World Champions Elise Balsamo and Julian Alaphilippe join all-star cast of cycling stars in Paris for big reveals of courses
Image 1 of 17
World champions Elisa Balsamo of Italy and Team Valcar - Travel & Service and Julian Alaphilippe of France and Team Deceuninck - Quick-Step were in attendance Thursday(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Defending Tour champion Tadej Pogacar of UAE Team Emirates(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
(L-R) Kasper Asgreen of Deceuninck - QuickStep, Jakob Fuglsang of Astana – Premier Tech and Mikkel Bjerg of UAE Team Emirates(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig of FDJ Nouvelle - Aquitaine Futuroscope (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Audrey Cordon-Ragot of Trek-Segafredo(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Nairo AQuintana of Arkéa - Samsic walks past the presentation announcer on the stage(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Mark Cavendish (left) watches event with Deceuninck-QuickStep teammate Kasper Asgreen(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Nacer Bouhanni of Team Arkea - Samsic (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Ashleigh Moolman - Pasio of Team SD Worx (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
(L-R) Christian Prudhomme of France Director of Le Tour de France and Marion Rousse of France Director of the women's Tour de France speak during the routes presentation(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
2022 Tour de France route map(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
2022 Tour de France Femmes route map(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
2022 Tour de France(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Mark Cavendish of Deceuninck-QuickStep(Image credit: A.S.O./Fabien Boukla)
All-star cast of athletes watch attentively as routes are unveiled(Image credit: A.S.O./Fabien Boukla)
Julian Alaphilippe walks on the stage(Image credit: A.S.O./Fabien Boukla)
Route presentation for the 2022 Tour de France(Image credit: A.S.O./Fabien Boukla)
Racing is still nine months away for the 2022 Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes but the stars of cycling gathered today at the Palais des Congrès in Paris today for the unveiling of the two Grand Tours.
The Tour de France Femmes, an eight-day route that was unveiled by race director Marion Rousse, will begin at the foot of the Eiffel Tower to the Champs-Élysées on July 24 and conclude on July 31 with a mountain stage atop La Planche des Belles Filles.
Christian Prudhomme of ASO revealed the route for the 109th edition of the Tour de France, set for July 1-24 with a start with a 13km time trial in Copenhagen and have a traditional finale on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. In between, the men's race will feature a stage across the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix, a first mountain finish at La Planche des Belles Filles, a return to L'Alpe d'Huez, and a final 40km time trial.
Both reigning road World Champions were in attendance for the ceremonies, Elisa Balsamo (Team Valcar - Travel & Service) and Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-QuickStep). They were joined from the women's peloton by French time trial champion Audrey Cordon-Ragot (Trek-Segafredo), second-place finisher at this year's La Course by Le Tour de France Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ Nouvelle - Aquitaine Futuroscope), and Lotto Belgium Tour stage winner Alena Amialiusik (Canyon-SRAM Racing).
Two-time Tour winner Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) and 34-time Tour stage winner Mark Cavendish (Deceuninck-QuickStep) took part in the event, along with general classification rivals Jakob Fuglsang (Astana-Premier Tech) and Nairo Quintana (Arkéa-Samsic).
Click or swipe through the gallery above for a glimpse of the presentation.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Cyclingnews is the world's leader in English-language coverage of professional cycling. Started in 1995 by University of Newcastle professor Bill Mitchell, the site was one of the first to provide breaking news and results over the internet in English. The site was purchased by Knapp Communications in 1999, and owner Gerard Knapp built it into the definitive voice of pro cycling. Since then, major publishing house Future PLC has owned the site and expanded it to include top features, news, results, photos and tech reporting. The site continues to be the most comprehensive and authoritative English voice in professional cycling.
