The departure from Denmark.
Copenhagen will be registered as the 24th start of the Tour abroad (the first departure of the Tour abroad dates from 1954), before Bilbao in 2023. Denmark is the tenth host country for a big departure from the ordeal. On the program: an individual time trial in Copenhagen (13 km) opening on… Friday July 1, 2022, before Roskilde-Nyborg (199 km, 2nd stage) and Vejle-Sonderborg (182 km; 3rd stage). “It's the northernmost start in history. Denmark, we need a sporting justification, it is in the 2nd stage. In the last 20 km, there are two successive bridges, it is 18 of the last 20 km above water. It reminds me of Zeeland (in the Netherlands) on the 2015 Tour. But XXL version. It is windy 364 days a year, it would be a shame if it didn'tThere won't be any the day we pass, it can happen but I hope not, ”summarizes Christian Prudhomme, the director of the Tour. After the Danish triptych, the Tour will offer itself a day of transfer to allow runners and logistics to make the vast transfer to reach Hauts-de-France.
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A first week that takes your breath away.
The return to the race will be tough. Christian Prudhomme describes: “It will be Cap Gris-Nez and Cap Blanc Nez to go from Dunkirk to Calais (4th stage), after there is the return of the cobblestones (19.4 km in 11 sectors in the 5th stage Lille-Arenberg) , for a first week where Van der Poel, van Aert and Alaphilippe will have plenty to do. Van der Poel we saw him again during Paris-Roubaix, he is not afraid to attack from a distance, some may say "if he had attacked from less distance, maybe ..." but this is why we love it. He inspires as soon as he starts. We will go to Longwy (6th stage), as in 2017 but there is this year, before the arrival of the hill of the nuns, a wall of 800m at 12% at 6km from the finish. This is once again for Alaphilippe-Van der Poel-Van Aert.Maybe a fourth will win, but it's made for this type of runner, so that we can have this type of show. On the principle of Julian Alaphilippe at Epernay in 2019, we arrived regularly in Reims and we reversed to have a stage final which is aimed, not at sprinters but at another type of runner. There will certainly be criticism of the sprinters, it's the minimum portion but I fully accept it because we have a generation, with guys capable of winning a massive sprint, Van Aert is the last winner on the Champs- Elysées, and who are able to shine in all areas. On grounds which expose from the start the favorites of the Tour who find themselves shoulder to shoulder because at one point they say to themselves: '' It's going to go '',movements to animate, make people dream, try to imagine what will happen. "
The “Super” Planche des Belles Filles, a nod to the Women's Tour (with Zwift).
There will be one thing in common between the Tour and the Women's Tour, the final arrival of the Super Planche des Belles Filles for men (as in 2019, with the unpaved final), end of the 7th stage, on July 8. Three weeks later, the women will experience the final finish of their event (July 24-31). “We wanted to have a common place, a common point, not only Paris, arrival of the Tour and start of the first women's Tour (with Zwift) but also another place. In the same configuration. We may have on the Women's Tour, which we no longer have on the Men's Tour de France, the first to arrive could potentially be the winner. What we no longer see on the Champs-Elysées, what we are sometimes criticized for, ”emphasizes Christian Prudhomme.
Le Granon, in memory of 1986 with Hinault, LeMond and Tapie.
The following will offer the Alps with a passage through Switzerland, an arrival in Lausanne (8th stage) and a departure from Aigle (9th stage) "a passage near the IOC and a departure near the UCI", presents Christian Prudhomme, before make an appointment: “The arrival at the top of the Col du Granon (11th stage), only the second after that which, in 1986, which was the last day when Bernard Hinault wore the yellow jersey. It will be a series of laces of Montvernier-Télégraphe, Galibier, Granon. And the next day (12th stage), the exact replica, it is the chance of the life of the Briançon-Alpe d'Huez stage of 1986, Bernard Hinault-Greg LeMond with as boss Bernard Tapie, with the program Galibier, Croix de Fer, Alpe d'Huez, with the biggest drop of 4,750 m on the Tour 2022. » L'Alpe d 'Huez and its 21 legendary laces making their comeback after four years of absence.
The Tour and rugby passion, the detour through Castelnau-Magnoac for Antoine Dupont.
“Pyrenees, like a mirror. Also with two finishes at the top, ”says Christian Prudhomme. For a very concentrated program with three stages: Carcassonne-Foix cut out for backpackers (16th stage), before two stages for the favorites of the general classification: “Saint-Gaudens-Peyragudes (17th stage), with 4 climbs in 80 km (Aspin , Hourquette d'Ancizan, Val Louron Azet, Peyragudes arriving at the altiport). And the next day Lourdes-Hautacam (18th stage), departure in front of the sanctuary as in 2018 with the Aubisque menu, ascent to Soulor, the Spandelles pass which has never been used (only by the Route d'Occitanie), c he is 10 km at 8%, narrow with high percentages and above all it puts at the foot of Argelès-Gazost, at the foot of Hautacam. In Laruns, it's up, down, up, down.With 2 km of valley from Laruns ”, details Christian Prudhomme. “The Tour consists of very large French and foreign cities, capitals, Paris, Copenhagen, large French cities (Lille, Saint-Etienne, Dunkirk) and small villages, such as Castelnau-Magnoac (start of the 19th stage). Here we are in the register of rugby. Leaving Castelnau-Magnoac, from Antoine Dupont (who was at the start in Trïe-sur-Baïse in 2018, he was not yet the best player of the 6 Nations Tournament), whose brother has the immense advantage of participating at the relaunch of Noir de Bigorre, it was a nod. Rugby and cycling have common values of land, territories and regions. When we go to the Pyrenees, we always meet Jean-Pierre Garuet, Louisou Armary, Philippe Dintrans,Jean-François Imbernon or Fabien Galthié. It is also to tell them, even if it is far, we are pushing in melee behind you in view of the 2023 World Cup ”, feasts Christian Prudhomme.
A stopwatch the day before the honor laps.
Before the traditional parade on the Champs-Elysées, the runners will experience a big 40 km time trial between Lacapelle-Marival and Rocamadour.
