Villars-sur-Ollon has seen the likes of Chris Froome win atop it, and it returns for the 2023 edition. The 143-kilometer day is mostly flat and a lead-up to the final climb, but here the overall classification will be turned on it's head and the contenders for the victory will emerge.
Stage 1 (ITT): Einsiedeln - Einsiedeln, 12.6 kilometers
Stage 2: Beromünster - Nottwil, 175.5 kilometers
Stage 3: Tafers - Villars-sur-Ollon, 143.7 kilometers
Stage 4 to Leukerbad is an explosive day. The Tour de Suisse has used this finale in recent years and it's a very difficult and unpredictable one. It feature a long climb, but the final ones are shorter and less consistent. It's an explosive finale which will provide another battle between the climbers.
The final mountain stage on the fifth day is the third consecutive tough day in the race and possibly a decisive one. Three passes, but the attacks will come late on. The Albulapass' summit is over 2000 meters in altitude and it's a proper long and steep climb. At the end of a whole 211 kilometers the finale into La Punt should decide a lot in the race.
Stage 4: Monthey - Leukerbad, 152.9 kilometers
Stage 5: Fiesch - La Punt, 211.1 kilometers
From La Punt the riders depart, but away from the high mountains. A long day on the bike follows, the longest stage of the race with 215 kilometers in total. It's a tricky day and the finale is explosive, into Oberwil-Lieli the riders have a small hilltop finish.
Stage 7 is a hilly day, a very tricky one. The 162-kilometer route from Tübach to Weinfelden features several climbs, none too hard but they are not easy. The last two third of the day are difficult to organize a chase and the breakaway has good chances of succeeding. The race ends, as usual, with a time-trial. A meaningful one, as the riders race from St.Gallen to Abtwil with over 25 kilometers in distance.
Stage 6: La Punt - Oberwil-Lieli, 217.3 kilometers
Stage 7: Tübach - Weinfelden, 162.7 kilometers
Stage 8 (ITT): St.Gallen - Abtwil, 25.9 kilometers
Departure and arrival times (estimated CET) of the stages
- June 11 - Stage 1: Einsiedeln - Einsiedeln, 12.7km. From 2:25 p.m. to 5:20 p.m.
- June 12 - Stage 2: Beromünster - Nottwil, 173.7km. From 1:05 p.m. to 4:50 p.m.
- June 13 - Stage 3: Tafers - Villars-sur-Ollon, 143.8km. From 1:40 p.m. to 5:20 p.m.
- June 14 - Stage 4: Monthey - Leukerbad, 152.5km. From 12:40 p.m. to 4:35 p.m.
- June 15 - Stage 5: Fiesch - La Punt, 211km. From 10:43 a.m. to 4:35 p.m.
- June 16 - Stage 6: La Punt - Oberwil-Lieli, 215.3km. From 10:48 a.m. to 4:20 p.m.
- June 17 - Stage 7: Tübach - Weinfelden, 162.7km. From 12:15 p.m. to 4:35 p.m.
- June 18 - Stage 8: St.Gallen - Abtwil, 25.7km. From 1:45 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The Favourites
Remco Evenepoel - Let's go straight and direct: at his best level Evenepoel is the man to beat and overwhelming favourite here. However that is unlikely to be the case, the World Champion is racing for the first time since abandoning the Giro, last year he finished outside the Top10 as he used this race as build-up for the very successful final months of the year. Certainly he'll have that in mind once more, the route is perfect for him but I believe he will have a tough time on the climbs.
UAE Team Emirates - Two leaders for a UAE that comes in with several stage hunters.
Jay Vine comes off the Giro d'Italia, here he finds a race which suits him very well, the mountain stages will provide him an opportunity to lead the team. He can do serious damage, whilst
Juan Ayuso will test his form after having missed the first months of the season. He looked super good in the Romandie time-trials which is a great sign towards Suisse, with good legs he can climb with the best.
Bahrain - Bahrain come in with two weapons in home rider
Gino Mäder and all-rounder
Pello Bilbao. Both great options for a Top10, at their best clear favourites for a spot on the podium, if no-one stands out they can fight for the win.
Romain Bardet - A consistent but so far not striking Bardet this year. The Frenchman has talked of difficulties this year psychologically to accept the increase of level around him, and he seems to be making up a schedule to avoid the best. He's one of the very few Tour climbers who's skipped the Dauphiné, in search of success here. He could find more explosive racing and suited mountains where he can play a role in the race.
Felix Gall - The time-trials will be a question mark for the Austrian, however he's one of the most interesting climbers on the uprising. Gall has has a few strong results this year, and he's recently finished second behind Richard Carapaz in the Mercan'Tour Classic. He will surely be up there in the climbs, his explosivity and sprint power also sees him as a favourite for several stages.
Mattias Skjelmose - The 22 year old will lead Trek - Segafredo and will have a nice route for him. The explosive finales will be perfect for the rider who's thrived in the Ardennes, he's building up for the Tour de France so it will also be interesting to see if the Dane has the legs to battle for a strong GC which could give him more ideas for the Tour.
Ion Izagirre - A rider who typically rides quite well in Switzerland, without the GC focus in Grand Tours Izagirre has the freedom to put in more preparation for these smaller races. Suisse will have plenty time-trialing kilometers which fits him, the instable weather and lack of many big figures could prove an ideal mix for the Basque.
EF Education - EasyPost -
Neilson Powless has ridden a very consistent and strong spring and I expect a lot from him here. He can definitely handle the high mountains and the time-trials, simultaneously his ability to ride the hilly days can see him thrive on a few opportunities. He comes in alongside
Rigoberto Urán who's had to abandon the Giro d'Italia with Covid-19 and is now preparing for the Tour de France.
Sergio Higuita - Higuita rode to second here last year and will be a big contender for the GC, if he has his best legs. It's a big if, he's a brilliant but inconsistent climber, he will have the lead of BORA - hansgrohe however it'll be a tough task to be in the mix for the win again seeing this year's results.
Alexey Lutsenko - A wildcard, Lutsenko is a good stage-racer but we can expect anything from him here. Winner of the Giro di Sicilia in style this year he's proven he still has the legs, but has had a tough time with
Other big figures
An alternative preparation race for the Tour de France, it brings in several more riders who don't want to have to battle space with the GC blocks at the Dauphiné. You've got the likes of
Wout van Aert, Tom Pidcock, Rui Costa, Soren Kragh Andersen, Stefan Bissegger, Stefan Küng, Kaser Asgreen, Marc Hirschi and
Dylan Teuns using the race - which in itself is a goal for several.
When it comes to the sprinter field, besides some of the names above, we will also have the presence of Tim Merlier, Arnaud Démare, Kaden Groves, Jordi Meeus, Bryan Coquard, Biniam Girmay and Peter Sagan, among other fast men.
Prediction Tour de Suisse 2023 overall classification:
*** Remco Evenepoel, Neilson Powless
** Pello Bilbao, Ion Izagirre, Jay Vine, Juan Ayuso
* Gino Mäder, Felix Gall, Rigoberto Uran, Alexey Lutsenko, Sergio Higuita, Mattias Skjelmose
Pick: Juan Ayuso
