Fans and riders were buzzing with excitement as the Tour de France’s Grand Depart arrived in Copenhagen with over a billion television spectators expected to tune in over the 21 stages globally. When the fresh-faced 23-year-old champion Tadej Pogacar said he was thrilled with the Danish public and could not wait to get started, the sentiment was widely shared. The sport’s greatest race attracts up to 15 million roadside fans per year and the opening three days in cycling-obsessed Denmark on the 109th edition will provide the same festive atmosphere so beloved to the French.

“I’m ready personally and my team is ready too, and you can only be happy with the kind of reception we have had here,” said UAE Team Emirates leader Pogacar.

Belgian powerhouse Wout Van Aert, winner of a time-trial, a sprint and a mountain stage at the 2021 Tour, was also buzzing after two editions impacted by Covid-19.

“I was surprised by the amount of people on the road sides. After two years, we can finally have a Grand Depart with huge crowds,” he said.

The first of the 21 stages is a short, fast, technically and psychologically challenging 8 mile individual time-trial around downtown Copenhagen.  Riders compete on aerodynamically-oriented bikes for the time-trial that would be relatively dangerous for any casual cyclist to ride. Some also wear tailored aerodynamic kits that cost up to and above $4,000 euros.

Ganna the favorite

Frenchman Jeremy Lecroq will be the first rider down the starters ramp at 4:00pm (1400GMT) outside the Tivoli theme park and next to Copenhagen’s eye-catching central train station with its gothic wooden balustrades and
tiled interior. The 176 riders embark at one-minute intervals with UAE Emirates’ Marc Soler the last to go at 6:55pm (1655GMT). Ineos’ world champion time-triallist Filippo Ganna accepted his favourite tag to win the opener and thereby don the overall race leader’s jersey.

“It would be nice to wear the yellow jersey, nothing is easy but I want to try and put that in my museum,” the Italian said.

Saturday’s second stage runs 126 mile from Roskilde to Nyborg along verdant roads adjacent to fjords and it culminates with a 12-mile-long crossing of the Great Belt Bridge. Sunday’s final day in Denmark is a 113 mile run from Vejl to Sonderborg. The Tour de France caravan transfers to France next Monday for a treacherous week featuring old, cobbled mining roads. The race then heads across the Alps, including an epic climb up the legendary Alpe d’Huez, and into the Pyrenees where the equally fearsome Hautacam summit awaits. If those mountains have not been enough to produce a winner, the 25 mile individual time-trial ending in Rocamadour on the penultimate stage should do the trick.

While Pogacar is the best rider, Dutch outfit Jumbo-Visma appear to be the strongest team, and the once mighty Ineos have promised to race aggressively to wrestle back the title.

2022 TOUR DE FRANCE STAGE 1 RIDER START TIMES

ORDER	HOUR	BIB	RIDER	TEAM
1	16:00:00	214	JÉRÉMY LECROQ	B&B HOTELS – KTM
2	16:01:00	202	JACK BAUER	TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE-JAYCO
3	16:02:00	192	GUILLAUME BOIVIN	ISRAEL-PREMIER TECH
4	16:03:00	182	EDVALD BOASSON HAGEN	TOTALENERGIES
5	16:04:00	175	BAUKE MOLLEMA	TREK – SEGAFREDO
6	16:05:00	168	TIM WELLENS	LOTTO SOUDAL
7	16:06:00	158	CONNOR SWIFT	TEAM ARKEA – SAMSIC
8	16:07:00	144	STEFAN BISSEGGER	EF EDUCATION – EASYPOST
9	16:08:00	138	ANDREY ZEITS	ASTANA – QAZAQSTAN TEAM
10	16:09:00	122	SVEN ERIK BYSTRØM	INTERMARCHE – WANTY – GOBERT MATERIAUX
11	16:10:00	115	CHRISTOPHER HAMILTON	TEAM DSM
12	16:11:00	101	MATHIEU VAN DER POEL	ALPECIN – DECEUNINCK
13	16:12:00	91	DAVID GAUDU	GROUPAMA – FDJ
14	16:13:00	87	JAN TRATNIK	BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS
15	16:14:00	77	BENJAMIN THOMAS	COFIDIS
16	16:15:00	61	ENRIC MAS	MOVISTAR TEAM
17	16:16:00	57	MICHAEL MØRKØV	QUICK-STEP ALPHA VINYL TEAM
18	16:17:00	42	FELIX GROSSSCHARTNER	BORA – HANSGROHE
19	16:18:00	36	BOB JUNGELS	AG2R CITROEN TEAM
20	16:19:00	22	DANIEL MARTINEZ	INEOS GRENADIERS
21	16:20:00	11	PRIMOŽ ROGLIČ	JUMBO – VISMA
22	16:21:00	3	MIKKEL BJERG	UAE TEAM EMIRATES
23	16:22:00	213	ALEXIS GOUGEARD	B&B HOTELS – KTM
24	16:23:00	203	LUKE DURBRIDGE	TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE-JAYCO
25	16:24:00	195	GUY NIV	ISRAEL-PREMIER TECH
26	16:25:00	183	MACIEJ BODNAR	TOTALENERGIES
27	16:26:00	171	MADS PEDERSEN	TREK – SEGAFREDO
28	16:27:00	161	CALEB EWAN	LOTTO SOUDAL
29	16:28:00	151	NAIRO QUINTANA	TEAM ARKEA – SAMSIC
30	16:29:00	147	NEILSON POWLESS	EF EDUCATION – EASYPOST
31	16:30:00	135	DMITRIY GRUZDEV	ASTANA – QAZAQSTAN TEAM
32	16:31:00	124	LOUIS MEINTJES	INTERMARCHE – WANTY – GOBERT MATERIAUX
33	16:32:00	111	ROMAIN BARDET	TEAM DSM
34	16:33:00	105	JASPER PHILIPSEN	ALPECIN – DECEUNINCK
35	16:34:00	94	STEFAN KÜNG	GROUPAMA – FDJ
36	16:35:00	81	JACK HAIG	BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS
37	16:36:00	71	GUILLAUME MARTIN	COFIDIS
38	16:37:00	64	MATTEO JORGENSON	MOVISTAR TEAM
39	16:38:00	51	FABIO JAKOBSEN	QUICK-STEP ALPHA VINYL TEAM
40	16:39:00	41	ALEKSANDR VLASOV	BORA – HANSGROHE
41	16:40:00	31	BEN O’CONNOR	AG2R CITROEN TEAM
42	16:41:00	21	GERAINT THOMAS	INEOS GRENADIERS
43	16:42:00	18	JONAS VINGEGAARD	JUMBO – VISMA
44	16:43:00	4	VEGARD STAKE LAENGEN	UAE TEAM EMIRATES
45	16:44:00	217	PIERRE ROLLAND	B&B HOTELS – KTM
46	16:45:00	201	MICHAEL MATTHEWS	TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE-JAYCO
47	16:46:00	197	KRISTS NEILANDS	ISRAEL-PREMIER TECH
48	16:47:00	185	PIERRE LATOUR	TOTALENERGIES
49	16:48:00	178	JASPER STUYVEN	TREK – SEGAFREDO
50	16:49:00	162	FREDERIK FRISON	LOTTO SOUDAL
51	16:50:00	152	WARREN BARGUIL	TEAM ARKEA – SAMSIC
52	16:51:00	142	RUBEN ANTONIO ALMEIDA GUERREIRO	EF EDUCATION – EASYPOST
53	16:52:00	132	ALEKSANDR RIABUSHENKO	ASTANA – QAZAQSTAN TEAM
54	16:53:00	121	ALEXANDER KRISTOFF	INTERMARCHE – WANTY – GOBERT MATERIAUX
55	16:54:00	116	ANDREAS LEKNESSUND	TEAM DSM
56	16:55:00	108	GUILLAUME VAN KEIRSBULCK	ALPECIN – DECEUNINCK
57	16:56:00	97	THIBAUT PINOT	GROUPAMA – FDJ
58	16:57:00	82	DAMIANO CARUSO	BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS
59	16:58:00	78	MAX WALSCHEID	COFIDIS
60	16:59:00	66	NELSON OLIVEIRA	MOVISTAR TEAM
61	17:00:00	54	MATTIA CATTANEO	QUICK-STEP ALPHA VINYL TEAM
62	17:01:00	47	MAXIMILIAN SCHACHMANN	BORA – HANSGROHE
63	17:02:00	38	AURÉLIEN PARET PEINTRE	AG2R CITROEN TEAM
64	17:03:00	24	FILIPPO GANNA	INEOS GRENADIERS
65	17:04:00	16	WOUT VAN AERT	JUMBO – VISMA
66	17:05:00	1	TADEJ POGACAR	UAE TEAM EMIRATES
67	17:06:00	215	CYRIL LEMOINE	B&B HOTELS – KTM
68	17:07:00	208	NICHOLAS SCHULTZ	TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE-JAYCO
69	17:08:00	193	SIMON CLARKE	ISRAEL-PREMIER TECH
70	17:09:00	181	PETER SAGAN	TOTALENERGIES
71	17:10:00	174	ALEX KIRSCH	TREK – SEGAFREDO
72	17:11:00	163	PHILIPPE GILBERT	LOTTO SOUDAL
73	17:12:00	156	MATIS LOUVEL	TEAM ARKEA – SAMSIC
74	17:13:00	146	MAGNUS CORT NIELSEN	EF EDUCATION – EASYPOST
75	17:14:00	137	SIMONE VELASCO	ASTANA – QAZAQSTAN TEAM
76	17:15:00	126	ADRIEN PETIT	INTERMARCHE – WANTY – GOBERT MATERIAUX
77	17:16:00	117	MARTIJN TUSVELD	TEAM DSM
78	17:17:00	104	ALEXANDER KRIEGER	ALPECIN – DECEUNINCK
79	17:18:00	93	KÉVIN GENIETS	GROUPAMA – FDJ
80	17:19:00	88	FRED WRIGHT	BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS
81	17:20:00	74	ION IZAGUIRRE INSAUSTI	COFIDIS
82	17:21:00	65	GREGOR MÜHLBERGER	MOVISTAR TEAM
83	17:22:00	52	KASPER ASGREEN	QUICK-STEP ALPHA VINYL TEAM
84	17:23:00	44	LENNARD KÄMNA	BORA – HANSGROHE
85	17:24:00	32	GEOFFREY BOUCHARD	AG2R CITROEN TEAM
86	17:25:00	28	ADAM YATES	INEOS GRENADIERS
87	17:26:00	15	CHRISTOPHE LAPORTE	JUMBO – VISMA
88	17:27:00	6	BRANDON MCNULTY	UAE TEAM EMIRATES
89	17:28:00	216	LUCA MOZZATO	B&B HOTELS – KTM
90	17:29:00	204	DYLAN GROENEWEGEN	TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE-JAYCO
91	17:30:00	198	MICHAEL WOODS	ISRAEL-PREMIER TECH
92	17:31:00	184	MATHIEU BURGAUDEAU	TOTALENERGIES
93	17:32:00	176	QUINN SIMMONS	TREK – SEGAFREDO
94	17:33:00	167	FLORIAN VERMEERSCH	LOTTO SOUDAL
95	17:34:00	153	MAXIME BOUET	TEAM ARKEA – SAMSIC
96	17:35:00	141	RIGOBERTO URAN	EF EDUCATION – EASYPOST
97	17:36:00	133	JOSEPH LLOYD DOMBROWSKI	ASTANA – QAZAQSTAN TEAM
98	17:37:00	125	ANDREA PASQUALON	INTERMARCHE – WANTY – GOBERT MATERIAUX
99	17:38:00	118	KEVIN VERMAERKE	TEAM DSM
100	17:39:00	106	EDWARD PLANCKAERT	ALPECIN – DECEUNINCK
101	17:40:00	92	ANTOINE DUCHESNE	GROUPAMA – FDJ
102	17:41:00	84	MATEJ MOHORIC	BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS
103	17:42:00	76	ANTHONY PEREZ	COFIDIS
104	17:43:00	68	CARLOS VERONA	MOVISTAR TEAM
105	17:44:00	56	YVES LAMPAERT	QUICK-STEP ALPHA VINYL TEAM
106	17:45:00	45	PATRICK KONRAD	BORA – HANSGROHE
107	17:46:00	34	BENOIT COSNEFROY	AG2R CITROEN TEAM
108	17:47:00	27	DYLAN VAN BAARLE	INEOS GRENADIERS
109	17:48:00	13	STEVEN KRUIJSWIJK	JUMBO – VISMA
110	17:49:00	5	RAFAL MAJKA	UAE TEAM EMIRATES
111	17:50:00	212	CYRIL BARTHE	B&B HOTELS – KTM
112	17:51:00	207	LUKA MEZGEC	TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE-JAYCO
113	17:52:00	196	HUGO HOULE	ISRAEL-PREMIER TECH
114	17:53:00	188	ALEXIS VUILLERMOZ	TOTALENERGIES
115	17:54:00	173	TONY GALLOPIN	TREK – SEGAFREDO
116	17:55:00	164	REINARDT JANSE VAN RENSBURG	LOTTO SOUDAL
117	17:56:00	154	AMAURY CAPIOT	TEAM ARKEA – SAMSIC
118	17:57:00	148	JONAS RUTSCH	EF EDUCATION – EASYPOST
119	17:58:00	136	GIANNI MOSCON	ASTANA – QAZAQSTAN TEAM
120	17:59:00	127	TACO VAN DER HOORN	INTERMARCHE – WANTY – GOBERT MATERIAUX
121	18:00:00	112	ALBERTO DAINESE	TEAM DSM
122	18:01:00	102	SILVAN DILLIER	ALPECIN – DECEUNINCK
123	18:02:00	96	VALENTIN MADOUAS	GROUPAMA – FDJ
124	18:03:00	85	LUIS LEON SANCHEZ	BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS
125	18:04:00	73	SIMON GESCHKE	COFIDIS
126	18:05:00	67	ALBERT TORRES BARCELO	MOVISTAR TEAM
127	18:06:00	53	ANDREA BAGIOLI	QUICK-STEP ALPHA VINYL TEAM
128	18:07:00	43	MARCO HALLER	BORA – HANSGROHE
129	18:08:00	33	MIKAEL CHEREL	AG2R CITROEN TEAM
130	18:09:00	26	LUKE ROWE	INEOS GRENADIERS
131	18:10:00	14	SEPP KUSS	JUMBO – VISMA
132	18:11:00	2	GEORGE BENNETT	UAE TEAM EMIRATES
133	18:12:00	218	SEBASTIAN SCHÖNBERGER	B&B HOTELS – KTM
134	18:13:00	206	CHRISTOPHER JUUL JENSEN	TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE-JAYCO
135	18:14:00	191	CHRIS FROOME	ISRAEL-PREMIER TECH
136	18:15:00	186	DANIEL OSS	TOTALENERGIES
137	18:16:00	172	GIULIO CICCONE	TREK – SEGAFREDO
138	18:17:00	166	BRENT VAN MOER	LOTTO SOUDAL
139	18:18:00	155	HUGO HOFSTETTER	TEAM ARKEA – SAMSIC
140	18:19:00	145	OWAIN DOULL	EF EDUCATION – EASYPOST
141	18:20:00	134	FABIO FELLINE	ASTANA – QAZAQSTAN TEAM
142	18:21:00	123	KOBE GOOSSENS	INTERMARCHE – WANTY – GOBERT MATERIAUX
143	18:22:00	113	JOHN DEGENKOLB	TEAM DSM
144	18:23:00	103	MICHAEL GOGL	ALPECIN – DECEUNINCK
145	18:24:00	95	OLIVIER LE GAC	GROUPAMA – FDJ
146	18:25:00	86	DYLAN TEUNS	BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS
147	18:26:00	75	VICTOR LAFAY	COFIDIS
148	18:27:00	63	GORKA IZAGIRRE INSAUSTI	MOVISTAR TEAM
149	18:28:00	58	FLORIAN SENECHAL	QUICK-STEP ALPHA VINYL TEAM
150	18:29:00	48	DANNY VAN POPPEL	BORA – HANSGROHE
151	18:30:00	35	STAN DEWULF	AG2R CITROEN TEAM
152	18:31:00	23	JONATHAN CASTROVIEJO	INEOS GRENADIERS
153	18:32:00	12	TIESJ BENOOT	JUMBO – VISMA
154	18:33:00	8	MARC HIRSCHI	UAE TEAM EMIRATES
155	18:34:00	211	FRANCK BONNAMOUR	B&B HOTELS – KTM
156	18:35:00	205	AMUND GRØNDAHL JANSEN	TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE-JAYCO
157	18:36:00	194	JAKOB FUGLSANG	ISRAEL-PREMIER TECH
158	18:37:00	187	ANTHONY TURGIS	TOTALENERGIES
159	18:38:00	177	TOMS SKUJINS	TREK – SEGAFREDO
160	18:39:00	165	ANDREAS KRON	LOTTO SOUDAL
161	18:40:00	157	LUKASZ OWSIAN	TEAM ARKEA – SAMSIC
162	18:41:00	143	ALBERTO BETTIOL	EF EDUCATION – EASYPOST
163	18:42:00	131	ALEXEY LUTSENKO	ASTANA – QAZAQSTAN TEAM
164	18:43:00	128	GEORG ZIMMERMANN	INTERMARCHE – WANTY – GOBERT MATERIAUX
165	18:44:00	114	NILS EEKHOFF	TEAM DSM
166	18:45:00	107	KRISTIAN SBARAGLI	ALPECIN – DECEUNINCK
167	18:46:00	98	MICHAEL STORER	GROUPAMA – FDJ
168	18:47:00	83	KAMIL GRADEK	BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS
169	18:48:00	72	PIERRE LUC PERICHON	COFIDIS
170	18:49:00	62	IMANOL ERVITI	MOVISTAR TEAM
171	18:50:00	55	MIKKEL HONORÉ	QUICK-STEP ALPHA VINYL TEAM
172	18:51:00	46	NILS POLITT	BORA – HANSGROHE
173	18:52:00	37	OLIVER NAESEN	AG2R CITROEN TEAM
174	18:53:00	25	THOMAS PIDCOCK	INEOS GRENADIERS
175	18:54:00	17	NATHAN VAN HOOYDONCK	JUMBO – VISMA
176	18:55:00	7	MARC SOLER	UAE TEAM EMIRATES