Cavendish expects fewer chances for sprinters at tough 2022 Tour
Mark Cavendish is braced for a tough quest to surpass the record he shares with Eddy Merckx and become the all-time leader in stage wins at next year’s Tour de France.
The unveiling in Paris yesterday of the full route for 2022’s race did Cavendish and his fellow sprint stars no favours as it focused on summit finishes and a return to the notorious cobbles of Paris-roubaix.
Next year’s race will start in Copenhagen, as had already been revealed, with a 13-kilometre city-centre time trial on July 1, and will also wind its way through parts of Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland.
Cavendish, who this year claimed the green jersey and his record-equalling 34th stage win, was present at the route announcement and the 36-year-old said: “It’s going to be a very hard Tour de France.
“Of course, starting from Copenhagen, where I became world champion, brings back a lot of great memories, but those first days after the time trial could be really hectic.
“There aren’t as many chances for the fast men as in the past, so you’ll need to try to make the most out of every opportunity.”
The cobblestones will feature for the first time since 2018 with almost 20km of sections, some of which have never previously been
used for either the Tour or Paris-roubaix. From Denmark the race will reconvene on the north coast of France then wind down the west.
It will take in the Alps – including a summit finish on Alpe d’huez – and the Pyrenees before ending with a 40km time trial and then the traditional finale in Paris on July 24.
"You have the entire palate of what it's possible to provide on a Tour de France,"
said course designer Thierry Gouvenou.
Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar has won the past two Tour de France titles and the 23-yearold will be favourite to win a third yellow jersey next year.
"It's a very good course, interesting from the first to the last stage," said Pogacar at the route announcement in Paris.
“We have everything: sprints, echelons, cobbles,
big climbs, small climbs, time trials. I'm really looking forward to it. I'll do some recons because it will be necessary after we saw what's on the plan. I'm pretty excited.
"There is a little more pressure on me having already won."
Meanwhile, the women's Tour de France, which will be held for the first time in 33 years in 2022, is set to feature eight stages through eastern France.
Starting on the final day of the men's Tour, the Tour de France Femmes will see competitors tackle two mountain stages - including a summit finish for the last stage
The event, which takes place from July 24-31, is set to become the richest race in the women’s peloton next year, with a total of €250,000 in prize money up for grabs over the course of the eightday race, with the winner picking up €50,000.