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The old gang is back, fresh from E3 race. Wout, Pog and MVDP will battle it out again. Can anyone stop Wout winning this?
Last year it was MVDP who rode with Pogacar to the line and outsrpinted him.

Notable all-rounder: Pogacar, Wout, MVDP, Powless, Kung, Laporte, Pidckock, Teuns, Girmay, Mohoric, Benoot, Van Baarle, Sheffield
Notable sprinters: Pedersen, Ewan, Kristoff, Sagan, Wright


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Live video stream available on Eurosport/GCN.

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Full startlist (not yet final):

Map/Profile:

In 2023, the Ronde van Vlaanderen returns to Bruges for the first time since 2016. This also means that the route to the Flemish Ardennes is changing. The duo Oude Kwaremont - Paterberg will once again serve as a major obstacle in the full finale. The finish does not change either. Mathieu van der Poel's successor may raise his arms in the air on the Minderbroedersstraat in Oudenaarde.

Start: Grote Markt in Bruges - 10:00
Finish: Minderbroedersstraat in Oudenaarde - around 16:29
Distance: 273,4 km


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Definitely one of the most anticipated days of the year. The Big3 should be firing on all cylinders on Sunday and deliver a great battle (plus there are guys like Pidcock or Laporte). MVP's form is there, WVA is getting close to his best and Pog's spring peak is possibly planned for this race. But how can he achieve a historic success if the big boys are faster than him? Expect fireworks on the cobbles and we will see what happens at the end.
 
Don't know who to root for! I generally like rooting for MVDP, but I'd rather not see him win again just to keep it more interesting. Would be great to see WVA get another monument, but kind of tired of Jumbo/Visma. Torn on that. I think maybe I'll be rooting for Pogačar, would love to a GT guy get this one. I guess we'll see when the race starts how I'm feeling, kind of a tossup.
 
The best day of the year without question!

If youre an outsider, you better come up with an idea of how to be relevant in the finale. The best tactics in that scenario would be the Mads Pedersen-approach and try to anticipate the big 3 and get in a good group before second Kwaremont, so I expect a very lively race from 100-50 to go because lots of guys are doomed if they wait. That includes the whole QS squad as well! Lefevre would want something other than just a good breakfast on a Michelin restaurant on sunday, otherwise particularly Kasper Asgreen should expect a public spanking.

I don't think they will be able to drop Wout, so I think he wins this one. He needs it, and I think his team is ready to go 100% for that outcome, but that can also compromise their tactics.
 
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The best day of the year without question!

If youre an outsider, you better come up with an idea of how to be relevant in the finale. The best tactics in that scenario would be the Mads Pedersen-approach and try to anticipate the big 3 and get in a good group before second Kwaremont, so I expect a very lively race from 100-50 to go because lots of guys are doomed if they wait. That includes the whole QS squad as well! Lefevre would want something other than just a good breakfast on a Michelin restaurant on sunday, otherwise particularly Kasper Asgreen should expect a public spanking.

I don't think they will be able to drop Wout, so I think he wins this one. He needs it, and I think his team is ready to go 100% for that outcome, but that can also compromise their tactics.
Yeah I feel like the finale has moved really to starting with the 2nd Kwaremont. That section with Kwaremont-Pater-Koppen-Taaien is super hard. If you're gonna anticipate the moves of Pogacar and MvdP you have to be away before that Kwaremont.


Just like Sanremo, the most importnat determinant of how the race plays out is when Pogacar starts launching, but it's not about which hairpin this time.
 
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Yes it has, and the race has become a lot 'cleaner' in the sense that the finale is so hard that its a lot easier for the best guys to dominate the race. Thats one of the reasons for the route change being really good, and the race has become better as a result as it essentially really starts with 55 to go at worst as well.

The downside is its less of a tactical race for the guys that cannot follow the best, and there's only one antidote for that. I guess you can try to anticipate between the climbs as well after the 2nd Kwaremont, but generally the best bet would be to attack before I think.
 

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