tour de champagne 2022

Tour de France Stage 21 Preview: Celebrations and a Sprint on the Champs-Elysées

Jonas Vingegaard and Jumbo-Visma will toast champagne before we will see a torrid sprint on the Champs-Elysées.

Stage 21 - Paris la Défense Arena to Paris - 115.6km - Sunday, July 24

Champagne, celebrations, patriotic flyovers, and of course the iconic Champs-Elysées circuit with the Arc de Triomphe are all that’s left for the 138 finishers of the 2022 Tour de France. And of course some actual racing, with breakaways and an almost-certain field sprint.

The final stage of the Tour de France is equal parts ceremony and competition. With the traditional finish on the Champs, the race almost always starts in some Parisian suburb or outlying town, but this year it gets underway deep in the city proper at the la Défense business district, known for its own distinctive Grande Arche.

The 115.6km stage route then meanders west to the suburbs before doubling back through Versailles and into the heart of Paris for the eight finishing circuits on the Champs. There is one climb, the Category 4 Côte du Pavé des Gardes, but with the KoM competition sewn up it’s literally just a bump in the road.

As is tradition, the first half of the stage is ridden at an extremely relaxed pace, given over to little celebrations for the jersey wearers, best team, and other prizes. Keep an eye out for a few practical jokes between the riders: fake breakaway attempts, jersey swaps, and other moments of levity as riders celebrate the massive achievement of just finishing the Tour.

But as the race nears the circuits, things will turn serious again. Again, by tradition, the winner’s team leads onto the Champs for the first lap, but after that breakaways will start to pop off the front. Almost always, these are ultimately for show (the last breakaway to win was in 2005). The Champs is a well-drilled circuit that the riders know intimately, and with a prestigious sprint opportunity—one of just a few this race—the sprinters’ teams will be well-motivated to bring it all back before the final time up the finishing straight.

The key is positioning. The final corner, a sweeping right-hander off the Place de la Concorde, is 700 meters from the line, but the speed at this point is already so high that sprinters need to be in the top 10-15 riders around that bend to have any real shot at the stage win, which is a draggy false flat on bumpy cobbles.

Riders To Watch

It’s not impossible for a breakaway to succeed on the Champs, but it’s exceptionally rare. We’d bet almost zero on the likelihood of one this year because of the paucity of chances so far for the sprinters. Quick-Step—Alpha Vinyl has been quiet since winning the opening two stages and they’d love to cap off the Tour with another victory for Fabio Jakobsen, although they’ll have to do it without leadout man extraordinaire Michael Mørkøv. Lotto-Soudal’s Caleb Ewan has had a Tour to forget, but all that misfortune would be instantly dismissed with a stage. Alpecin-Deceuninck’s Jasper Philipsen has a stage win and several near-misses and is certainly a threat. And of course Wout van Aert would love to top off Jumbo-Visma’s dominating Tour with his fourth victory of the race. Finally, for teams that haven’t won yet, like TotalEnergies with Peter Sagan, and Intermarché-Wanty's Alexander Kristoff, it’s last-chance saloon.

When to Watch

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Tour de France 2022: Jasper Philipsen wins Stage 21 sprint

Jasper Philipsen was first over the finish line as Jonas Vingegaard sealed a Tour de France victory that he and Denmark can be proud of

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Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) won the Stage 21 sprint on the Champs-Elysees to close out the 2022 Tour de France.

It was a frenetic last 3km or so, with the trains forming to lead out their sprinters. The lead out men were used up early and the sprinters gathered near the front.

The sprinters were spread across the width of the road, with Dylan Groenewegen (BikeExchange-Jayco) going early on one side but he couldn't match the kick of Philipsen on the other side of the Champs-Elysees.

Rounding out the top 10 after an amazing Tour de France was Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious), what an amazing race the young British rider has had.

Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), a favourite for the day, had disappeared from the front of the race before the sprint kicked off. It became clear why he'd done so later, when he crossed the line arm-in-arm with his team – the yellow jersey of Jonas Vingegaard in the centre.

The stage was the usual spectacle we've become used to for the final stage of the Tour: photos, champagne, faux-attacks and plenty of posing for the cameras as the peloton made its way from somewhere near Paris to the Champs-Elysees.

But no one was complaining and we'll all be back in front of our televisions to watch again next year.

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Once the remaining riders in the 2022 Tour de France hit the famous boulevard, and had eight laps to go before the final crossing of the finish line, the pace went up and the race was on.

The attacks started and were either brought back quickly or always kept under control by the sprinters' teams before the final sprint.

Stage 21 at the 2022 Tour de France: Textbook final stage

Rolling out from not very far from away from the finish line, Stage 21 of the 2022 Tour de France ventured away from the centre of Paris to take in some sights and allow for the obligatory photoshoot of the jersey winners (and wearers) celebrating with champagne at the head of the peloton.

The only jersey wearer, but not winner, was Simon Geschke (Cofidis). The involuntary Miss Havisham was forced – by convention and contract – to wear the polka dot jersey since losing his lead in the competition on Stage 18, by which point there was no chance of recovering it.

At the flag drop, white jersey and second overall Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates), green jersey Wout van Aert and this year's overall winner Jonas Vingegaard (both Jumbo-Visma) attacked off the front. Smiles on the faces of the former pair, possibly considering just going clear, were not matched by the latter, Vingegaard, who more likely wanted an easy day and to leave the riding to the sprinters' teams.

Jumbo-Visma rolled to the front and in a touching gesture held up the race numbers of their three teammates who started but did did not finish the 2022 Tour de France.

Ineos Grenadiers dropped off the back of the peloton to have a team photo, with all eight starters still present, to celebrate winning the team classification.

While they were posing with their yellow helmets and yellow numbers, the six Danish riders who will make it to the final finish line in Paris had a chat off the front for a while, posing for the cameras.

Geschke popped up again, riding over the KOM line to take the one point available on today's stage ahead of a slow moving peloton. He waved at the fans and smiled, proving he's a good sport.

The posing and backslapping stopped on the first passage of the finish line, which marked eight laps of the Champs-Elysees between the riders and the end of the 2022 Tour de France.

Several riders attempted breakaways, bumping all over the mini-cobbles as they tried to get a gap over the peloton. Stan Dewulf (AG2R Citroën) and Stefan Bissegger (EF Education-EasyPost) got away first before being joined by a few more riders.

First of those riders were Jan Tratnik (Bahrain Victorious), Mathieu Burgaudeau (TotalEnergies) and Daniel Felipe Martínez (Ineos Grenadiers).

With the sprinters' teams on the front of the main bunch, the doomed break's advantage barely flickered above 10 seconds. It didn't last long and they were back in the fold.

EF Education-EasyPost, with a lack of an out-and-out sprinter, were the most active as they launched again. Maximilian Schachmann (Bora-Hansgrohe) joined the EF pair of Owain Doull and Jonas Rutsch on a little ride around the Champs-Elysees. A two-up time-trial from Groupama-FDJ made its way to the head of the race to put a bit more fire power into the doomed enterprise.

With 25km to go they had 20 seconds over a fast moving peloton. Doull was the first to surrender to the inevitable but the remaining quartet kept the pressure on the pedals before falling away one-by-one. Schachmann and Rutsch were last to be caught with 6.9km to go – as the bell was rung was the final lap.

Maybe tired of the non-competitive nature of the final stage, Pogacar followed an attack from the Ineos duo of Geraint Thomas and Filippo Ganna to go about seven metres clear for no more than a minute; a good bit of excitement for the final lap.

From there we were into the lead outs, with the surprise (and disappointment) of seeing Van Aert going backwards through the group making it clear that he wouldn't be competing in the sprint.

His reasoning became clear after Philipsen had won: Jumbo-Visma crossed the line as a team, arm-in-arm.

Tour de France 2022: Stage 20 results

1. Jasper Philipsen (Bel) Alpecin-Deceuninck, in 2-58-32 2. Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) BikeExchange-Jayco, at the same time 3. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux, st 4. Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo, st 5. Peter Sagan (Svk) TotalEnergies, st 6. Jeremy Lecroq (Fra) B&B Hotels-KTM, st 7. Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Bora-Hansgrohe, st 8. Caleb Ewan (Aus) Lotto-Soudal, st 9. Hugo Hofstetter (Fra) Arkea-Samsic, st 10. Fred Wright (GBR) Bahrain Victorious, st

Final General classification of the 2022 Tour de France

1. Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Jumbo-Visma, in 79-33-20 2. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates, at 2-43 3. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers, at 7-22 4. David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ, at 13-39 5. Aleksandr Vlasov (Rus) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 15-46 6. Nairo Quintana (Col) Arkea-Samsic, at 16-33 7. Romain Bardet (Fra) Team DSM, at 18-11 8. Louis Meintjes (RSA) Intermarché–Wanty–Gobert Matériaux, at 18-44 9. Aleksey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Qazaqstan, at 22-56 10. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers, at 24-52

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Jack Elton-Walters hails from the Isle of Wight, and would be quick to tell anyone that it's his favourite place to ride. He has covered a varied range of topics for Cycling Weekly , producing articles focusing on tech, professional racing and cycling culture. He moved on to work for Cyclist Magazine in 2017 where he stayed for four years until going freelance. He now returns to Cycling Weekly from time-to-time to cover racing, review cycling gear and write longer features for print and online.

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Tour de france 2022 schedule: start time, stages, length, dates, how to watch live stream, route, tv coverage, highlights.

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The 2022 Tour de France begins on Friday, July 1 through Sunday, July 24 across the networks of NBC, USA Network, and Peacock. This year’s cycling event features nine new sites and stages indicated with an asterisk in the schedule below.

RELATED: 2022 Tour de France TV, live stream schedule

Additionally, there will be two individual time trials in this year’s Tour marking the first time since 2017 that the event begins with an individual time trial and the third straight year with one on the penultimate Tour stage. See below to find out more information including how to watch, stages, the complete schedule, and more.

RELATED: 2022 Tour de France standings

2022 Tour de France Key Information

When is the 2022 tour de france what time does coverage start.

The 2022 Tour de France will take place from July 1-July 24. Coverage of stage 1 begins at 9:30 a.m. ET on Peacock and USA Network.

How can I watch the 2022 Tour de France?

Stream all 21 stages of the 2022 Tour de France from start to finish, or watch on-demand on NBC, USA, and Peacock . All NBC and USA coverage also streams on NBCSports.com/live and the NBC Sports app. Click here for the full broadcast schedule .

RELATED: Tour de France Stage 12 yellow jersey ceremony

How long is the Tour de France 2022?

The 2022 Tour de France is 24 days long. There will be one stage contested per day and three rest days. The first rest day is on July 4 (between stages 3 & 4), the second will be on July 11 (between stages 9 & 10), and the final rest day will be on July 18 (between stages 15 & 16).

How many riders are in the Tour?

There will be a total of 176 riders. There will be 22 teams with 8 riders per team.

RELATED: 2022 Tour de France: Cyclists to watch

How many stages is the Tour de France?

There are 21 stages: 6 flat, 7 hilly, 6 mountain stages, and 2 individual time trials.

What is the 2022 Tour de France schedule and route?

Click here to see the full map.

RELATED: 2022 Tour de France route - stage profiles, previews, start, finish times

How many miles is the 2022 Tour de France?

A total of 3,346.5 km (approximately 2,079.4 miles) is the distance expected to be covered in this year’s Tour.

Previous Tour de France Winners

2021 - Tadej Pogacar

2020 - Tadej Pogacar

2019 - Egan Bernal

2018 - Geraint Thomas

2017 - Chris Froome

2016 - Chris Froome

2015 - Chris Froome

2014 - Vincenzo Nibali

2013 - Chris Froome

2012 - Bradley Wiggins

2011 - Cadel Evans

2010 - Andy Schleck

WATCH: All episodes of ‘In the Saddle’

Be sure to follow OlympicTalk for the latest news, storylines, and updates on the 2022 Tour de France!

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Tour de France 2022 route and stages – Schedule, key dates and predictions in battle for yellow jersey

Updated 29/06/2022 at 18:43 GMT

The biggest bike race in the world begins on July 1 in Copenhagen. Every one of the 21 stages of the 2022 Tour de France will be important but, in determining who stands on the podium in Paris wearing the famous maillot jaune, some will surely be more important than others. Nick Christian selects a magnificent seven, when you won't want to miss a minute of the action on Eurosport and discovery+.

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TOUR DE FRANCE 2022 - THE ROUTE

Tour de france 2022 route map.

TOUR DE FRANCE 2022 - KEY STAGES

Stage 1, july 1: copenhagen - copenhagen (13.2km, itt).

Stage 5, July 6: Lille - Wallers-Arenberg (153.7km, cobbles)

Stage 7, July 8: Tomblaine to La Super Planche des Belles Filles (176.3km, mountains)

Stage 11, July 13: Albertville to Col de Granon (151.7km, mountains)

Stage 14, July 16: Saint-Etienne - Mende (192.5km, hills)

Stage 18, July 21: Lourdes - Hautacam (143.2km, mountains)

Stage 20, July 23: Lacapelle-Marival - Rocamadour (40.7km, ITT)

And the winner is...

Tadej Pogacar celebrates in yellow

Image credit: Getty Images

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Tue 13 Aug 2024

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Tour de France 2022 route map: Stages list, full schedule, and where the race starts and ends today

Covering a total of 3,328 kilometres, the 2022 tour route includes forays into belgium and switzerland and a stage in northern france that features 11 sections of bone-jangling cobbles.

The most northerly grand départ in Tour de France history sees the 176 riders kick off the 109th edition with a flat but technical 13.2km time trial around Copenhagen ahead of two sprinter-friendly stages in Denmark , where potential coastal crosswinds will put the yellow jersey contenders on red alert.

Covering a total of 3,328 kilometres, the 2022 Tour route also includes forays into Belgium and Switzerland, a stage in northern France that features 11 sections of bone-jangling cobbles, six summit finishes, and a 40.7km time trial on the penultimate day – the longest solo TT for a decade.

Stage 5 to Arenberg, with almost 20km of cobblestones, could well be the stand-out moment of the opening week. It comes two days before the race’s first summit showdown at the Superplanche des Belles Filles, the climb where Slovenia’s Primoz Roglic relinquished his yellow jersey in dramatic fashion to compatriot Tadej Pogacar in 2020, just one day from the finish.

Back-to-back finishes on the Col du Granon and Alpe d’Huez for stages 11 and 12 will light up the second week. Unused since 1986, the brutal Granon was the highest finish in the Tour’s history for a quarter of a century until the Col de Galibier hosted a mountaintop finish in 2011. Both sides of the lofty Galibier feature on successive days, most notably ahead of the infamous 21 hairpin bends of Alpe d’Huez – back for the first time since Welshman Geraint Thomas won in yellow in 2018.

How to watch Tour de France 2022 UK cycling fans will be spoiled for choice when it comes to watching this year’s Tour de France, with extensive coverage being shown on ITV4, Eurosport and GCN+. ITV4  will be showing hours of live racing each day as well as a  daily highlights show at 7pm  (aside from rest days, of course). You can see all the key timings for its live coverage on ITV’s website  here . Each and every stage of the Tour will be shown in its entirety on  Eurosport  and subscription service GCN+. The Breakaway, a daily analysis show, will be shown at the start and end of each stage across both services.  Short and extended highlights   packages  are also available on  GCN+ . You can see the full breakdown of Eurosport’s coverage  here  and the GCN+ coverage  here .

High-altitude finishes in the Pyrenees include stage 17 to the steep airstrip at Peyragudes and stage 18 to the ski resort of Hautacam, returning to the menu after an eight-year absence. A flurry of ramped finishes and undulating stages cater for the puncheurs and breakaway specialists alike, and there could be up to six stages that climax with a bunch sprint – including the traditional final day circuit race on the Champs-Élysées.

Related Stories

The final stage in Paris coincides with the opening stage of the inaugural women’s race, the Tour de France Femmes, which runs for eight days between Sunday 24 July and Sunday 31 July, culminating with a tough summit finish at the Superplanche in the Vosges.

Tour de France 2022 stage guide

• Stage 1 – 1 July – Copenhagen to Copenhagen – 13.2km (ITT)

The opening time trial around Copenhagen is pretty much pan flat, but there are plenty of tight corners to make it a technical challenge as well as a measure of pure power. Denmark’s own Kasper Asgreen will be among the favourites to pull on the first yellow jersey of the race.

• Stage 2 – 2 July – Roskilde to Nyborg – 202.5km – Flat

A bunch sprint is expected on stage two as the race heads west along the coastal roads, but there there is one major obstacle hiding from view on the race profile. The Storebaelsbroen is the 18km-long bridge across the Great Belt linking eastern and western Denmark. The possibility of gusting winds on this exposed bridge is high, so teams will have to be on high alert for splits on the road into Nyborg.

• Stage 3 – 3 July – Vejle to Sonderborg – 182km – Flat

There should be no barrier to a pure sprint on stage three as the peloton heads south, passing through Asgreen’s home town of Kolding. The three categorised climbs on the route will barely register, and none of them come in the final 60km.

• Stage 4 – 5 July – Dunkerque to Calais – 171.5km – Hilly

After a day off for teams to make the journey across to France, the Tour continues with a lumpier day, going west to get east as the route cuts inland through the Pas-de-Calais before returning to the coast. It’s one for the stronger sprinters, but wind could again be a factor in determining how this one plays out.

• Stage 5 – 6 July – Lille Metropole to Arenberg Porte du Hainaut – 154km – Hilly

It’s a mini Paris-Roubaix in reverse as the feared cobbles return to the race on stage five. Arenberg is famous for its trench of cobbles through the forest, but do not expect to see that as the Tour has opted for a number of unfamiliar sectors, but unusually challenging ones. It will make for a nervous day all around.

• Stage 6 – 7 July – Binche to Longwy – 220km – Hilly

The Tour dips a toe into Belgium for a start in Binche, and what follows on the longest stage of this year’s race is one for the puncheurs – with a series of short climbs on the road through the Ardennes and into Longwy, and a rise of 800 metres at 12.3 per cent comes just before the road up to the finish.

• Stage 7 -8 July – Tomblaine to La Super Planches des Belles Filles – 176.5km – Mountain

In the decade since it made its debut on the Tour, La Planche des Belles Filles has become a favourite and for good reason. This will be the sixth stage finish on the climb since 2012, and the first since Tadej Pogacar dramatically snatched overall victory from Primoz Roglic in the time trial here in 2020. The race will include the unpaved section at the top of the hill first used in 2019.

• Stage 8 – 9 July – Dole to Lausanne – 186.5km – Hilly

There’s a nod to those who have led the way out of the pandemic on stage 8 with a start in Dole, hometown of Louis Pasteur, the French chemist who developed the first vaccines some 150 years ago. From there the stage heads into Switzerland where a punchy finish awaits.

• Stage 9 – 10 July – Aigle to Chatel les Portes du Soleil – 193km – Mountain

The first mountain passes of the Tour come in the Swiss Alps over the Col des Mosses, the Col de la Croix and the Pas de Morgins before a relatively flat run back over the border to a finish on the approach to the ski station at Portes du Soleil.

• Stage 10 – 12 July – Morzine les Portes du Soleil – Megeve – 148.5km – Hilly

After the first proper rest day (the transfer day from Denmark notwithstanding), more Alpine challenges await, though relatively sedate. The final climb up to Megeve is long at 19km but relatively easy at an average gradient of 4.1 per cent with the steepest section, at 7.1 per cent, in the final kilometre.

• Stage 11 – 13 July – Albertville to Col du Granon Serre Chevalier – 152km – Mountain

Three of the Tour’s most famous climbs come on a demanding stage 11, with the Col du Telegraphe, Col du Galibier and Col du Granon packed into the second half of the day. A Tour stage has not finished here since 1986, on the day Greg Lemond famously took yellow from Bernard Hinault.

• Stage 12 – 14 July – Briancon to Alpe d’Huez – 165.5km – Mountain

The hairpins of Alpe d’Huez await on stage 12, but only after the peloton has doubled back and undone its work of the day before – back over the Galibier and down the Telegraphe before the Col de la Croix de Fer and the Alpe d’Huez make it a trio of hors categorie climbs in one brutal day. In another nod to Lemond and Hinault, this replicates the stage on which they crossed the line hand in hand 36 years ago.

• Stage 13 – 15 July – Le Bourg d’Oisans to Saint Etienne – 193km – Flat

After a long wait since Denmark it is hard to imagine the sprint teams will not keep a firm handle on the breakaway and ensure a sprint finish in St Etienne as the peloton shifts away from the Alps.

• Stage 14 – 16 July – Saint Etienne to Mende – 192.5km – Hilly

The steep climb up to the airport in Mende has provided some spectacular finishes to Tour stages in recent years, none more so than when Steve Cummings broke away to deliver a first-ever Tour stage win for an African team, MTN-Qhubeka, on Mandela Day in 2015.

• Stage 15 – 17 July – Rodez to Carcassonne – 202.5km – Flat

Stages into Carcassonne have usually favoured breakaways but last year Mark Cavendish won here to match Eddy Merckx’s record of 34 Tour victories, and the sprinters will be eyeing another bunch finish ahead of the final rest day.

• Stage 16 – 19 July – Carcassonne to Foix – 178.5km – Hilly

The Pyrenees will define the final week but this is only an hors d’oeuvre with a trip into the foothills on the road to Foix, a finish town which has again been kind to breakaways. These might not be on the scale of the mountains to come, but the Mur de Peguere finishes with gradients of 13 and 18 per cent during the final kilometre.

• Stage 17 – 20 July – Saint-Gaudens to Peyragudes – 130km – Mountains

There’s room for James Bond references on Stage 17 as the peloton cross the Col d’Aspin, Hourquette d’Anzican and the Col de Val-Louron-Azet on their way to the climb to the airstrip of Peyragudes, made famous in the opening scenes of Tomorrow Never Dies. Romain Bardet was the winner when the peloton last took on this climb, which hits 13 per cent in the finale, in 2017.

• Stage 18 – 21 July – Lourdes to Hautacam – 143.5km – Mountain

The last of the mountain tests come on stage 18, with the hors categorie climbs of the Col d’Aubisque and the rise up to Hautacam punctuated by the category one Col de Spandelles. It will be the last chance for the pure climbers to make their mark.

• Stage 19 – 22 July – Castelnau-Magnoac to Cahors – 188.5km – Flat

A flat stage looks like one for the sprinters though they might want to think back to stage 19 of last year’s race, when an exhausted bunch allowed a breakaway to stay clear with Matej Mohoric claiming victory.

• Stage 20 – 23 July – Lacapelle-Marival to Rocamadour – 40.7km – ITT

The battle for the yellow jersey will be settled with a penultimate day time trial, and a long and challenging one at that. The nearly 41km route is the longest battle against the clock seen in the Tour since 2014, and with two late climbs there could be a twist in the tail.

• Stage 21 – 24 July – Paris La Defense Arena – Paris Champs-Elysees – 116km – Flat

Love it or hate it, the largely processional final stage of the Tour lives on (at least for now, if rumours about 2024 are to be believed). Champagne glasses will clink in the suburbs of the capital before the sprinters do battle on the Champs-Elysees and the sun comes down on the 109th Tour de France.

* Additional reporting by Press Association

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Chasing Demi: Tour de France Femmes Top-10 Favorites

After flying to victory in the second edition of the tour de france femmes avec zwift, demi vollering faces some new rivals this year..

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Don't miss a moment of the 2024 Tour de France! Get recaps, insights, and exclusive takes with Velo's daily newsletter. >","name":"in-content-cta","type":"link"}}'>Sign up today! .

The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift begins Monday, August 12 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. We’ve compiled the top riders to help you get ready.

DEMI VOLLERING, 27 (Netherlands)

TEAM SD WORX-PROTIME

2023 POSITION: 1st

The world’s best stage racer leading the world’s most powerful team. That, in summary, is the reason why Vollering is the overwhelming favorite to successfully defend of her title. The Dutch rider’s flight into the mist on the Tourmalet last year is still in everyone’s mind, as are the gaps at the summit—she was two minutes ahead of the next rider. Since then, the 2022 winner Annemiek van Vleuten has retired and no one seems equipped to stand in Vollering’s way.

You really have to rack your brains to find them, as there’s not much evidence of her having any limitations. That said, the winner of the 2023 Vélo d’Or award will have to deal with the inconveniences that her new status as the defending champion bring. There will be an even stronger spotlight on her as the Grand Départ is taking place in her own backyard, in the Netherlands. How will she react to this phenomenal pressure?

KASIA NIEWIADOMA, 29 (Poland)

CANYON // SRAM RACING

2023 POSITION: 3rd

Punch and panache have been Niewiadoma ’s trademarks for a decade. On last year’s Pyrenean stage, she tried to turn the tables on the descent of the Aspin while Vollering and van Vleuten were keeping tabs on each other. This year, the brevity of the time trial and the abundance of difficulties elsewhere make this course a perfect playground for the Polish climber—whose victory over Vollering at April’s Flèche Wallonne has given her new confidence.

Her inability to win even though she’s so often well placed reached quite astonishing proportions before she won this year’s Flèche Wallonne. Before that victory, the world gravel champion had accumulated 53 top fives since her last previous win on the road, which came in June 2019. It seems that she nearly always comes up against someone who’s stronger or more cunning than her. Finishing third in both of the first two editions of the Tour Femmes only highlights this deficiency.

JULIETTE LABOUS, 25 (France)

TEAM DSM FIRMENICH-POSTNL

2023 POSITION: 5th

Blessed with great endurance, as well as a good climber and time trialist, Labous has what it takes to compete for the podium. Finish fourth and then fifth in the race’s first two editions, she seems even more capable of top three this year. Humble but determined, the runner-up to van Vleuten at the 2023 Giro will be well supported by the French fans, especially on stage 6 to Morteau, where she was once a member of the local club.

Last year, her sensitivity to extreme heat was partly responsible for her difficult opening stage in Clermont-Ferrand. This year, she would like a longer time trial to take advantage of her talent in this discipline. In the event of a sprint in a small group, she lacks the explosiveness required for victory and bonus seconds.

ASHLEIGH MOOLMAN, 38 (South Africa)

AG INSURANCE-SOUDAL TEAM

2023 POSITION: 6th

At 38 and in her final season of racing, Moolman is the most experienced contender for the podium. By finishing fourth on the Tourmalet in the 2023 Tour Femmes (and fifth this year in La Flèche Wallonne), she confirmed that she’s still among the best climbers. Second at the Giro in 2018 and 2021, she can cope very well with repeated efforts. The final three stages in the mountains suit her perfectly.

Very slight in stature, the 108-pound South African champion isn’t at her best when racing on the flat stages. And her team isn’t yet at the same level as the very best—although it has been strengthened this year with the arrivals of Australia’s Sarah Gigante, winner of January’s Santos Tour Down Under, and Belgium’s Julie Van de Velde.

GAIA REALINI, 23 (Italy)

FIRST APPEARANCE

One of the smallest riders in the peloton, at 4 feet 11 inches and 88 pounds, Realini is a pure climber with an unbeatable power-to-weight ratio. Last year, her first season on the UCI WorldTour, was a success, as she finished second at the UAE Tour, the Vuelta and the Giro, and third at Flèche Wallonne. Having Elisa Longo Borghini alongside her is a real plus.

She’ll definitely be out of her comfort zone during the first two stages where echelons could well form if it’s windy (she lost two minutes in echelons on a similar stage of this year’s Vuelta) as well as in the time trial that follows through the streets of Rotterdam. She’s still learning the trade and, now 23, will discover the intensity of the pressure that comes with the Tour for the first time.

MARTA CAVALLI, 26 (Italy)

2023 POSITION: 19th

Two years ago, Cavalli emerged with victories in quick succession at the Amstel Gold Race and Flèche Wallonne, while she also finished fifth at Paris-Roubaix, which showed the breadth of her ability. She was also second at the Giro Donne, the only rider who could compete with winner van Vleuten on the climbs that year.

Her terrible crash during the first edition of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift left its mark. Finishing eighth on the Tourmalet last year was an encouraging sign. But she was unable to confirm her return to the peloton’s elite at the start of this season, after injuring her pelvis in a training crash—and by mid-May she had completed only five days of racing.

ELISA LONGO BORGHINI, 32 (Italy)

2023 POSITION: DNS STAGE 7

Winner of the Tour of Flanders (in 2015 and this year), Paris–Roubaix (2022) and Strade Bianche (2017), the four-time Italian champion has carved out an incredible palmarès thanks to her versatility and racing nous. She’s also at home in stage races, as shown by her two podiums at the Giro Donne, her sixth place in the 2022 Tour Femmes and her third place in this year’s Vuelta Femenina.

WEAKNESSES 

She’s not the best climber around. Consequently, her dreams of a podium in this third edition of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift could be dashed on the final day on the road to L’Alpe d’Huez. Last year, ill and exhausted, she had to throw in the towel before the Tourmalet stage.

SILVIA PERSICO, 27 (Italy)

UAE TEAM ADQ

2023 POSITION: 14th

By finishing six stages in the top seven and in fifth place overall, the Italian was the major revelation of the Tour’s first edition. A superb all-rounder, the cyclocross specialist finished in style at Super Planche des Belles Filles, where only van Vleuten and Vollering were ahead of her.

A winner just once in 2023 (at Flèche Brabançonne) and so far in 2024 (GP du Morbihan), the 27-year-old was further off the radar in last summer’s Tour Femmes (18th on the Tourmalet and 14th overall), which leaves us to wonder whether she might be more suited to one-day classics than stage races.

RIEJANNE MARKUS, 29 (The Netherlands)

TEAM VISMA | LEASE-A-BIKE

2023 POSITION: 11th

After riding in the shadow of her fellow Dutch teammate Marianne Vos for many years, Markus  has improved markedly in recent seasons, notably at the Vuelta Femenina, by placing fourth in 2023 and second this year (beaten only by Vollering). She’s a strong time trialist and has become a stronger climber in the past two years.

She won’t be able to gain much time in the short time trial at this year’s Tour and she’s still limited in the high mountains, so a top five is probably the best she can do on GC.

CECILIE UTTRUP LUDWIG, 28 (Denmark)

2023 POSITION: 7th

Her explosive attacks can hit the mark. Winner on the heights above Épernay in 2022, the Dane could be one of the big favorites to win stage 4 in the Ardennes. She’ll be able to count on very solid and experienced teammates.

Having quickly established herself among the world’s elite, she’s struggled to take the final step that would enable her to claim the great victories that once seemed likely. She is somewhat limited in the high mountains. Her 2024 season started well with a stage win at January’s Tour Down Under,  but a fractured sacrum in a crash at February’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad stopped her from racing until mid-May.

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More From Forbes

Ritz-carlton yachting itineraries expand with second luxury vessel, ‘ilma’.

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The second of three Ritz-Carlton cruise ships, Ilma offers an intimate at-sea experience serving up ... [+] luxury hospitality in large suites with floor-to-ceiling windows, five restaurants, seven bars, and 11 spa treatment rooms on the inaugural itinerary this September.

With the highest ratio of space per guest in the cruising industry, Ritz-Carlton recently announced itineraries for its second luxury yacht, Ilma , beginning this September. The yacht measures 790 feet and accommodates 448 guests. Compared to the average cruise ship length of 1,000 feet accommodating between 2,000 and 3,000 guests, the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection ships are designed to be intimate, with luxurious appointments that boast the brand's indulgent hospitality. The ratio of staff to guests of nearly 1:1 ensures the expected level of service while on board.

Ilma , translating to "water" in Maltese, features 224 suites with private terraces. Two luxurious upper suites measure over 1,000 square feet in size. With a bevy of five restaurants and seven bars, a wine vault, and expanded marina, Ilma will take guests to posh ports in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, and the Caribbean.

Inaugural Itinerary

The sun deck pool on board the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Ilma invites guests for a stylish dip with a ... [+] panoramic view.

Ritz-Carlton announced their luxury voyages as the first to be presented by a land-based hotel group. Ilma 's initial voyage will be a seven night itinerary from Monaco to Rome, embarking on September 2, 2024. From Monaco, the ship will sail to Saint-Tropez with additional stops in Cannes, Livorno, Bastia on the Island of Corsica, Porto Cervo on Sardinia, and then on to Rome.

Shore excursion options include a Port Grimaud Tour and Saint-Tropez seafood fest, Wine tasting at Domaine du Bourrian, a Cote dÁzure car rally, a Porto Cervo garden to pan experience, and a private sailing boat trip to La Maddalena Archipelago.

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The owner's suite on board the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection's Ilma has living and dining areas in ... [+] addition to large terraces with ocean views.

Additional itineraries include 10 nights from Rome to Athens on September 9, 12 nights from Athens to Rome on September 26, 7 nights from Rome to Barcelona on October 15, and 10 nights Barcelona to Lisbon on October 22, with fares ranging from $8,900 USD to $13,900 per person, double occupancy.

Included are unlimited restaurant and in-suite dining, unlimited drinks, wifi, complimentary bottle of Champagne upon arrival, king bed, robes and slippers, watersports, entertainment, mini bar, and on board gratuities.

Memori will serve authentic Japanese cuisine on board Ritz-Carlton's Ilma, the newest addition to ... [+] their Yacht Collection.

Caribbean itineraries on board Ilma follow into the winter season. Guests can board for 6 nights on November 14 for a tour of the islands from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Soufriere, St. Lucia, Terre-de-Haut, Guadeloupe, St. John's, and Virgin Gorda, with return back to San Juan.

Other options include a San Juan to Fort Lauderdale trip for 7 nights departing November 20, San Juan to Bridgetown, Barbados departiing January 18, and a number of additional departures in and around the Caribbean before returning to Lisbon from Fort Lauderdale on a 13 night April 14 itinerary. A full list of date and yacht options can be found on the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection website .

Enviable Amenities

Ilma is nicely outfitted with an extensive list of amenities, including the Marina and Marina Terrace to stern, with indoor and outdoor dining alongside direct sea access for watersports. A spa with sauna, steam room, quiet zones, and 11 treatment rooms are adjacent to The Barber and The Salon.

Atop Deck 10, Ilma 's large pool with tanning ledges and wide sundecks serve drinks from the pool bar, or celebrate departures during sail-away parties. Films are presented alfresco beneath the stars.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection's second ship, Ilma, is out on sea trials prior to the inaugural ... [+] voyage scheduled for seven nights on the Mediterranean coast, September 2-9, 2024.

An infinity pool and Latin-inspired Beach House restaurant a few decks down offer a comfy, shaded option. An observation lounge, a humidor with hand rolled Davidoff cigars and Macallan single malt, a boutique, and a lovely meeting hub called The Living Room serve guests with shopping and socializing. There is even a Ritz Kids educational program with enhanced service during holidays and summers.

Three Sisters of the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

The first yacht to launch for Ritz-Carlton was Evrima, Greek for "discovery." Evrima made her maiden journey in October of 2022. A bit smaller than the Ilma , Evrima measures 624 feet with 149 suites in a variety of categories, also with elegant terraces, and carries up to 298 guests. The Luminara , Latin for "light," is expected to debut in 2025 with a Mediterranean itinerary. A bit larger, Luminara measures 794 feet, offering 226 suites servicing 452 guests with an expanded marina and Ritz-Carlton spa.

Additional Luxury Hospitality Brands Enter The Market

Four Seasons will launch its first yacht, Four Seasons I , in 2026. The yacht measures 679 feet with 95 suites, and a 1:1 staff to guest ratio, with 11 restaurants and lounges, overwater pool deck, and transverse marina. The build is in the hands of Ancona shipyard Fincantieri, with a design inspired by grand cruising steamships of the golden age.

Scheduled for a 2027 launch, Aman Resorts in a joint venture with Cruise Saudi will christen its first Aman at Sea yacht measuring 600 feet. Housing 50 luxury suites designed by Sinot Yacht Architecture and Design and built by Genoa's T. Mariotti Shipyard, the yacht touts "privacy, peace, and unparalleled service." The Aman yacht boasts a 2:1 staff to passenger ratio is expected to include a Japanese garden, a helipad, funnel and loft suites with expansive windows, and dual diesel and methanol propulsion.

Orient Express will bring SilenSeas to the luxury market in 2026. Built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique, and also inspired by the golden age of ship travel, the OE Corinthian will be the first yacht for the brand. The yacht will employ innovative SolidSail technology that mounts three solid sails on a rig above the main decks that rotate 360° and tilt to a 70° angle, assisting engine propulsion and reduce fuel use, making it the largest ever wind-powered sailing vessel.

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