PREVIEW | Deutschland Tour 2023 - Brandon McNulty and Mads Pedersen headline interesting hilly race

Preview. The Deutschland Tour is taking place between the 23rd and 27th of August this year and will provide opportunities for different types of riders in a period of the year when many are preparing for their final goals.

The race begins with a 2.3-kilometer prologue in St. Wendel. It is a day that will set the first race leader and could see small changes in the GC which will affect the order into the key stages. Stage 1 will begin in the same location and it ends in Merzig 178 kilometers later. It is a hilly day, not an easy one to manage as it features plenty small climbs, and in the final climb two ascents of the Ellerberg which is 1.8 kilometers at 6.2%.

Stage 2 will be another important day for the overall classification. With over 200 kilometers on the menu the legs will weigh towards the end. The riders find a 5.5 kilometer climb at 4.4% and then a summit finish in Winterberg which includes a 2.7-kilometer climb at 6.1%. A rolling day but likely one for a sprint. Stage 3 will take the riders into Essen, it's a technical finale but it has a small drag to the line, the final 1.3 kilometers average 2.2%, the penultimate lap features bonus seconds whilst the final features the stage win.

The final day of the racing will be the flattest day of the race and a certain bunch sprint in the making. The finale will be in Bremen, with a criterium-like final circuit which will make for a very tricky sprint.

Prediction Deutschland Tour 2023 overall classification:

*** Brandon McNulty, Mads Pedersen
** Pello Bilbao, Ilan van Wilder
* George Bennett, Diego Ulissi, Mauro Schmid, Dylan Teuns, Pavel Sivakov, Georg Zimmermann, Timo Kielich, Nicola Conci

Pick: Brandon McNulty