My adopted home race kicks off on Sunday with a short, punchy stage around the Rigi (a.k.a. "Queen of the Mountains"). The women will take on the exact same parcours for this stage as their final out of 4 stages, which should make for a great day out in Küssnacht on the shores of Lake Luzern (even if the weather forecast looks a bit grim). Featuring an early and a late ascent of the Michaelskreuz hill climb (3.8km @ 9.1%), this stage could already shape the GC.
Stages 2 and 3 are for the puncheurs with tricky finishes, while stage 4 takes the peloton over 2000m for the first time at Splugenpass, before a hair-raising and breathtaking descent down into Italy.
Stage 5 crosses the Julier (2284m) and San Bernardino (2067m) passes before a steep double ascent and summit finish into Santa Maria in Calanca (4.5km @ 9.8%).
Stage 6 heads north for a sprint at the Rheinfall, before stage 7 brings the peloton back to central Switzerland for another tough finish.
Stage 8 will decide the winner -- a 10km mountain time trial (9.2km @ 9%) from shore to summit above Lake Luzern.
Startlist
Joao Almeida starts as favourite, but watch out for Pello Bilbao, Felix Gall, Tao, and G.
Full startlist from PCS
GC and stage 1 picks in by 12:00 on Sunday!
Stages 2 and 3 are for the puncheurs with tricky finishes, while stage 4 takes the peloton over 2000m for the first time at Splugenpass, before a hair-raising and breathtaking descent down into Italy.
Stage 5 crosses the Julier (2284m) and San Bernardino (2067m) passes before a steep double ascent and summit finish into Santa Maria in Calanca (4.5km @ 9.8%).
Stage 6 heads north for a sprint at the Rheinfall, before stage 7 brings the peloton back to central Switzerland for another tough finish.
Stage 8 will decide the winner -- a 10km mountain time trial (9.2km @ 9%) from shore to summit above Lake Luzern.
Startlist
Joao Almeida starts as favourite, but watch out for Pello Bilbao, Felix Gall, Tao, and G.
Full startlist from PCS
GC and stage 1 picks in by 12:00 on Sunday!
