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Tour de France Femmes 2023 - Prediction stage 1

Saturday 22 July 2023 • Previews

Arjan Zoer

Sunday, July 23rd: Clermont-Ferrand - Clermont-Ferrand (124km)

The first stage takes place in and around Clermont-Ferrand. With a distance of 124 kilometers, this stage is classified as a flat stage, meaning that the riders will encounter relatively little elevation change. This suggests that there will likely be a sprint for the victory and the first yellow jersey of this tour. The key point of this stage is the Cote de Dutrol, which is 1.7 kilometers long at a 7.2% gradient, which might prove too challenging for some sprinters. With the summit just 9.3 kilometers from the finish, it might be too short for them to make a comeback and participate in the final sprint. So, are we going to witness a sprint from a full, partial, or even a greatly reduced peloton?

The computer predicts that the elevation gain in the latter half of the stage and the final 5 kilometers won't be sufficient to trouble the sprinters. Personally, I believe that Team SD Worx, with two or even three potential winners, will be a significant factor in this stage. If Lorena Wiebes can stay with the front on the Cote de Dutrol, she will likely win the sprint from the group. However, if she falls behind, Lotte Kopecky could switch gears and go for the victory, or if the group becomes very small, Demi Vollering might even join the sprint. Other candidates for the win out of a reduced bunch will probably be Marianne Vos, perhaps also Elisa Balsamo or Silvia Persico.

Tour de France Femmes 2023 - Stage 1 profile

Tour de France Femmes 2023 - Stage 1, final 5 kilometer

Tour de France Femmes 2023 - Prediction stage 1

Computer prediction 💻, Expected Win (xW):

Name
Team
Win %

🦄 Lotte Kopecky

*The unicorn is our joker, nice old-fashioned based on feeling

Tour de France Femmes 2023 - Prediction stage 1


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