Tour de France 2023 Favourites stage 8: Late attackers in thriller finale

foto: Cor VosThe stage from Libourne to Limoges is not extremely tough. The altitude gain of 1,800 metres is moderate enough for sprinters to have high hopes. Yet, we expect the likes Van der Poel, Van Aert, Pidcock and Girmay to raise hell in the lumpy finale... (Slideshow route/profile)

The first 125 kilometres are virtually flat. Then the profile changes a little, without turning into a kind of Il Lombardia. Yes, there is hardly a metre flat anymore, but the three classified climbs are not hard in themselves. On the other hand, when the race is on fire damage definitely could be done.

The Côte de Champs-Romain is the first KOM, merely 2.8 kilometres at 5.2% and peaking out with 70 kilometres to go. The fireworks are expected to be prepared in the last 40 kilometres or so, when the route starts to go up and down at shallow gradients. The ignition should then be excecuted on the Côte de Masmont (1.3 kilometres at 5.5%) and the Côte de Condat-sur-Vienne (1.2 kilometres at 5.4%), two hills inside the last 16 kilometres.

Moreover, the final kilometre rises at 3.1% to the line.

Let’s say Mathieu van der Poel makes the proper preparations to go all in, while Tom Pidcock, Biniam Girmay, Wout van Aert and Julian Alaphilippe will be more than happy to join the party and execute a thriller of a finale.

Or is it just wishful thinking and are we going to see a bunch sprint in Limoges? Or maybe, both. Attacks galore in the last hour and a bunch sprint to top things off.

Favourites 8th stage 2023 Tour de France

*** Mathieu van der Poel, Biniam Girmay, Wout van Aert, Mads Pedersen
** Jasper Philipsen, Tom Pidcock, Julian Alaphilippe, Bryan Coquard
* Dylan Groenewegen, Mark Cavendish, Fabio Jakobsen, Alexander Kristoff

Another interesting read: route 8th stage 2023 Tour de France.