The 2022 edition of the Tour de France is almost upon us as it is set to take place across the month of July, however whilst it is one of the premier sporting events on the annual calendar, we can appreciate that it is not an event that everyone knows a lot about.
Therefore, this article has been designed to provide you with an insight into what the race is all about, with details about the entire race schedule, what teams are involved, who the favorites to win are, as well as providing you with the information in regard to the various stages that are contested by riders.
So, without further ado, let’s get you up to speed and provide you with everything you need to know about the upcoming 2022 Tour de France!
Race schedule and distance
Perhaps one of the important things to know about the Tour de France each and every year is to know when the race will be taking place and where the riders will be competing. As mentioned above, we know that the event takes place throughout July, with the 1st being the date the entire tour begins.
However, it should be noted that the start does not actually take place in France, with riders actually beginning their quest for the yellow jersey – the prestigious prize that is synonymous with this cycle race – in Copenhagen, which is the capital of Denmark.
You might be asking why this is the case? Well, given that this year’s race is the 109th edition, it is clear that there has been a huge amount of interest in the sporting spectacle, and given the popularity it continues to attract, it has since been expanded to allow more fans to witness some of the best cycling possible.
The 2022 Tour de France will come to an end on July 24, 2022, when riders will cross the finishing line at the Champs-Élysées in Paris, some 3,328 km (2,068 mi) after starting out in Copenhagen 24 days prior.
Teams and favorites to win the 2022 Tour de France event?
Currently, there are a total of 169 different riders thought to be registered to compete at the 2022 Tour de France, with a huge variety of different nationalities set to be represented on the roads of France.
Those riders have been split across 22 teams that will all be competing in the event, with each of them all wanting to try and be the winners of this year’s competition. Of the 22 teams involved, there are 18 UCI WorldTeams, whilst the other four teams to be participating are UCI ProTeams.
According to the early betting online odds that have been made available for the overall winner, it would seem that many are expecting the UAE Team Emirates to have the winning rider, as Tadej Pogacar has been made the clear favorite with odds of -155. This is perhaps due to the fact that he is looking to try and achieve his third victory of the competition.
His closest rival is considered to be Team Jumbo–Visma’s Primoz Roglic at odds of +350, although it might be worth considering that he lost the yellow jersey on the penultimate day in 2020 and crashed out of the 2021 Tour.
Tour de France 2022: Stages
One of the reasons the Tour de France is so popular among fans is because the grueling tour will put riders through their paces and test each and every one of them on every single day because of the various stages that have been created.
As we stated earlier, a total of 3,328 km (2,068 mi) will be competed across, with riders being required to complete it over the course of 21 days. There are just three rest days for the entire month that the event takes place, thus having a huge impact on the riders’ bodies.
They will go through a variety of different stages, with individual time trials, flats, hills, and mountain stages all needing to be successfully navigated. If they do this successfully, they will be awarded points depending on their positions. The racer with the most points at the end of all 21 stages will be crowned the winner and get the famous yellow jersey!
Conclusion
This article should provide you with everything you need to know about the upcoming 2022 edition of the Tour de France, as it gives you an insight into what to expect once the event begins in July!