The Tour de France 2023, the longest-running and most important cycling competition on the planet, faces its first high-mountain stage this Wednesday, the first of two days in the Pyrenees that include two large ports and an arrival in Laruns, the place where the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar achieved the first of his nine stages in 2020.
On this first day, of 162.7 kilometers between Pau and Laruns, the cyclists will have to ascend Soudet, a special category, 15.2 kilometers at 7.2% of average slope, and Marie-Blanque, first class, 7, 7 kilometers at 8.6%, whose peak is 18 kilometers from the finish line.
All the spotlights point to Pogacar, accustomed to obtaining good results in this region. In a stage very similar to that of this Wednesday, the Slovenian achieved his first stage win in 2020, before managing to snatch the yellow jersey from his compatriot Primoz Roglic on the penultimate day and win his first Tour de France.
On the final day, Philipsen repeated his triumph in a rough sprint around the Nogaro circuit, beating Australian Cabel Ewan and German Phil Bauhaus at the finish line. The British Adam Yates kept the yellow jersey of a general classification that did not undergo changes.
In the fifth stage of the 2023 Tour de France, the peloton will cover 162.7 kilometers between Pau and Laruns, the first of two days in the Pyrenees that include two large ports. The day, which will start this Wednesday, July 5 at 1:05 p.m., can be seen on television on RTVE and Eurosport and can also be followed on the La Vanguardia website.
