Who will succeed Neilson Powless?
From Wednesday January 31 to Sunday February 4, the riders of the peloton will set off on the roads of Gard for the first stage race of the year in France.
On the program for Benoît Cosnefroy (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) and the others, several first category passes (Col des Brousses and de la Bataille) and second category (Col de Portes and du Pradel), before a final route against the shows, which will reward the winner in Alès at the top of the Côte de l'Ermitage (2.8km at 5.6%).
Winner of the time trial last year, the Dane Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) is one of the favorites for the final victory with the Italian Alberto Bettiol (EF Education-EasyPost), second in 2022, and the French Benjamin Thomas (Cofidis), winner the same year.
Magnus Cort Nielsen, stage winner on the three major Tours, or even Alexander Kristoff, who has already won the Milan-San Remo Classic in 2014 and the Tour of Flanders in 2015, could well play spoilsport.
The first stage of the Étoile de Bessèges between Bellegarde and Bellegarde (160.7 km) will be on Wednesday January 31 at 2 p.m. on the Chaîne l'Équipe.
The second stage of the Étoile de Bessèges between Marguerittes and Rousson (163.5 km) will be on Thursday February 1 at 2 p.m. on the Chaîne l'Équipe.
The third stage of the Étoile de Bessèges between Bessèges and Bessèges (161.1 km) will be on Friday February 2 at 2 p.m. on the Chaîne l'Équipe.
The fourth stage of the Étoile de Bessèges between Méjannes le Clap and Méjannes le Clap (158.5 km) will be on Saturday February 3 at 2 p.m. on the Chaîne l'Équipe.