Preview: Tour de France Femmes 2022

2022 marks the return of the women’s Tour de France. After 14 years of absence, the race will take place from 24 to 31 July 2022. The race covers eight stages and 1039 kilometres from the start in Paris to the finish on Super Planche des Belles Filles.

One of the riders who took part in the last edition of the women’s Tour de France in 2008 and won a stage will probably also race in 2022 – Marianne Vos. For her and her fellow competitors, the revived race offers a great opportunity to present women’s cycling to a larger audience.

Lead by former French pro cyclist and Tour director Marion Rousse, the organizing team have designed a very attractive course that offers opportunities for different types of riders to show themselves. There are four flat stages, two classic stages and two mountain stages.

Tour de Frances Femmes 2022 starts in Paris at the Eiffel Tower

The tour kicks off with a circuit race in the centre of Paris with start at the Eiffel Tower and finish on the Champs-Élysées. After 12 laps, i.e., 82 kilometres the first wearer of the yellow jersey will be known.

On the following day, a flat stage leads from Meaux to Provins, before the “puncheuses” will have their chance on stage three. From Reims, they will ride through the Champagne region to Epernay and face the same steep finish stretch as the men did in their Tour de France back in 2019: the Côte de Mutigny – a 900-metre climb with an average gradient of 12.1 percent.

Gravel sections on the fifth stage of the women’s Tour de France

Stage five leads from Troyes to Bar-sur-Aube, partly on white gravel roads. Four gravel sections with a total length of 12.9 kilometres may reshuffle the cards.

No chance to rest in this race, as the following day, the longest stage of a “modern day” women’s race is on the agenda: 175 km from Mar-le-Duc to Saint-Dié-des-Vosges. The stage will bring some decisions about in the field due to its mere distance – even though the profile seems relatively flat.

The route continues from Saint-Dié-des-Vosges to Rosheim. A classic profile with four categorised climbs – with the last one located only a few kilometres before the finish.

Final of the Tour de France Femme in the Vosges mountains

On the final race weekend high Vosges mountains await the peloton. Stage seven leads from Sélestat to Le Markstein – via Petit Ballon, Col du Platzerwasel and Grand Ballon mountains.

There will not be a Tour d’Honneur like in the men’s race, as a big fight for the yellow jersey is likely to go down on Sunday. After the start in Lure, the final stage leads over the very first mountain in the Tour’s almost 120-year long history, the Ballon d’Alsace, up to the steep mountain finish on Super Planche des Belles Filles.

A worthy end of one of the most beautiful cycling weeks in 2022!

All eight stages of the Tour de France Femmes at a glance