The Critérium du Dauphiné could have attracted a few of the huge names this yr, like Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quickstep) and Primož Roglič (Bora-Hansgrohe) however that does not imply the Tour de Suisse is foregoing its function as an necessary hit out earlier than the Tour de France.
For some, these last preparations earlier than consideration turns to the Grand Tour are the all-important issue however for others who aren’t lining up in Florence – or are doing it in assist of one other – getting the most effective consequence they’ll over the eight days in Switzerland is the important thing goal.
Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) took an emotional total victory final yr, with the racing coming second to the human tragedy given Gino Mäder crashed on stage 5 and died.
Skjelmose once more traces as much as attempt to defend his title on the race – which begins with a 4.8km time trial in Vaduz on Sunday, June 9 and covers 950km with nearly 19,000 metres in altitude achieve. There, nevertheless, are loads of rivals, together with two extra former winners.
Right here at Cyclingnews, we have run a rule over the preliminary begin checklist – so lineup modifications are nonetheless a risk – to pick a few of the riders who could possibly be combating for the highest spots because the race unfolds.
Returning as defending champion after successful an emotional 2023 version of the Tour de Suisse, the Danish rider will not be utilizing the race as a tune-up for the Tour de France, with the eight-stage tour as an alternative marking his return to racing as he builds towards the Olympic Video games and the Vuelta a España.
The 23-year-old hasn’t pinned on a quantity since Liège-Bastogne-Liège however his ends in the early a part of the season ship promise that Skjelmose might ship a strong consequence on the race he received final yr. Nevertheless, there can be some severe headwinds to beat, given the rivals he’ll be lining up towards.
Nonetheless, with a 3rd at Itzulia Basque Nation in April, the place he was main the race into the ultimate stage, Skjelmose once more confirmed his promise and made clear that final yr’s Tour de Suisse win was an indication of issues to come back. The Lidl-Trek rider additionally got here fourth at Paris-Good, successful a stage alongside the way in which.
It will likely be the primary Tour de Suisse for João Almeida earlier than he additionally heads towards a Tour de France debut. The 25-year-old will, after all, be driving in assist of Tadej Pogačar within the Grand Tour, so Switzerland presents the rider an opportunity to carve out his personal outcomes.
Almeida was often among the many finest within the longer stage races final yr, stepping up onto the general podium at Tirreno-Adriatico, Volta Ciclista a Catalunya, the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de Pologne.
This yr is but to ship the identical outcomes, with Almeida in a assist function at each his stage races to this point this yr. On the Volta a Catalunya he got here ninth whereas Pogačar claimed victory, whereas he took eleventh at Paris-Good as Brandon McNulty stepped onto the rostrum for the group.
The Tour de Suisse, nevertheless, might supply an opportunity for Almeida, although given Finn Fisher-Black and the rising begin of Isaac Del Toro are additionally within the group he undoubtedly is not the one possibility for a robust total consequence.
Richard Carapaz hasn’t lined up on the Tour de Suisse since he received it in 2021, however he’ll be utilizing it as preparation for the Tour de France and hoping it delivers the identical consequence, with the title in Switzerland then adopted by a spot on the general podium in Paris.
There isn’t any likelihood of a whole repeat, although, because the Olympic Video games highway race winner in Tokyo has missed choice for the group this time round.
That will add much more hearth for the upcoming battles, with the Ecuadorian highway champion’s sturdy season begin on the Nationwide Championships and Tour Colombia, the place he got here second total, not then initially carrying by to Europe. There was a pickup on the Tour de Romandie, the place Carapaz completed seventh total and likewise picked up a stage victory. It is maybe the signal of a constructing momentum which might make him an actual risk in Switzerland.
For Enric Mas, the Tour de Suisse is a lead-in race for a GC cost on the Tour de France, the place his finest total consequence to this point was fifth total in 2020. Mas hasn’t raced Suisse since 2019, when he got here ninth following on from a fourth in 2018, having used the Critérium du Dauphiné as his lead-in to the French Grand Tour in the course of the intervening years.
The change this yr, after a few Tour de France appearances that have not run to plan, might present the Spanish rider to work his manner up the outcomes desk, each on the occasion and from his GC run to this point this yr.
Mas has raced simply three occasions this yr, honing in on Tirreno-Adriatico the place he got here twelfth total, earlier than a fifth at Volta Ciclista a Catalunya and sixth on the Tour de Romandie. The 29-year-old is the image of consistency, with seven top-six finishes among the many 9 Grand Excursions he has completed, so it is a good wager that we are going to additionally see him close to the highest of the outcomes desk on the Tour de Suisse, too.
The Ineos Grenadiers rider has received the Tour de Suisse earlier than, again in 2019 when he then went on to win the Tour de France. A lot has modified by the intervening seasons however there have been promising indicators within the early months of 2024 that the Colombian is on an upward trajectory.
Final yr, his first full season since his horrible coaching crash in the beginning of 2022, he was on the construct and managed to safe a few high 10s total. This yr the rostrum locations are starting to come back by, with third total at each O Gran Camiño and Volta a Catalunya. Maybe the Tour de Suisse is an opportunity for an additional.
Tom Pidcock may also current one other card for the group to play, with the Amstel Gold Race winner lining up in Vaduz to tackle the Swiss race from June 9-16 earlier than staying on within the nation for the UCI MTB World Cup spherical in Crans Montana on June 23 after which heading to off to start out the Tour de France in Florence on June 29.
Groupama-FDJ have been given loads of purpose to rejoice their creating expertise to this point this season, with 21-year-old Laurence Pithie opening their win tally for the yr on the Cadel Evans Nice Ocean Highway Race and Lenny Martinez being the group’s most prolific contributor, having already collected 5 wins this season.
The 20-year-old could also be exhibiting the indicators of potential that mark him one of the prized creatures in biking – a house nation contender for a high total consequence on the Tour de France. Nevertheless, that may be a thought finest saved for the years forward.
For Martinez, the Tour de Suisse this yr is likely one of the constructing blocks towards a return look on the Vuelta a España, and whereas he might not be a high favorite for the eight-stage race his exhibits of accelerating power additionally make him a rider that’s laborious to disregard.
The rider, who was born in Cannes, began the season with a win at Basic Var after which a second total at O Gran Camiño, there have been then 4 extra one-day race victories alongside the way in which and high ten outcomes at each Volta a Catalunya and Tour de Romandie.
The Giro d’Italia had been a principal focus of the season for Cian Uijtdebroeks however whereas he ended the tenth stage in a robust fifth total, he did not begin stage 11 because the 21-year-old was unwell with a fever. Strolling away when the purpose of a top-10 end total seemed inside attain was a tricky final result for the rider at their first Italian Grand Tour however the Tour de Suisse might present some comfort.
Uijtdebroeks, then racing with Bora-Hansgrohe, got here seventh on the race final yr and has not often fallen out of the highest ten in any stage race he has accomplished for the reason that begin of final season.
This season, his outcomes embody fifth at O Gran Camiño and seventh at Tirreno-Adriatico. It appears only a matter of time till Uijtdebroeks hits his first total podium at a WorldTour race, and the Tour de Suisse presents a chance to take one other step in that course.
