Yahoo Sport
Tour de France 2022 route: When the race starts, a guide to each stage, and how to follow live on TV
What is this race and why should I care about it?
Why, it's only the 109th edition of the Tour de France, one of the three grand tours, the others being the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España.
Regardless of what some believe, this is the biggest and brashest bike race in the world, with an estimated 80 per cent of most WorldTour team's sponsorship income being based around the Tour.
Founded in 1903 by Henri Desgrange, editor of L'Auto newspaper, the Tour may not be the favourite stage race of the cycling cognoscenti but it is one that captures the imagination of the wider sporting public. As a result, the race is the biggest annual sporting event in the world with more live spectators than even the Olympics or football World Cup.
When does the Tour de France start?
This year's Tour de France starts with a 13.2-kilometre individual time trial through Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, on Friday July 1, 2022.
How long is this year's Tour de France?
The second grand tour of the season comprises 21 stages and will be contested over 3,328 kilometres – that's 2,068 miles in old money – which is an average of 158.47km (98.46 miles) per day.
And when does the Tour de France finish?
The Tour de France concludes with its traditional final stage in Paris, on Sunday July 21. The race will again end on the famous cobbled Champs-Élysées boulevard following a 115.6km saunter from Paris La Défense Arena on the outskirts of the city.
Where does each stage start and end?
How can I follow the race?
Those with subscriptions to Eurosport (through discovery+ Sport and Entertainment pass) or GCN+ are in luck, both will broadcast every day, as will be ITV4 and Welsh terrestrial channel S4C. In Wales S4C is available on Sky 104, Freeview 4, Virgin TV 166 and Freesat 104, while in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland it can be found on Sky 134, Freesat 120 and Virgin TV 166 and also on iPlayer. Live shows and highlights programmes will be shown at different times each day. Alternatively, if you are stuck at work or do not subscribe to Eurosport if you have a sports package with the likes of Sky and BT or GCN+ – or cannot access S4C – then you can follow the action, as it unfolds, right here with Telegraph Sport. Almost every stage will be live blogged by our team – details to follow – while selected race details and standings in the main classifications will also be published.
What teams will ride the Tour de France?
As with all WorldTour races, each team from the top-flight of professional cycling receive an invitation and in the case of the Tour de France, all are contracted to compete in the grand tour.
In addition, Alpecin-Fenix and Arkéa-Samsic qualified as the top ranked ProTeams from 2021, while race organisers ASO handed wild card spots to French squads B&B Hotels-KTM and TotalEnergies.
You can find the full list of teams in action in France in July and the riders scheduled to line-up in Copenhagen right here.
How to watch live TV coverage and follow the race
All dates, times and distances are correct at time of publishing.
Friday July 1 – stage one
Copenhagen to Copenhagen, 13.2km (time trial)
Saturday July 2 – stage two
Roskilde to Nyborg, 202.5km
Sunday July 3 – stage three
Vejle to Sonderborg, 182km
Tuesday July 5 – stage four
Dunkirk to Calais, 171.5km
Wednesday July 6 – stage five
Lille to Wallers-Arenberg, 154km
Thursday July 7 – stage six
Binche to Longwy, 220km
Friday July 8 – stage seven
Tomblaine to La Super Planche des Belles Filles, 176.5km
Saturday July 9 – stage eight
Dole to Lausanne, 186.5km
Sunday July 10 – stage nine
Aigle to Châtel Les Portes du Soleil, 193km
Tuesday July 12 – stage 10
Morzine to Megève, 148.5km
Wednesday July 13 – stage 11
Albertville to Col de Granon, 152km
Thursday July 14 – stage 12
Briançon to Alpe d'Huez, 165.5km
Friday July 15 – stage 13
Bourg d'Oisans to Saint-Étienne, 193km
Saturday July 16 – stage 14
Saint-Étienne to Mende, 192.5km
Sunday July 17 – stage 15
Rodez to Carcassonne, 202.5km
Tuesday July 19 – stage 16
Carcassonne to Foix, 178.5km
Wednesday July 20 – stage 17
Saint-Gaudens to Peyragudes, 130km
Thursday July 21 – stage 18
Lourdes to Hautacam, 143.5km
Friday July 22 – stage 19
Castelnau-Magnoac to Cahors, 188.5km
Saturday July 23 – stage 20
Lacapelle-Marival to Rocamadour, 40.7km (time trial)
Sunday July 24 – stage 21
Paris La Défense to Paris (Champs-Élysées), 116km
