Everything you need to know about the 2023 Tour of Flanders

The classics’ “Holy Week” begins Sunday with the Tour of Flanders.

Coupled up with Paris-Roubaix next week, the two races mark a thrilling denouement to weeks of action across the cobbles of northern Europe.

There will be double the action Sunday with both the men’s and women’s editions of De Ronde taking place almost simultaneously.

Where the women’s event used to be raced with an early finish in mind while the men’s took center stage, it has been given a prime spot in recent years so that it finishes about an hour after the men. It proved very successful last year and race organizer Flanders Classics swapped around more of its women’s events to similar schedules.

After six years of starting in Antwerp, the men’s race moves back to Bruges this season. The swap is part of a deal that will see the two cities share the depart of the event in alternate years. Meanwhile, the women’s race continues to start and finish in Oudenaarde.

The favorites

Lotte Kopecky started her spring with a bang at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad (Photo: Gruber Images)

Mathieu van der Poel and Lotte Kopecky return as the defending champions after thrilling wins last season. Both will be among the top-tier favorites for the 2023 race, but they have some stiff competition as they look to take a second straight win.

In the men’s race, Tadej Pogačar and Wout van Aert will be the sternest challengers for Van Aert. Meanwhile, Kopecky’s biggest threats come from inside her own SD Worx team while Annemiek van Vleuten will be the biggest test from outside the Dutch squad.

Top-tier favorites

Men: Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates), Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Vimsa), Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix).

Women: Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx), Demi Vollering (SD Worx), Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar), Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma).

Second-tier favorites

Men: Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo), Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo), Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers), Matej Mohorič (Bahrain-Victorious), Matteo Jorgenson (Movistar), Christophe Laporte (Jumbo-Visma), Tiesj Benoot (Jumbo-Visma), Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ).

Women: Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM), Marlen Reusser (SD Worx), Liane Lippert (Movistar), Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-Suez), Grace Brown (FDJ-Suez), Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafredo), Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo), Marta Bastianelli (UAE Team Emirates), Silvia Persico (UAE Team Emirates), Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step), Juliette Labous (Team DSM).

Outsiders

Men: Alberto Bettiol (EF Education-Easypost), Nielson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost), Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal Quick-Step), Kasper Asgreen (Soudal Quick-Step), Greg van Avermaet (AG2R-Citroën), Oliver Naesen (AG2R-Citroën), Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty), Sep Vanmarcke (Israel-Premier Tech), Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X).

Women: Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx), Pfeiffer Georgi (Team DSM), Megan Jastrab (Team DSM), Arlenis Sierra (Movistar), Coryn Labecki (Jumbo-Visma), Ruby Roseman-Gannon (Jayco-AlUla), Shirin van Anrooij (Trek-Segafredo), Vittoria Guazzini (FDJ-Suez), Chiara Consonni (UAE Team Emirates), Audrey Cordon-Ragot (Zaaf).

The women’s course

Distance: 158km
Start: Oudenaarde
Finish: Oudenaarde
Climbs: 13
Cobbled sectors: 5

The 2023 women’s Tour of Flanders route (Photo: Flanders Classics)

The men’s course

Distance: 273.4km
Start: Bruges
Finish: Oudenaard
Climbs: 19
Cobbled sectors: 6

The 2023 men’s Tour of Flanders route (Photo: Flanders Classics)

How to watch

Fans in the USA and Canada can watch both the men’s and women’s races on FloBikes. Meanwhile, viewers in Europe will be able to watch the races on GCN+ in addition to some national broadcasters.