Copenhagen, Denmark, with an opening individual time trial that promises to shake up the general classification from the very first day. It marks a rare occasion where the race begins outside of France, and the Danish capital is expected to provide a spectacular backdrop with enormous crowds greeting the peloton for three stages before the race makes its way back to French soil.
The big question heading into this edition is whether anyone can challenge the seemingly unstoppable Tadej Pogacar, the Slovenian prodigy who has dominated the race over the past two years. The UAE Team Emirates leader arrives as the overwhelming favorite after winning back-to-back titles in 2020 and 2021, the latter of which saw him dismantle the competition in the mountains with a series of breathtaking attacks. At just 23 years old, he appears to be getting stronger with each passing season, and there is a genuine fear among rivals that he may simply be unbeatable.
That said, Jonas Vingegaard offers perhaps the most credible threat. The Danish climber announced himself on the world stage with a runner-up finish last year and will be riding in front of his home crowds in the opening stages, which could provide an emotional boost. His Jumbo-Visma team is widely regarded as the strongest in the race from a collective standpoint, and the squad will be hoping to use their numerical advantage to wear down Pogacar over three weeks.
Geraint Thomas returns with genuine podium ambitions after a difficult couple of seasons interrupted by crashes and illness. The Welshman has the experience and the climbing ability to compete at the highest level when fully fit, and Ineos Grenadiers will be hoping he can rediscover the form that brought him Tour victory in 2018. His teammate Adam Yates also provides the team with options, and the British outfit will be looking to have multiple cards to play deep into the race.
The route itself features some brutal climbing, with the Alps and Pyrenees both playing host to summit finishes that will test the best climbers in the world. La Super Planche des Belles Filles, Alpe d'Huez, and the Col du Granon are among the iconic climbs that will feature, and the high-altitude finishes are expected to produce fireworks as the contenders test each other's limits.
The sprinters will have their opportunities in the opening week, with several flat stages expected to end in bunch finishes. Wout van Aert is one of the most anticipated riders in the race, capable of winning on both flat and hilly terrain while also being a crucial teammate for Vingegaard. His battles with Jasper Philipsen, Fabio Jakobsen, and Caleb Ewan for stage victories in the sprint finishes should provide excitement alongside the general classification battle.
The time trials will also play a significant role. Pogacar is a formidable performer against the clock, and any rival hoping to unseat him will need to either limit their losses significantly or find ways to attack him repeatedly in the mountains and hope that the cumulative effort eventually takes its toll.
Three weeks of racing through some of the most demanding terrain in professional cycling await, and while Pogacar enters as the man to beat, the combination of a strong Jumbo-Visma squad, unpredictable mountain weather, and the sheer physical demands of the race mean that nothing can be taken for granted. Danish fans will be hoping their own hero can deliver something special, and the sporting world will be watching to see whether anyone can finally find a way to stop the Slovenian phenomenon from making it three in a row.
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