The “Tour de France Cycle City” label promotes municipal authorities that have made commitments to supporting bicycle use. In 2022, 28 towns and cities made submissions for the very first time, whilst 6 of the 80 towns and cities awarded the label in 2021 renewed their submissions. These French, Danish, Dutch, Swiss and Luxembourger towns and cities that are candidates for this second edition have all met with the evaluation criteria and obtained a level of certification in line with the projects contained in the submissions made to the jury.
Open to all municipal authorities that have welcomed the Tour de France or the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift at least once, the label pays tribute to the entire cycling promotion policy implemented in the area in question, whether as a daily means of transport, for leisure pursuits or competitive sport.
The 2022 labelling for towns is taking place at the same time as the “Cycling in May” operation, which is in full swing. This operation promotes towns in France that are involved in actions encouraging the use of bicycles.
Congratulations and encouragement are the watchwords for all the 34 cities that have gained recognition via the “Tour de France Cycle City” label. The submissions drawn up by the cities applying have highlighted their motivation, through the strategy of developing cycling infrastructures and improving the safety of cyclists. These municipal authorities have also presented concrete actions designed to support recreational cycling in the community and cycling as a sport (deployment of infrastructures, improvement of cyclists’ safety, learning with the “how to ride a bicycle” programme, parking and combatting theft, maintenance and repair, promotional tools, etc.). This year, 22 candidate towns and cities are present on the routes of the Tour de France (16) and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift (7), Paris being common to both events.
The 2022 edition gives pride of place to Copenhagen (Denmark), Paris and Valkenburg (Netherlands), 3 cities that have obtained the 4-bike grade, awarded for exemplary promotion of cycling in all its forms. The evaluation criteria adopted seek to assess the dynamics implemented in the municipalities rather than the current amount of infrastructures, for example. The 2022 list also pays homage to eleven towns with populations of less than 10,000 habitants, 8 medium-sized towns and 15 cities with populations exceeding 50,000 people. Such diversity requires judgement that takes into account the distinctive features of each of these territories. With this second labelling campaign, the number of “Tour de France Cycle City” certified cities has risen to 108 and more than 7 million people now directly benefit from the solutions implemented by the towns and cities that have obtained this recognition.
Christian Prudhomme, Tour de France Director:
“This second edition is a reminder of the Tour de France's commitment, alongside all local authorities, to promote cycling. The Tour de France, through its program "Riding into the Future", is committed to building a world that is more and more bikeable. 108 municipalities are now certified "Tour de France Cycle City", a sign that this approach meets a need for communities, who wish to commit to bicycle mobility.”
Olivier Schneider, chairman of the French Federation for Users of Bicycles (FUB):
“The success of this year's event shows that a label like this one was really needed. Indeed, its impact goes far beyond a sign at the entrance to a city, since a simple reading of the evaluation criteria serves as inspiration, and even as a mirror, for communities wishing to develop all bicycle usage. If cycling is to change our cities and our lives, we must encourage openness and accessibility between the various uses and practices of bicycles. If we like the Tour, we want to be able to travel by bike, and the questions raised by this label will help guide cities in creating the conditions to do so safely and serenely.”
Emilie Defay, assistant editor at France Bleu Paris:
“This year again we have seen the efforts of all the candidate cities, large and small, to develop cycling. And the Tour de France is a great incentive for the cycling festival to last not just one day when the Tour passes through, but all year round for everyday cyclists.”
Jean Ghedira, LCL communication, sponsoring and administration director:
“LCL has been a partner of the Tour de France for over 40 years and is the bank for soft mobility and all cyclists. LCL is helping to make cycling safer and more comfortable. The "Tour de France Cycle City" label rewards the efforts made by various cities and allows us to share good initiatives.”
Labelling #1 : Municipality that has demonstrated a willingness to promote cycling
Labelling #2 : Municipality with a structured policy to promote cycling
Labelling #3 : Municipality with a committed policy to promote cycling
Labelling #4 : Municipality with an exemplary policy to promote cycling
