Deputy Minister of Sports, Lefteris Avgenakis, said that the ΔΕΗ International Cycling Tour of Hellas, which returns to the international calendar following 10 years of absence, is considered a national “bet” for the Greek State and aims to enhance the government’s policy of sports decentralisation. The International Cycling Tour of Hellas consists of five stages starting from Crete and ending in Epirus.

Mr. Avgenakis presented in detail the five spectacular stages and the routes of this year’s race.

"Television broadcast and international media coverage, will increase the awareness of the event worldwide, while images of the areas that the riders will cross, will be transmitted all over the world thanks to the huge popularity cycling enjoys in all five continents» said the Deputy Minister.

The ΔΕΗ International Cycling Tour of Greece, that starts on April 26 with the official presentation of the teams in Heraklion, Crete and ends with the finish of the 5th stage in the beautiful city of Ioannina in Epirus, aspires to take its place amongst the biggest cycling events in the world, providing multiple benefits to the local communities as well.

The nine different cities, that will host the start and finish of each stage will be in the spotlight during the ΔΕΗ International Cycling Tour of Greece. These cities are:

• Heraclion
• Chania
• Athens
• Itea
• Delphi
• Karditsa
• Larisa
• Kalabaka (Meteora)
• Ioannina

Dozens of other less populated cities, villages and towns complete the puzzle of a wonderful route built by the Director of the Race, Mr. Vladimiros Petsas and the other members of the Organising Committee.

Below you may find the routes of the 5 exciting stages of the ΔΕΗ International Tour of Greece, as presented by the Deputy Minister of Sports.

1ST STAGE: Heraclion-Rethymno-Chania, 196,9km (27/4/2-2022)

The Start of the 1st stage of the ΔΕΗ International Cycling Tour of Hellas will be held in front of the Pankritio Stadium, at Heraclion, Crete.

The riders will go south to Messaras plain, cycling in a beautiful landscape, passing through Moires, Tympaki, Aghia Galini and Spili.

The beautiful town of Rethymno, a marvellous scenery, will come next for the intermediate sprint of the day. The riders will go through Atsipopoulo, Giorgioupoli, Nio Chorio, Stylo, Malaxa, Nerokourou and then head towards Chania.

The finish line is located outside Neoria, at the Old Port.

It is a tough and demanding stage which covers the outskirts of Lefka Ori, highlighting the diversity of the Cretan landscape.

A route that combines mountains with gorges and the vast coastline.

2nd STAGE: ΟΑΚΑ(Marousi/Athens) – Itea, 165,0km (28/4/2022)

The second day of Tour of Hellas begins at the Olympic Athletic Center of Athens (OAKA). Pre-start for the riders’ group will be held at the “Wall of the Nations”, with a view to the Olympic Velodrome, where at the same time a Bike Festival will take place, as well.

We are expecting people of all ages to participate to a series of events and festivities.

The riders will pass by Phyli, Dafni, Thiva and Aliartos, where the first intermediate sprint will be held, and right afterwards they will head towards Liviadia.

Ascending to Distomo and Desfina, the highest towns of the stage, comes next, before the riders descend towards the coastline, passing by the archeological site of Ancient Kirra.

From this point, the finish line won’t be far away. The stage concludes at the picturesque port of Itea.

It is an impressive stage which combines the likes of modern Greece, with its ancient culture, accents the highlands of Central Greece and finishes at the Corinthian Gulf shores.

3rd STAGE: Delphi – Lamia – Karditsa, 170,7k.m (29/4/2022)

Pre-start of the 3rd Stage will be held outside the Museum of Delphi.

Delphi, the Navel of the Earth, could not be omitted from the routes of the ΔΕΗ International Tour of Hellas, in its revival.

Flag will be waved by the Race Director at Chrisso village, to signal the beginning of the stage.

The group will pass by Amfissa, ascend the mountain of Parnassos, cross Voxites, Gravia, Bralos and reach Lamia town.

In Lamia, spectators will witness a great battle among the riders with the points of the intermediate sprint being the prize.

Lianokladi, Trilofo, Lake Smokovou, Kallifoni. Aghiopighi are some of the points of interest of the route, which will be completed outside the Stadium of Karditsa.

It is one of the most beautiful routes in the world, ideal for cycling races: one that every professional cyclist should experience, since it combines a challenging route with an exceptional landscape.

4th STAGE: Karditsa-Limni Plastira-Larisa 176,5km (30/04/2022)

The penultimate day begins in Karditsa. After crossing the Mitropolis and Moschato settlements, cyclists reach a magnificent landscape, similar to those cycling aficionados find in famous international Tours. This landscape is none other than Lake Plastira.

The route continues towards Agios Athanasios and Kastania, where one of the most beautiful and spectacular“King of Mountains”race begins.

The peloton will then move to the Thessalian plain, crossing Gorgovites, Palamas and Farkadona, on its way to Larissa.

At the village of Prophtitis Ilias valuable points for the mountain jersey competition are at stake for the cyclists who wish to conquer it.

Next, the group will pass through Tyrnavos, for another chance to grab points for the red jersey, with the first intermediate sprint of the fourth stage taking place.

Via Giannoulis, the peloton enters Larissa. A small circuit awaits the riders there, before finishing in front of the statue of Hippocrates at the Park of Alcazar.

This stage is less difficult, and comes a few hours before Stage 5, the most demanding one, commences.

5th STAGE: Meteora (Kalabaka) – Ioannina, 154,5km 1/05/2022

The fifth and final day of the ΔΕΗ International Tour of Hellas, is the one that will decide the winner of the general classification. This is the "royal" stage of the event. Although it is the shortest distance-wise, with a length of 154.5 kilometers, it is the most difficult of all with 2,627 meters in altitude!

The start will be given in Kalambaka and soon after the terrain is uphill! Riders will ascend the unique morphological complex of rocks, called Meteora, for a round-course before they return to Kalambaka.

Then they head towards the mountain range of Pindos, to cross the famous Katara, reaching the highest point of the Tour, at an elevation of 1,700 meters!

After crossing Metsovo, riders will be heading towards the final part, in the city of Ioannina. The finish line is located on the Miaouli Coast, alongside the beautiful Lake Pamvotida. A picturesque landscape, one of the most astonishing places in Greece. The ideal setting for the epilogue of the 19th Tour of Hellas!

“Dear Friends

With its revival, the Tour enhances Greece’s will to return to the international stage in terms of organising high-profile sporting events. The ΔΕΗ International Cycling Tour of Hellas, will help us identify the impact similar events have to regional tourism as well as to the financial development of these territories.

Please allow me to warmly thank all involved Municipalities’ and Regions’ respective Councils for their valuable support to our cause.

We pledge to create an event that will boost the tourism industry while it will also entertain and educate all Greeks about this fantastic and exciting sport.

Allow me to elaborate. All cities the peloton will pass through will soon reap the fruits, tourism-wise, of being part of this great event.

The Tour is a free of charge major sport event that everyone is welcomed to join, watch and enjoy a spectacular race which will feature some of Cycling’s best riders.

Competition itself is only a part of a huge project that will feature a large number of parallel events as well, which will be announced in due time. These events will boost the cycling community in Greece in a critical moment for the planet, which requires from all of us to reduce our ecological footprint.

Our history, our culture, our monuments and our archeological sites -eternal symbols of the human civilization- combined with the remarkable landscapes of our country, and along with major sport events that our country plans to stage or is about to organise, like the ΔΕΗ International Tour of Hellas, create an ideal environment for long-term investment and economic growth”.