PREVIEW | Tour of Guangxi 2023 stage 5 - Milan Vader's lead at risk on tricky finale; Kooij and De Lie big favourites for hilly stage
Cycling
Preview. After the queen stage the overall classification may be decided, but stage 5 of the Tour of Guangxi provides chances for attack. Meanwhile the sprinter teams will look to control the race into another bunch sprint.
Stage 5 is the longest of the race. With 209 kilometers in distance and a couple climbs, it can actually see a reduced bunch sprint. It depends on how the racing pans out. There is a quick combo of two ascents: 5Km at 3.3% and 4.5Km at 4.6% which summit with 41 and 35 kilometers to go.
Stage 5: Liuzhou - Guilin, 209 kilometers
Following the descent however the roads are pan-flat into Guilin with no traps before a regular sprint finish.
The Weather
Map Tour of Guangxi 2023 stage 5
No meaningful breeze to take into consideration, it will be a regular day on the bike.
The Favourites
Olav Kooij - After winning stage 3 it's safe to say that Kooij is back in the groove. Jumbo-Visma now have a race lead to defend and not many riders however, it's quite possible that he will not have the support he hopes for however if he can nail his positioning by himself taking the victory is very possible.
Arnaud De Lie - De Lie does not quite have the pure speed of some of the fast men in here however he can climb. These aren't the best suited ascents to the Belgian but they should wear down the field and make it a more friendly finale for him. Whether he can capitalize on it or not, we will see.
Arvid de Kleijn - The leader of Tudor has to be considered a big favourite at this point, having finished second to Jonathan Milan on stage 2 - and shown other strong results throughout the season. Tudor has had a good leadout including Rick Pluimers who was second behind Kooij recently and look very set on delivering to a season-changing win.
Many more sprinters will be looking for the victory however that is certain. Take Elia Viviani as a good example he won the first stage and it was his first World Tour win since 2019. That means a lot of space will be open for others to do something similar. Sam Bennett for example also has a big reason to perform on this stage, completing here his two rough seasons with BORA. Jonathan Milan will also be a prime favourite, the Italian has shown terrific sprint in the bunch finales however the climbing will hurt a big rider like him.
The likes of Marijn van den Berg and Tobias Lund Andresen on the opposite will be riders hoping for a very tough race up the climbs. Ethan Hayter could on paper also be mentioned here, nowehere to be seen on the sprints but he showed today that uphill he does have good form. Add Juan Sebastián Molano, Lionel Taminiaux, Max Kanter, Max Walscheid and Jon Aberasturi and we've got another fine sprint ahead. The ascents may see a few attacks since the GC will otherwise stay like this, however I see it as unlikely that there will be changes.
Prediction Tour of Guangxi 2023 stage 5:
*** Olav Kooij, Jonathan Milan
** Arnaud de Lie, Arvid de Kleijn, Marijn van den Berg
* Elia Viviani, Sam Bennett, Tobias Lund Andresen, Juan Sebastián Molano, Max Kanter
** Arnaud de Lie, Arvid de Kleijn, Marijn van den Berg
* Elia Viviani, Sam Bennett, Tobias Lund Andresen, Juan Sebastián Molano, Max Kanter
Pick: Olav Kooij
Preview written by Rúben Silva.
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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The winner of the 1st edition Tour of Guangxi @Tim_Wellens @TeamEmiratesUAE will be back in this year! The last UCI World Tour race of the season will on fire🔥🔥🔥 #tog2023🇨🇳 8 days to go!
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