The sprinters have to survive five climbs to be able to do what they love to do. The Côte de Trabakua (5.4 kilometres at 5.2%), Côte de Milloi (2.6 kilometres at 4.5%), Côte d’Itziar (5 kilometres at 4.2%) and Côte de Benta (5.4 kilometres at 6.1%0 are situated in the first part of the parcours, so that should not be a problem.
Three minor uphills appears inside the last 25 kilometres. The first rises 1.6 kilometres at 3.9% and is almost immediately followed by a hill of 1.9 kilometres at 3%. The last one – 800 metres at 4.4% – appears 10 kilometres before the finish. An obvious scenario would be that the sprinters with a strongmen skillset – Pedersen, Girmay – order their team mates to set a fast pace in the climb to get rid off the pure sprinters.
Philipsen was the most successful on last year’s Tour. He celebrated twice, while Jakobsen and Groenewegen both won one stage.
Favourites 3rd stage 2023 Tour de France
*** Jasper Philipsen, Fabio Jakobsen, Dylan Groenewegen
** Wout van Aert, Mads Pedersen, Caleb Ewan, Biniam Girmay
* Mark Cavendish, Peter Sagan, Alexander Kristoff, Sam Welsford
Another interesting read: route 3rd stage 2023 Tour de France.
Tour de France 2023 stage 3: route, profiles
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