Preview Tour of Norway 2023 | Young INEOS/Jumbo-Visma, but also interesting Dutch and Belgian riders
CyclingThursday, 25 May 2023 at 09:27
The Giro d'Italia is nearing its end, but for another part of the peloton, the end of May marks the beginning of a busy period. The Tour of Norway serves as a great preparatory race for the exciting competitions that follow in June and July. Join IDLProCycling.com as we look ahead and search for a successor to Remco Evenepoel!
Last year, Evenepoel emerged as brand-new winner on the honor roll of the Tour of Norway. In the span of six days, the Belgian won three stages, leaving Australian talents Jay Vine and Luke Plapp trailing behind him by about a minute. Evenepoel became the first Belgian to grace the honor roll of the Tour of Norway. The Netherlands has won the stage race twice, with Wilco Kelderman in 2011 and then again with Pieter Weening in 2016.
This year, the Tour of Norway has undergone a slight adjustment. As we said, the stage race consisted of six stages last year, but this year it has been reduced to only four. However, this change has resulted in a strong field of participants: eight WorldTour teams will embark on the journey to Scandinavia to take part in the 2.Pro race.
Practical information Tour of Norway 2023
- Friday, May 26th - Monday, May 29th
- Participants
- Classification: 2.Pro
In this article
- Most recent winners
- Course, climbs and times
- Favorites stages and general classification
- TV information
Most recent winners Tour of Norway
2022 Remco Evenepoel
2021 Ethan Hayter
2020 Not ridden
2019 Alexander Kristoff
2018 Eduard Prades
2017 Edvald Boasson-Hagen
2016 Pieter Weening
2015 Jesper Hansen
2014 Maciej Paterski
2013 Edvald Boasson Hagen
2021 Ethan Hayter
2020 Not ridden
2019 Alexander Kristoff
2018 Eduard Prades
2017 Edvald Boasson-Hagen
2016 Pieter Weening
2015 Jesper Hansen
2014 Maciej Paterski
2013 Edvald Boasson Hagen
Course, climbs, day favorites and times Tour of Norway 2023
Prologue, Friday, May 26th: Bergen - Mount Floyen (7.4 km)
The Tour of Norway kicks off with a beautiful 7.4-kilometer prologue in Bergen. Most cycling enthusiasts still remember that city as the location of the UCI Road World Championships in 2017, where Tom Dumoulin delivered a phenomenal performance in the time trial. On the 3.4-kilometer-long Mount Floyen (with an average gradient of 9.0 percent), there will undoubtedly be a first battle among the general classification contenders.
Climbs
4.0 km: Mount Floyen (3.4 km at 9.0%)
4.0 km: Mount Floyen (3.4 km at 9.0%)
Favorites
Magnus Sheffield (INEOS Grenadiers)
Attila Valter (Jumbo-Visma)
Ben Tulett (INEOS Grenadiers)
Magnus Sheffield (INEOS Grenadiers)
Attila Valter (Jumbo-Visma)
Ben Tulett (INEOS Grenadiers)
Times
Start: 5:30 p.m.
Finish: 8 p.m.
Start: 5:30 p.m.
Finish: 8 p.m.
Stage 1, Saturday, May 27th: Jondal - Hovden (207.0 km)
On Saturday, the longest stage of this year's Tour of Norway is on the schedule. A total of 207 kilometers will have to be covered between Jondal and Hovden. A significant portion of this route consists of uphill sections, with the most challenging obstacle being the 18.6-kilometer climb towards Seljestadjuvet after approximately ninety kilometers. Additionally, there is another climb towards Bykleheivegen (3.5 km at 7.4%) to overcome - this one just 25 kilometers from the finish. Strong winds can often occur on the Norwegian plains, adding to the challenge.
Climbs
13.0 km: Asleitet (3.5 km at 7.1%)
107.7 km: Seljestadjuvet (18.6 km at 5.9%)
181.4 km: Bykleheivegen (3.5 km at 7.4%)
13.0 km: Asleitet (3.5 km at 7.1%)
107.7 km: Seljestadjuvet (18.6 km at 5.9%)
181.4 km: Bykleheivegen (3.5 km at 7.4%)
Favorites
Ide Schelling (BORA-hansgrohe)
Luke Plapp (INEOS Grenadiers)
Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo)
Ide Schelling (BORA-hansgrohe)
Luke Plapp (INEOS Grenadiers)
Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo)
Times
Start: 12:45 p.m.
Finish: around 6 p.m.
Start: 12:45 p.m.
Finish: around 6 p.m.
Stage 2, Sunday, May 28th: Valle - Stavanger (172.5 km)
The final two stages of the Tour of Norway primarily take place around Stavanger, where we will also arrive on Sunday. The first thirty kilometers ascend towards Knuttjørn, but the remaining 140 kilometers are mainly flat. Most likely we can expect a sprint finish in this section.
Climbs
32.9 km: Knuttjørn (21.7 km at 3%)
129.6 km: Seldal (4.8 km at 5.5%)
32.9 km: Knuttjørn (21.7 km at 3%)
129.6 km: Seldal (4.8 km at 5.5%)
Favorites
Axel Laurance (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X)
Jordi Meeus (BORA-hansgrohe)
Axel Laurance (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X)
Jordi Meeus (BORA-hansgrohe)
Times
Start: 1:40 p.m.
Finish: around 6 p.m.
Start: 1:40 p.m.
Finish: around 6 p.m.
Stage 3, Monday, May 29th: Stavanger - Stavanger (151.2 km)
The Tour of Norway now has a fairly traditional finale around Stavanger, with the punchy climb of Grisabakken (0.6 km at 8.2%) serving as the decisive point. This climb will also be featured three times on Monday, after which the riders will have to cover seven more kilometers towards the finish in the speed skating city. In the past two years, Matthew Walls and Alexander Kristoff emerged as winners in the final sprint that took place here.
Climbs
108.7 km: Grisabakken (0.6 km at 8.2%)
144.0 km: Grisabakken (0.6 km at 8.2%)
108.7 km: Grisabakken (0.6 km at 8.2%)
144.0 km: Grisabakken (0.6 km at 8.2%)
Favorites
Marijn van den Berg (EF Education-EasyPost)
Edward Theuns (Trek-Segafredo)
Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X)
Marijn van den Berg (EF Education-EasyPost)
Edward Theuns (Trek-Segafredo)
Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X)
Times
Start: 12:10 p.m.
Finish: 3:45 p.m.
Start: 12:10 p.m.
Finish: 3:45 p.m.
Favorites final classification Tour of Norway 2023
Please note that the start list is not yet official/complete, so changes may still be made.
INEOS Grenadiers has the most well-known rider at the start, in the form of Egan Bernal, but it remains uncertain how the Colombian rider is currently performing. This season seemed to be progressing well for him, but two weeks ago, he had a hard crash in the Tour of Hungary.
As a result, it appears more likely that INEOS will aim for a good result with young riders like Ben Tulett, Luke Plapp and Magnus Sheffield. Tulett recently finished second in Hungary, Plapp was the third-place finisher in last year's Tour of Norway, and both Plapp and Bernal experienced falls in Central Europe. We expect Sheffield's Norwegian heritage will also make him even more motivated to perform well in this race. All three young riders possess strong sprinting and time trial abilities.
Judging by their provisional start list, it seems that Jumbo-Visma will rely on riders from their development team. Despite having Visma - a Norwegian sponsor - on their jerseys, the Dutch team will undoubtedly approach the race with great determination. Johannes Staune-Mittet has just completed intensive training sessions in the Sierra Nevada with the likes of Wout van Aert and Jonas Vingegaard. Additionally, Attila Valter is also considered one of the top contenders.
From a Dutch perspective, Jumbo-Visma also has riders like Gijs Leemreize and the Van Dijke brothers. However, in terms of the overall classification, Ide Schelling of BORA-hansgrohe is considered the main contender. The cheerful stage winner of the Tour of the Basque Country possesses a strong sprint and can also excel in time trials on his good days. Within that team, Ben Zwiehoff is another potential candidate.
Trek-Segafredo features a Belgian trio consisting of Thibau Nys, Jasper Stuyven and Edward Theuns, in addition to home rider Markus Hoelgaard. Intermarché-Circus-Wanty brings Rune Herregodts to the start, who is a strong time trialist but had to miss the Giro. Mike Teunissen and Madis Mikhels are also part of the team.
Then there's Uno-X, which departs with seven strong riders in their home country. Tobias Halland Johanessen had a solid performance throughout the spring in Wallonia, likely making him eager for a good result on home soil. Rasmus Tiller and Alexander Kristoff, both renowned for their toughness, can also get far in this race.
EF Education-EasyPost presents a strong team with home rider Odd Christian Eiking, stage winner in the Alps Simon Carr, and Germans Georg Steinhauser and Jonas Rutsch. Meanwhile, Alpecin-Deceuninck relies on the strength of Axel Laurance, and DSM looks to the American Kevin Vermaerke or the German Marco Brenner.
At a slightly lower level, riders to watch out for include Jefferson Alveiro Cepeda (Caja Rural), Alexander Kamp (Tudor), Carl Frederik Hagen (Q36.5), Mathias Breghoj (Leopard), and our very own Bart Lemmen (Human Powered Health).
According to IDLProCycling.com, who are the favorites for the final classification of the Tour of Norway?
Top favorites: Magnus Sheffield (INEOS Grenadiers) and Attila Valter (Jumbo-Visma)
Outsiders: Ben Tulett (INEOS Grenadiers), Johannes Staune-Mittet (Jumbo-Visma), Tobias Halland Johanessen (Uno-X) and Ide Schelling (BORA-hansgrohe)
Long shots: Luke Plapp (INEOS Grenadiers), Rune Herregodts (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty), Alexander Kamp (Tudor), Thibau Nys (Trek-Segafredo), Kevin Vermaerke (Team DSM), Axel Laurance (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Simon Carr (EF Education-EasyPost)
Outsiders: Ben Tulett (INEOS Grenadiers), Johannes Staune-Mittet (Jumbo-Visma), Tobias Halland Johanessen (Uno-X) and Ide Schelling (BORA-hansgrohe)
Long shots: Luke Plapp (INEOS Grenadiers), Rune Herregodts (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty), Alexander Kamp (Tudor), Thibau Nys (Trek-Segafredo), Kevin Vermaerke (Team DSM), Axel Laurance (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Simon Carr (EF Education-EasyPost)
TV Tour of Norway 2023
The Tour of Norway can be watched this extended Pentecost weekend on the online channels of Eurosport, Discovery+ and GCN. What's notable is the length of these broadcasts, as all stages will be shown from start to finish. On TV, the sports channel gives priority to the Giro d'Italia and the tennis tournament Roland Garros.
Tom van der Salm (Twitter: @TomvanderSalm) | email: [email protected])
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Latest Comments
- Why continue to give this bully and liar a platform. Both he and Bruyneel should be persona non grata in the cycling world.Aodh25-04-2025
- Such negative comments that are truly inappropriate and actually ridiculous. He sounds like an old man, bitter that he can't race anymore. Why can't he just be gracious? Or just shut up. Instead of howling for attention, in such a rude manner. Must be Dementia creeping in. We are all living in the Now. Records are there, and some are being broken, some are unapproachable. If he doesn't like it, and it makes him sick, maybe he ought start watching some other sport. Don't want the old mans health to be upset.
reemmo031-03-2025 - Roger De Vlaeminck inspires me to create a new beer: "Bitter Old Twat Belgian".JackInhof31-03-2025
- Shoot, I'll ride it for 1/10 of what his pay for that day is😅Veganpotter30-03-2025
- What is this? The Lance Armstrong daily cheaters channel? I could care less about Johan and Lance the seven times cheater. Greg Lemond was right all along, Why don't you write about that instead of these two knuckleheads.velodrone28-03-2025
- Are we all doomed to hear from Lance Armstrong and Johan bruneel until the end of time? It's not enough the stain they left on cycling? Do we have to see that shadow forever?bigyakman26-03-2025
- I am not sure if it is the hardest to win. In Flanders and Roubaix well before the finish the Peleton will be decimated and the race will normally be won by the best rider of the day or maybe 2nd or 3rd in case of a mechanical or unlucky break especially in case of Roubaix. In San Remo just before the finish there will still be several riders in contention and they are hard to ditch. For the best riders it is a race hard to win since it is not so selective. But if you are not a top 5 rider but still a top 10 rider this race is your best change to win. You will see more Milan San remo Winners with only 1 monument win than any other monumentsJoostmehrtens19-03-2025
- "fap fap fap oh Lance oh oh OHHHHHHH" again. Does he pay you to dredge up people with nice things to say about him? He was an giant a$$hole to people. It is a fact. Whatever his contrition about the doping, he is unapologetic about being a giant a$$hole to people. (Why yes, I do only login to complain. *I* am however only a giant a$$hole to people who laud giant a$$holes.)ericjensenridesbikes25-02-2025
- Remco is still very young. And injuries can absolutely keep you from overdoing it and getting worse. The recent Remco accident didn't keep him from being able to ride a recumbent inside. Wout's knee is a different story thoughVeganpotter23-01-2025
- Van der Poel style is winning by a half a lap and leading the race from the end of the second lap.
Barnes127420-01-2025