Tour de Suisse 2024: GC Favourites

[Onderstaande tekst werd geschreven voor de start van de Ronde van Zwitserland en is sindsdien niet bijgewerkt]

The 1st stage is a flat ITT of 4.8 kilometres, in which the first time gaps – albeit small – are opened up. Following two hilly stages, the GC action intensifies in the race to the Gotthard Pass. It’s the first proper uphill finish on an ascent that stretches for 30 kilometres. The final 10.1 kilometres climb at 6.3%.

The Gotthard stage opens a series of mountain-top finishes. The 5th stage race packs in over 3,200 metres of climbing before the finish climb throws in 11.2 kilometres at 8%. The 6th stage originally would have included the massive Nufenen Pass, but it has been taken out for security reasons. Now it comes down to a short run-up on the valley floor before a 6.9 kilometres uphill dash at 9.3% to the mountain village of Blatten.

Arguably the toughest stage of the week is served up on the penultimate day. It’s an explosive test of 118.1 kilometres with an elevation gain of 3,021 metres. The final 8.6 kilometres rise at 8% to the line.

That’s it in terms of GC stages in line, but there is still an important test on the menu: the final stage is an ITT that runs predominantly uphill. Following a flat run-up, the last 10.2 kilometres of the Tour de Suisse climb at 8% to the line in Villars-sur-Ollon.

Skjelmose, Carapaz, Bernal, and Costa are the former winners at the start. The Dane is the title holder, the Olympic champion took the win in 2021, and the Colombian came out on top in 2019. The Portuguese rider is the record holder of the quartet, having won the Tour de Suisse in 2012, 2013, and 2014.

Favourites Tour de Suisse 2023

***** Adam Yates, Richard Carapaz
**** João Almeida, Mattias Skjelmose, Damiano Caruso
*** Wilco Kelderman, Enric Mas, Egan Bernal, Tom Pidcock
** Lenny Martinez, Cian Uijtdebroeks, Alexey Lutsenko
* Felix Gall, Sergio Higuita, Ion Izagirre, Oscar Onley