The UCI announced Thursday the 24 events that will make up the 2022 Women's WorldTour. The Giro d'Italia Donne is set to return to the top-tier series after being downgraded this year while the new Tour de France Femmes will makes its debut, and both events will take place in July.
The Giro d’Italia Donne has been reinstated to World Tour level “subject to the 2021 edition meeting the specifications for the series," read the statement. It will take place across 10 days from July 1-10.
The new Tour de France Femmes features as an eight day race taking place in the week following the men’s Tour de France and replacing La Course. The race begins on July 24 and will finish on July 31.
The Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race is not yet featured on the calendar as “dates have not yet been finalised.” As was due to happen in 2021, the Donostia San Sebastián Klasikoa will be replaced by the three-day Itzulia Women (May 13-15) in 2022.
Elsewhere, the RideLondon Classique returns after a two-year hiatus as a three-day event, while the Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta moves from three to four days.
In addition, the Ladies Tour of Norway will now become the six-day ‘Battle of the North’ held from August 9-14.
The Postnord Vårgårda WestSweden road race and time trial will see a return for 2022 after being cancelled for two seasons.
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Other changes to the Women’s WorldTour for 2022 include a jump from nine to fifteen Women’s WorldTeams.
These teams gain automatic invitation to WorldTour events alongside the two best Continental teams. This increases the number of teams invited to events from 15 to 17 which, according to the UCI, will “stimulate the development of women’s teams.”
