Who do you think will be our 2023 champion? #TourOfBritain 🔴🔵⚪
PREVIEW | Tour of Britain 2023 - 6 sprints and GC battle between Wout van Aert and Tom Pidcock
CyclingSunday, 03 September 2023 at 10:32
Preview. From the 3rd to 10th of September the Tour of Britain takes place, one of the biggest races in the closing shots of the road season, the eight stages throughout British roads serve as preparation for the late-season classics but together they make for a very prestigious race.
The opening stage takes place from Altrincham to Manchester. It's not a pan-flat day, not a traditional sprint stage. In it's bulk it includes a 2-kilometer climb at 8% and 1.3-kilometer at 9.1%, among others. They are difficult, but the last ascent comes with around 50 kilometers to go, and there is still plenty terrain to organize the race - however a breakaway may be quite dangerous on the day. Wrexham hosts the start and finish of stage 2, it is the shortest day of the race and will be a very fast one, mostly flat, and without any obstacle which may create differences in the peloton.
Stage 3 will have 154 kilometers in length and it is a standard sprint day. It ends in Beverley, the final half of the stage is almost pan-flat, however the run-up to the line has a slight uphill drag. The fourth day of racing is not too different than the ones of previous days. From Sherwood Forest to Newark-on-Trent the riders don't find any serious ascent, but instead traditional British roads onto what should be another bunch sprint.
Stage 1: Altrincham - Manchester, 164.3 kilometers
Stage 2: Wrexham - Wrexham, 109.1 kilometers
Stage 3: Goole - Beverley, 154.3 kilometers
Stage 4: Sherwood Forest - Newark-on-Trent, 167.6 kilometers
Stage 5 will be a familiar sight. More flat roads on the menu and another day or the sprinters. Felixstowe hosts the start and finish of the day which should see another bunch sprint come to light. The sixth day of racing is also made for the sprinters. It's hard to dispute it, no matter how much some teams would like to make a difference, the 146 kilometers into Harlow simply don't present the difficulties to do so.
On stage 7 the race finally enters the hilly terrain. From Tewkesbury to Gloucester the riders find a few ascents. Towards the end the riders find a 1.7-kilometer climb at 8.7% and a 2.2-kilometer ascent at 5.7%, two spots where the peloton will be reduced, it can be a key day for the overall classification, but a reduced sprint is not to be discounted.
The final day and queen stage of the race. 167 kilometers in length, it features a few longer ascents and they are hard. Many sprinters will struggle early on, however those who survive stand a chance. The puncheurs and climbers have two good chances to make a difference towards the end however, into Caerphilly the riders climb twice a 1.7-kilometer ascent at 8.3% which come in close succession and very close to the finish.
Stage 5: Felixstowe - Felixstowe, 193.2 kilometers
Stage 6: Southend-on-Sea - Harlow, 146.8 kilometers
Stage 7: Tewkesbury - Gloucester, 171.2 kilometers
Stage 8: Margam Country Park - Caerphilly, 167.8 kilometers
Prediction Tour of Britain 2023 overall classification:
*** Wout van Aert
** Tom Pidcock, Carlos Rodríguez
* Stephen Williams, Gonzalo Serrano, Ben Turner, Danny van Poppel, Rasmus Tiller, Tobias Johannessen
Pick: Wout van Aert
Read also
claps 1visitors 795
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- MVDP dominates this sport even more than Pogaçar dominates road racing. Also he can beat Tadej on the road quite regularly, the opposite is unlikely.Mistermaumau22-12-2024
- If you listen to team radios you'll hear each DS telling their riders to ride faster, fight their way to the front, and all occupy the same 8 places.Sweep22-12-2024
- You're talking about a sport where equipment and clothing is measured in grams.Sweep22-12-2024
- “During a TT, I am basically blind”. That was his quote after crashing into the barriers in a TT. The problem isn’t the UCI, radios or air bags. The problem is the riders and their teams.JoeyB22-12-2024
- I think you overestimate scientific knowledge and for sure the spreading of it. There are huge numbers of people in similar situations, if there were an easy solution somebody would be making big money out of it. Nerve pain can have many complex origins or be due to complex combinations of reasons. Even if you discover a reason there is not always a solution. Migraines haven’t been solved either. I have had lower back/hip nerve pains on and off for over 30 years, no kind of doctor has ever found a way to reduce, prevent or solve the problem. It may just be that some people are born with nerves that are too short or get twisted out of position during certain movements.Mistermaumau22-12-2024
- Amazing ride by her and very promising for her future. On a side note, it’s a bit worrying all these wins riders have after emotional moments in their lives, someone will come up with emotional doping at some point. Maybe give them fake news just before a big race to get hormones pumping.Mistermaumau22-12-2024
- I doubt he will have the energy to do that if he continues to do leadout for Phillipsenabstractengineer22-12-2024
- I know several people who’ve tried contacting sport airbag manufacturers and none of them ever got a reply. Might be hard to organise anything with such attitudes.Mistermaumau22-12-2024
- It's the BBC. Who cares outside of little Britain.leodis22-12-2024
- Crawl back under your stone.leodis22-12-2024