Excursion de France 2023: Find out how to watch, storylines, groups, and effects

Biking’s maximum prestigious tournament is ready to get underway.

Beginning on Sunday, just about 200 riders from 22 groups will embark on a 2,115-mile adventure from Bilbao, Spain into the center of Paris. Riders will bear 21 phases over 23 days — that means simply two relaxation days — as they take on France’s 5 largest mountain levels.

This yr’s tournament has no scarcity of storylines, beginning with the struggle between Dane Jonas Vingegaard, driving for UCI WorldTeam Jumbo–Visma, and Slovenian Tadej Pogačar of UAE Workforce Emirates.

Vingegaard is the reigning Excursion de France champion, profitable the 2022 model forward of his rival Pogačar. The 2 earlier years, the Slovenian was once the only to earn the distinguished yellow jersey, the maillot jaune; his victory in 2020 on the age of 21 made him the second-youngest winner in race historical past. The 2 are the odds-on favorites to compete for the highest spot at the podium once more in 2023.

Vingegaard is arguably the most efficient natural climber on this planet and he inspired all the way through the lead-up races to the Excursion de France. Pogačar, in the meantime, has been ranked the No. 1 rider on this planet for a report 92 directly weeks however had best two race days since overdue April, when he suffered a damaged wrist in a crash. Regardless of their distinction in preparation, their anticipated three-week combat for the victory initiatives to be an entertaining one — if Pogačar is on shape.

The 2023 Excursion de France may also have the closing 3 champions within the box for the primary time since 2009. That comes with Vingegaard and Pogačar, in addition to Colombia’s Egan Bernal of Ineos Grenadiers. The winner of the 2019 version, Bernal become the primary South American to complete the race in first position.

There also are some tweaks to the race itself. The hole degree, which is typically both a time trial or flat degree, is on hilly terrain this time round and will probably be an opportunity for basic classification riders to get an early bounce on their warring parties. As well as, the penultimate twentieth degree might not be a time trial this yr. As a substitute, it’s now a mountain degree, taking riders from Belfort to Le Markstein, overlaying 82.9 miles with nearly 12,000 toes of hiking.

Any other main storyline to observe? British bicycle owner Mark Cavendish. Cavendish is tied with Belgian legend Eddy Merckx for 34 Excursion degree wins, the present report.

Cavendish mentioned again in Might all the way through the Giro d’Italia that he was once retiring on the finish of this yr. A yr in the past Cavendish was once a Excursion de France reserve for his earlier group, Fast-Step Alpha Vinyl. Cavendish was once introduced as a group member by means of his present group, Astana Qazaqstan.

There are two groups from the US within the box: EF Schooling-Easypost and Lidl-Trek. Whilst not one of the particular person American riders are regarded as a number of the favorites for basic classification, it is advisable to see a United States bicycle owner protected a degree win or two. Neilson Powless, driving for EF Schooling-Easypost, completed thirteenth total in closing yr’s Excursion de France, has two wins and 3 top-tens this yr, and may protected a degree victory early.

Matteo Jorgenson, who rides for Movistar Workforce, just about gained Level 16 closing yr in his Excursion de France debut. He may push for a degree win this yr. Any other American, Sepp Kuss with Jumbo–Visma, is at all times robust within the mountains. Whilst his primary position with the group is to assist Vingegaard, he has gained a Excursion degree sooner than.

For extra at the Excursion de France normally, we’d strongly suggest this piece having a look on the new Netflix docuseries “Unchained,” which appears on the 2022 Excursion de France.

This is the right way to watch, a take a look at every degree, and extra.

Find out how to watch the 2023 Excursion de France

NBC Sports activities is your own home for each and every degree of the a hundred and tenth Excursion de France, with the majority of the protection airing are living on a daily basis on Peacock. NBC and USA Community may also air are living protection all the way through the primary week of the 2023 Excursion de France, together with encores of every degree on USA at 2 a.m. ET maximum days.

All NBC and USA Community protection additionally streams on NBCSports.com/are living, in addition to the NBC Sports activities app.

This is the total broadcast time table:

What groups are competing within the 2023 Excursion de France

22 groups are competing within the 2023 Excursion de France: That comes with all 18 UCI WorldTeams, and four UCI ProTeams.

18 UCI WorldTeams

AG2R Citroën Workforce
Alpecin-Deceuninck
Arkéa-Samsic
Astana Qazaqstan Workforce
Bora-Hansgrohe
Cofidis
EF Schooling-EasyPost
Groupama-FDJ
Ineos Grenadiers
Intermarché-Circus-Wanty
Lidl-Trek
Movistar Workforce
Soudal—Fast-Step
Workforce Bahrain Victorious
Workforce dsm-firmenich
Workforce Jayco-AlUla
Workforce Jumbo-Visma
UAE Workforce Emirates

UCI ProTeams

Israel—Premier Tech
Lotto—Dstny
Workforce TotalEnergies
Uno-X Professional Biking Workforce

The 2023 Excursion de France map

This is the legitimate map of the 2023 Excursion de France:

You’ll be able to additionally view the map at the legitimate Excursion de France site.

Phases, dates, and distances for the 2023 Excursion de France

Listed below are the phases for the 2023 Excursion de France. There are 8 phases regarded as “flat,” 4 hill phases, 8 mountain phases, and one time trial degree this yr.

The hardest stretch of the 2023 Excursion de France appears to be Phases 13 thru 16. Over 3 directly days riders will probably be examined by means of the French Alps, with a summit end on each Level 13 and Level 15.

Level 17, some other mountain degree, may well be the hardest particular person check of the 2023 Excursion de France. Riders will take on a 103.1 mile degree with over 16,000 toes of elevation climb. Level 17 additionally includes a climb to the highest of the 7,559-feet Col de los angeles Loze, the easiest level on this yr’s Excursion and one of the vital summits regarded as “past class.”

If Level 17 isn’t the hardest degree, Level 6 may well be. Any other mountain degree, this contains the 6,939-foot Col du Tourmalet within the Pyrenees, and lines the primary of the summit finishes within the 2023 Excursion de France.

2023 Excursion de France effects

Level 1: Bilabo to Bilabo

Level Winner: Adam Yates, UAE Workforce Emirates
Total Chief: Adam Yates, UAE Workforce Emirates
Yates holds off his dual brother Simon Yates to win Level 1 of the 2023 Excursion de France. It’s Yates’ first ever degree win on the Excursion de France. Tadej Pogacar comes around the line 1/3, giving UAE a first-third begin to the 2023 TDF.

Level 2: Vitoria-Gasteiz to Saint-Sébastien

Level Winner: Victor Lafay, Cofidis
Total Chief: Adam Yates, UAE Workforce Emirates.
Lafay notched the primary degree win for Cofidis in 15 years with an excellent appearing, breaking transparent of the pack within the final kilometer for his first degree victory. Lafay now sits fourth within the basic classification. Adam Yates retained the yellow jersey, together with his dual brother Simon six seconds in the back of him, tied with Pogacar for moment within the basic classification.

Level 3: Amorebieta-Etxano to Bayonne

Level Winner: Jasper Philipsen, Alpecin-Deceuninck
Total Chief: Adam Yates, UAE Workforce Emirates
The primary flat degree of the Excursion de France presented the primary probability for a real dash end. Laurent Pichon of Arkéa–Samsic broke clear of the peloton early, however the pack slowly reeled him in forward of the end. With 5 kilometers to head, Workforce Jumbo-Visma made their technique to the entrance, with Vingegaard and Wout van Aert — who was once reportedly annoyed after how Level 2 ended — amongst the ones pushing onerous. All of it set the degree for a high-speed end that noticed Jasper Philipsen of Alpecin-Deceuninck protected his first degree win of the 2023 Excursion de France. Philipsen gained two phases a yr in the past. Phil Bauhaus, Caleb Ewan, Fabio Jakobsen, and Van Aert spherical out the highest 5 of the degree. Adam Yates keeps the yellow jersey as the full chief.

Level 4: Dax to Nogaro

Level Winner: Jasper Philipsen, Alpecin-Deceuninck
Total Chief: Adam Yates, UAE Workforce Emirates
The fourth day of the Excursion de France featured a second-straight flat degree, culminating in a wide-open end on the Paul-Armagnac auto racing observe in Nogaro with a 700-meter directly. With slightly below 5 miles closing, the peloton cranked up the tempo, pushing upwards of 37 mph because the pack closed in on Paul-Armagnac. When the peloton arrived on the race observe, the end was once marred by means of 3 other crashes sooner than coming right down to a photo-finish between Philipsen and Caleb Ewan of ProTeam Lotto–Dstny. Finally it was once Philipsen by means of part a wheel over Ewan for his second-straight degree victory. Cavendish, searching for his report Thirty fifth-stage win, completed 5th. Adam Yates holds onto the yellow jersey as the full chief.

Level 5: Pau to Laruns

Level Winner: Jai Hindley, Bora-Hansgrohe
Total Chief: Jai Hindley, Bora-Hansgrohe
Now we have a brand new chief on the Excursion de France.
After two-straight flat phases, the peloton returned to the mountains, winding from Pau to Laruns. The degree integrated some tough climbs, together with Col de Soudet, Col d’Ichère, and Col de Marie-Blanque. It was once Hindley who in the long run broke away, securing his first-ever Excursion de France degree victory. His robust experience additionally noticed him take over as the full chief within the basic classification. Jonas Vingegaard driven onerous finally, and now sits 5th within the basic classification. Pogacar, on the other hand, struggled on Wednesday and now sits 8th within the basic classification, greater than 90 seconds in the back of Hindley.

Level 6: Tarbes to Cauterets-Cambasque

Level Winner: Tadej Pogacar, UAE Workforce Emirates
Total Chief: Jonas Vingegaard, Workforce Jumbo-Visma
Thursday delivered the primary true duel between the heavyweights, Pogacar and Vingegaard. For the second one day in a row the riders tackled a mountain degree, whole with a climb up Col du Tourmalet, a 6,939-foot climb within the Pyrenees. A gaggle of about 20 riders broke away early, however within the final kilometers it was once right down to Pogacar, Vingegaard, and Michal Kwiatkowski (Ineos Grenadiers). Kwiatkowski ultimately sat up sooner than the end, leaving simply Pogacar and Vingegaard to struggle it out over the general 3 kilometers. Pogacar attacked with 2.7 kilometers to head, and ultimately got here throughout together with his first degree win of the 2023 Excursion. Then again, it was once Vingegaard who took over because the chief for the overall classification, with Pogacar simply 25 seconds in the back of.

Level 7: Mont-de-Marsan to Bordeaux

Level Winner: Jasper Philipsen, Alpecin-Deceuninck
Total Chief: Jonas Vingegaard, Workforce Jumbo-Visma
After two mountain phases, the 2023 Excursion de France returned to extra flat terrain, providing up some other doable dash. That opened the door for Mark Cavendish to set the best-ever mark for degree wins, and the Astana rider made a push within the final kilometers. However he was once no longer on my own, and on the finish Jasper Philipsen nipped him for his 1/3 degree win of the 2023 Excursion, denying Cavendish his report.
Vingegaard completed twenty second, however retained the yellow jersey.