Tour de France 2023 - Stage 1 preview

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Saturday, July 1, 2023: Bilbao to Bilbao, 182km

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Profile of stage 1 of the 2023 Tour de France
Profile of stage 1 of the 2023 Tour de France(Image credit: ASO)

Stage 1: Bilbao-Bilbao

Date: July 1, 2023

Distance: 182km

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Stage type: hilly

The 2023 Tour de France begins in the Basque Country, 31 years after the 1992 Grand Départ in San Sebastian. Miguel Indurain won the prologue time trial back then to kick-start his second of his five overall victories.

In 2023, the Tour starts with a hilly 182km road stage that includes 3,000 metres of climbing on a loop out to the Bay of Biscay coastline, and it will be one of the toughest starts in the history of the Tour de France.

The cycling-mad Basque Country is well known for its relentlessly steep mountain terrain, and it will undoubtedly inspire the powerful climbers to go on the attack on the opening stage of the three-week French Grand Tour.

Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates), a favourite to win it, predicts that due to the late-race climbs, the stage will come down to a small selection of 10-15 riders battling it out for the stage victory. Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) will also be on the hunt for an opening win, while other riders such as Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal-QuickStep), Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers), Simon Yates (Jayco Alula), Richard Carapaz and Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost), Michael Woods (Israel-Premier Tech) and David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) all to be in the thick of the action.

The stage will start outside the spectacular Guggenheim museum in Bilbao and climb the 10% Pike Bidea in the final kilometres before a city centre finish. Whoever wins the opening stage takes the first leader's yellow jersey.

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