The 2022 Tour de France recently concluded in Paris on Sunday. Team Jumbo–Visma’s Jonas Vingegaard claimed the Yellow Jersey after 21 stages and a total of 3,350 kilometers. As the biggest cycling event makes way for several major events such as the first edition of the Tour de France Femmes and the Vuelta a España, we take a look back at some of the top storylines of this year’s TdF.

Top 5 Storylines to Follow at the 2022 Tour de France

???? That's it for the #TDF2022 ! Thank you all for the emotions of the last 3 weeks. We'll see you next year!

???? C'était le #TDF2022 . Merci à tous pour toutes ces émotions, rendez-vous l'année prochaine !

Vive le Tour ! pic.twitter.com/bN37BBCKvA

— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 26, 2022

READ MORE: Tour de France Bitcoin Betting Guide

Sportsmanship above all else

After an intense battle over the mountains, there were theatricals and a strong showcase of sportsmanship on Stave 18. Two-time defending champion Tadej Pogacar slipped during a turn but instead of taking the opportunity to widen the gap, Vingegaard slowed and waited for the UAE Team Emirates rider to recover and catch up.

Pogacar rode alongside the Dane and shook hands. Vingegaard went on to win the stage and extended his GC classification lead by over a minute and stretched his overall advantage to three minutes and 26 seconds.

The Wout Van Aert show

You cannot contest the fact that the green jersey was the “strongest rider of the race”. During the event, he logged 600km in breakaways where he won three stages, finished runner-up four times, and a third-place appearance. On top of all that, he delivered the final straw to teammate Vingegaard’s biggest rival on the final climb of a stage that hardly suits riders of his capacity.

Van Aert eventually won the points classification with 480 points to snap Peter Sagan’s record. He could have added more if he contested the final intermediate sprint on the Champs-Elysees. Furthermore, the Belgian rider came fifth in the KOM standings and 22nd overall. This proves that sprinters can also climb and hints at a possible GC threat in the future.

Pogacar stays hot from start to finish

The two-time champion may have fallen short in his attempt for a three-peat, but Pogacar fought to the last breath. He insisted on putting constant pressure on the GC leaders and did everything with a smile on his face. With the exception of Stage 2, the young talent did not finish beyond 26th. In the process, he recorded 11 top 10s, six podium finishes, and three stage wins.

Pogacar kept the stakes high and stayed within striking distance of the top GC spot. The man from Slovenia attacked Vingegaard at every opportunity. His last-ditch efforts in Stage 19 had everyone on the edge of their seats, as did his little demo on the Champs-Elysees.

Tom Pidcock takes the spotlight

The 22-year-old British cyclist showcased his descending skills on Stage 12, which saw him drop everyone as he produced one of the most memorable wins of this Tour. He displayed bravery and incredible skill. While he had the challenge of the Alpe d’Huez ahead of him after bombing down the hill, the descent will always be a sweet memory for fans. Armed with technical skills from his cyclocross and mountain biking background, the Ineos Grenadiers claimed his first stage win on his first Tour appearance.

Geraint Thomas never left

It would be a shame to write off one of the biggest GC challengers this year. After winning the title in 2018 and finishing behind Egan Bernal in 2019, the veteran rider completed his podium set with a third-place finish this year.

Although many would consider his splits beyond the league of Vingegaard and Pogacar, his tenacity was relentless when he attacked the yellow and white on the climb to Hautacam. The 36-year-old event had enough in the tank to attack the Champs-Elysees and teammate Luke Rowe.

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