The 109th edition of the Tour de France rolled out in Copenhagen on 1st July and took in 21 stages before concluding on 24th July.
As has become tradition, La Grande Boucle concluded with an evening sprint along the Champs Elysees, with those still in the peloton able to enjoy a well-deserved glass of champagne along Paris' most iconic boulevard.
Jasper Philipsen won the late dash, but it was Jonas Vingegaard who took the overall title, with Tadej Pogacar second and Geraint Thomas third.
| What | Tour de France |
| Where | France, with part of the route also in Denmark, Belgium and Switzerland |
| When | Friday 1st July - Sunday 24th July 2022 |
| How to watch | Live on ITV4 & Eurosport, Discovery+ & GCN+ |
When was the Tour de France?
The Tour almost always starts on the first weekend of July, occasionally slipping into the last weekend of June depending on events elsewhere, such as the Olympics.
This year's edition, the 109th, saw a tweak to the formula with the race starting on a Friday. This allowed the organisers to fit an extra rest day in on Monday 4th August, while also holding three days of racing in Denmark.
Where was the Tour de France?
As mentioned, Copenhagen hosted the Grand Depart and the first three days of the Tour de France were all held in Denmark.
The first rest day saw the peloton transfer to France and for the second straight year they rode clockwise, making their way through the pave of the north of the country and slowly east before arriving in the Vosges for the first summit finish at La Planche des Belles Filles.
A stop off in Switzerland was then followed by the legendary Alpe d'Huez, which made its appearance on Bastille Day, 14th July.
The peloton then had a few days to patch themselves up before the Pyrenees and then after another sprint day, they tackled the penultimate time-trial from Lacapelle Marival to Rocamadour before finishing in Paris.
The route for next year's route will be unveiled in the autumn.
Could I have watched the Tour de France?
Yes. The Tour de France is one of the most-watched events in world sport and in 2021, attracted a television audience of 150 million viewers.
For viewers in the UK, this year's coverage was extremely extensive, with ITV4 showing live pictures each afternoon and also hosting a highlights show at 19:00.
UK viewers could also watch coverage on Eurosport, while subscribers to GCN+ could catch all the action online.
Who has won the Tour de France on the most occasions?
There are four riders who have won the Tour de France five times. They are French duo Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault, Belgian legend Eddy 'The Cannibal' Merckx and Spain's Miguel Indurain.
Britain's Chris Froome has won the race four times.
| Rider | Number of Wins | Years |
|---|---|---|
Jacques Anquetil | Five | 1957, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964 |
Eddy Merckx | Five | 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974 |
Bernard Hinault | Five | 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1985 |
Miguel Indurain | Five | 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995 |
| Chris Froome | Four | 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017 |
