PREVIEW | Tour of Britain 2023 stage 1 - Van Aert and Kooij vs Bennett and van Poppel leadout spectacle

Preview stage 1. 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.

*** Olav Kooij
** Danny van Poppel, Wout van Aert, Fernando Gaviria
* Sam Bennett, Ethan Vernon, Max Kanter, Luke Lamperti, Tobias Lund Andresen

Pick: Olav Kooij