With defending champion Geraint Thomas not taking to the start, the 2023 edition of the Tour de Suisse is open to a new victor. The start list in the race this year is of an extremely high quality, with many riders using it as a warm-up race for the Tour de France which starts just a few weeks later. There are time trial specialists such as Stefan Küng and Filippo Ganna taking to the start line to test themselves in the final ITT against the clock, as well as puncheurs and sprinters like Wout van Aert and Biniam Girmay looking for stage victories.
When it comes to the battle for the general classification, the world champion Remco Evenepoel sits at the top of the favourites list, returning to racing following his bout of Covid-19 which forced him to abandon the Giro d’Italia. Rumour has it, though, that maglia rosa winner Primož Roglič also fancies giving it a go at the Tour de Suisse, so Evenepoel could have some tough competition on his hands for the 2023 Tour de Suisse title. Here are the key GC favourites we expect to be mixing it up, as well as our prediction of the winner.
Remco Evenepoel
The Tour de Suisse wasn’t supposed to be in Remco Evenepoel’s plan at the start of the season, but after his attempt at the Giro d’Italia was curtailed when he tested positive for Covid-19, the Belgian has picked the race around Switzerland as his comeback event. How much this recent bout of illness has impacted Evenepoel’s form is yet to be seen, though his Strava profile tells us that the Soudal–Quick-Step rider has been able to put in some big training rides already ahead of his return to the peloton. Before he was struck with Covid, Evenepoel looked to be in incredible form at the Giro d’Italia, winning the opening time trial by a significant margin and going on to take victory in the time trial mid-way through the race too, despite already being ill at that point.
Image: Zac Williams/SWpix
Since the 2023 Tour de Suisse route features plenty of mountains and culminates with a long, flat final time trial, Evenepoel should be in his element. It’s a course design well-suited to the young Belgian talent, who is known to excel against the clock. Last year, Evenepoel took victory in the race’s final ITT, but struggled in some of the tougher mountain stages before that. A few weeks later he won the 2022 edition of the Vuelta a España, though, putting an end to any doubts around how well he could climb. We’re yet to see him…