2023 Étoile de Bessèges

2023 Étoile de Bessèges
2023 UCI Europe Tour
Race details
Dates1–5 February 2023
Stages5
Distance659.68 km (409.9 mi)
Results
Winner  Neilson Powless (USA) (EF Education–EasyPost)
  Second  Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (DEN) (Trek–Segafredo)
  Third  Pierre Latour (FRA) (Team TotalEnergies)
Points  Arnaud De Lie (BEL) (Lotto–Dstny)
Mountains  Vito Braet (BEL) (Team Flanders–Baloise)
Youth  Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (DEN) (Trek–Segafredo)
  Team Team TotalEnergies
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The 2023 Étoile de Bessèges – Tour du Gard (transl. Star of Bessèges – Tour of Gard) was a road cycling stage race that took place between 1 and 5 February 2023 almost entirely within the French department of Gard. The race was rated as a category 2.1 event on the 2023 UCI Europe Tour calendar, and was the 53rd edition of the Étoile de Bessèges.[1]

Teams

Eight of the 18 UCI WorldTeams, eight UCI ProTeams, and four UCI Continental teams make up the 20 teams that participated in the race.[2] Each team entered a full squad of seven riders, for a total of 140 riders who started the race.

UCI WorldTeams

UCI ProTeams

UCI Continental Teams

Route

Stage characteristics and winners[3][4]
Stage Date Course Distance Type Stage winner
1 1 February Bellegarde to Bellegarde 162.18 km (100.77 mi) Flat stage  Arnaud De Lie (BEL)
2 2 February Bagard to Aubais 169.63 km (105.40 mi) Hilly stage No winner
3 3 February Bessèges to Bessèges 169.71 km (105.45 mi) Hilly stage  Arnaud De Lie (BEL)
4 4 February Saint-Christol-lès-Alès to Mont Bouquet [fr] 147.5 km (91.7 mi) Mountain stage  Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (DEN)
5 5 February Alès to Alès 10.66 km (6.62 mi) Individual time trial  Mads Pedersen (DEN)
Total 659.68 km (409.91 mi)

Stages

Stage 1

1 February 2022 – Bellegarde to Bellegarde, 162.18 km (100.77 mi)[5]
Stage 1 Result (1–10)[6]
Rank Rider Team Time
1  Arnaud De Lie (BEL) Lotto–Dstny 3h 30' 35"
2  Mads Pedersen (DEN) Trek–Segafredo + 0"
3  Benoît Cosnefroy (FRA) AG2R Citroën Team + 0"
4  Dylan Teuns (BEL) Israel–Premier Tech + 3"
5  Andrea Piccolo (ITA) EF Education–EasyPost + 3"
6  Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (DEN) Trek–Segafredo + 5"
7  Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education–EasyPost + 5"
8  Aaron Van Poucke (BEL) Team Flanders–Baloise + 5"
9  Pau Miquel (ESP) Equipo Kern Pharma + 8"
10  Anders Halland Johannessen (NOR) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team + 8"
General classification after Stage 1 (1–10)[6]
Rank Rider Team Time
1  Arnaud De Lie (BEL) Lotto–Dstny 3h 30' 35"
2  Mads Pedersen (DEN) Trek–Segafredo + 4"
3  Benoît Cosnefroy (FRA) AG2R Citroën Team + 6"
4  Dylan Teuns (BEL) Israel–Premier Tech + 13"
5  Andrea Piccolo (ITA) EF Education–EasyPost + 13"
6  Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (DEN) Trek–Segafredo + 15"
7  Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education–EasyPost + 15"
8  Aaron Van Poucke (BEL) Team Flanders–Baloise + 15"
9  Pau Miquel (ESP) Equipo Kern Pharma + 18"
10  Anders Halland Johannessen (NOR) Uno-X Pro Cycling Team + 18"

Stage 2

2 February 2022 – Bagard to Aubais, 169.63 km (105.40 mi)[7]

The stage was neutralised due to a large crash on a bridge about 22 kilometers from the finish. Therefore, no winner was declared and all classifications remained the same from stage 1 heading into stage 3.[8]

Stage 3

3 February 2022 – Bessèges to Bessèges, 169.71 km (105.45 mi)[9]
Stage 3 Result (1–10)[10]
Rank Rider Team Time
1  Arnaud De Lie (BEL) Lotto–Dstny 4h 03' 47"
2  Valentin Ferron (FRA) Team TotalEnergies + 0"
3  Samuel Watson (GBR) Groupama–FDJ + 0"
4  Louis Barré (FRA) Arkéa–Samsic + 0"
5  Sep Vanmarcke (BEL) Israel–Premier Tech + 0"
6  Joel Suter (SUI) Tudor Pro Cycling Team + 0"
7  Rémy Mertz (BEL) Bingoal WB + 0"
8  Pierre Latour (FRA) Team TotalEnergies + 0"
9  Greg van Avermaet (BEL) AG2R Citroën Team + 0"
10  Franck Bonnamour (FRA) AG2R Citroën Team + 0"
General classification after Stage 3 (1–10)[10]
Rank Rider Team Time
1  Arnaud De Lie (BEL) Lotto–Dstny 7h 34' 02"
2  Benoît Cosnefroy (FRA) AG2R Citroën Team + 16"
3  Dylan Teuns (BEL) Israel–Premier Tech + 23"
4  Samuel Watson (GBR) Groupama–FDJ + 24"
5  Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (DEN) Trek–Segafredo + 25"
6  Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education–EasyPost + 25"
7  Pierre Latour (FRA) Team TotalEnergies + 28"
8  Ben Tulett (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers + 28"
9  Krists Neilands (LAT) Israel–Premier Tech + 28"
10  Pau Miquel (ESP) Equipo Kern Pharma + 28"

Stage 4

4 February 2022 – Saint-Christol-lès-Alès to Mont Bouquet [fr], 147.5 km (91.7 mi)[11]
Stage 4 Result (1–10)[12]
Rank Rider Team Time
1  Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (DEN) Trek–Segafredo 3h 22' 23"
2  Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education–EasyPost + 0"
3  Pierre Latour (FRA) Team TotalEnergies + 13"
4  Pavel Sivakov (FRA) Ineos Grenadiers + 19"
5  Kévin Vauquelin (FRA) Arkéa–Samsic + 1' 06"
6  Thibaut Pinot (FRA) Groupama–FDJ + 1' 17"
7  Hugo Houle (CAN) Israel–Premier Tech + 1' 30"
8  Arnaud De Lie (BEL) Lotto–Dstny + 1' 34"
9  Julien Bernard (FRA) Trek–Segafredo + 1' 40"
10  Axel Laurance (FRA) Alpecin–Deceuninck + 1' 53"
General classification after Stage 4 (1–10)[12]
Rank Rider Team Time
1  Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (DEN) Trek–Segafredo 10h 56' 40"
2  Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education–EasyPost + 4"
3  Pierre Latour (FRA) Team TotalEnergies + 22"
4  Pavel Sivakov (FRA) Ineos Grenadiers + 1' 00"
5  Arnaud De Lie (BEL) Lotto–Dstny + 1' 19"
6  Kévin Vauquelin (FRA) Arkéa–Samsic + 1' 26"
7  Thibaut Pinot (FRA) Groupama–FDJ + 1' 37"
8  Hugo Houle (CAN) Israel–Premier Tech + 1' 50"
9  Krists Neilands (LAT) Israel–Premier Tech + 2' 13"
10  Anthony Perez (FRA) Cofidis + 2' 13"

Stage 5

5 February 2022 – Alès to Alès, 10.66 km (6.62 mi), (ITT)[13]
Stage 5 Result (1–10)[14]
Rank Rider Team Time
1  Mads Pedersen (DEN) Trek–Segafredo 15' 25"
2  Joshua Tarling (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers + 8"
3  Ben Tulett (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers + 10"
4  Kévin Vauquelin (FRA) Arkéa–Samsic + 11"
5  Pierre Latour (FRA) Team TotalEnergies + 15"
6  Magnus Cort (DEN) EF Education–EasyPost + 20"
7  Ben Turner (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers + 20"
8  Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education–EasyPost + 21"
9  Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (DEN) Trek–Segafredo + 26"
10  Bruno Armirail (FRA) Groupama–FDJ + 26"
General classification after Stage 5 (1–10)[14]
Rank Rider Team Time
1  Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education–EasyPost 11h 12' 30"
2  Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (DEN) Trek–Segafredo + 1"
3  Pierre Latour (FRA) Team TotalEnergies + 12"
4  Kévin Vauquelin (FRA) Arkéa–Samsic + 1' 12"
5  Pavel Sivakov (FRA) Ineos Grenadiers + 1' 27"
6  Thibaut Pinot (FRA) Groupama–FDJ + 1' 58"
7  Arnaud De Lie (BEL) Lotto–Dstny + 2' 04"
8  Hugo Houle (CAN) Israel–Premier Tech + 2' 27"
9  Anthony Perez (FRA) Cofidis + 2' 36"
10  Joel Suter (SUI) Tudor Pro Cycling Team + 2' 53"

Classification leadership table

Classification leadership by stage
Stage Winner General classification
[a] 		Points classification
 Mountains classification
 Young rider classification
 Team classification
1 Arnaud De Lie Arnaud De Lie Arnaud De Lie Ayco Bastiaens Arnaud De Lie EF Education–EasyPost
2 No winner
3 Arnaud De Lie Vito Braet Israel–Premier Tech
4 Mattias Skjelmose Jensen Mattias Skjelmose Jensen Mattias Skjelmose Jensen Team TotalEnergies
5 Neilson Powless Neilson Powless
Final Neilson Powless Arnaud De Lie Vito Braet Mattias Skjelmose Jensen Team TotalEnergies
  • On stage 2, Mads Pedersen, who is second in the points classification, will wear the yellow jersey, because first-placed Arnaud De Lie will wear the coral jersey as the leader of the general classification. For the same reason, Andrea Piccolo will wear the white jersey for being second in the young rider classification.

Current classification standings

Legend
Denotes the leader of the general classification Denotes the leader of the mountains classification
Denotes the leader of the points classification Denotes the leader of the young rider classification

General classification

Final general classification (1–10)[14]
Rank Rider Team Time
1  Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education–EasyPost 11h 12' 30"
2  Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (DEN) Trek–Segafredo + 1"
3  Pierre Latour (FRA) Team TotalEnergies + 12"
4  Kévin Vauquelin (FRA) Arkéa–Samsic + 1' 12"
5  Pavel Sivakov (FRA) Ineos Grenadiers + 1' 27"
6  Thibaut Pinot (FRA) Groupama–FDJ + 1' 58"
7  Arnaud De Lie (BEL) Lotto–Dstny + 2' 04"
8  Hugo Houle (CAN) Israel–Premier Tech + 2' 27"
9  Anthony Perez (FRA) Cofidis + 2' 36"
10  Joel Suter (SUI) Tudor Pro Cycling Team + 2' 53"

Points classification

Final points classification (1–10)
Rank Rider Team Points
1  Arnaud De Lie (BEL) Lotto–Dstny 58
2  Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (DEN) Trek–Segafredo 46
3  Mads Pedersen (DEN) Trek–Segafredo 45
4  Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education–EasyPost 38
5  Pierre Latour (FRA) Team TotalEnergies 38
6  Kévin Vauquelin (FRA) Arkéa–Samsic 31
7  Samuel Watson (GBR) Groupama–FDJ 21
8  Valentin Ferron (FRA) Team TotalEnergies 20
9  Ben Tulett (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers 20
10  Joshua Tarling (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers 20

Mountains classification

Final mountains classification (1–10)
Rank Rider Team Points
1  Vito Braet (BEL) Team Flanders–Baloise 34
2  Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education–EasyPost 26
3  Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (DEN) Trek–Segafredo 23
4  Dries De Bondt (BEL) Alpecin–Deceuninck 18
5  Kévin Vauquelin (FRA) Arkéa–Samsic 16
6  Ben Turner (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers 14
7  Thomas Champion (FRA) Cofidis 14
8  Mads Pedersen (DEN) Trek–Segafredo 13
9  Andrea Mifsud (FRA) Nice Métropole Côte d'Azur 12
10  Ben Tulett (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers 10

Young rider classification

Final young rider classification (1–10)
Rank Rider Team Time
1  Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (DEN) Trek–Segafredo 11h 12' 31"
2  Kévin Vauquelin (FRA) Arkéa–Samsic + 1' 11"
3  Arnaud De Lie (BEL) Lotto–Dstny + 2' 03"
4  Pau Miquel (ESP) Equipo Kern Pharma + 3' 07"
5  Axel Laurance (FRA) Alpecin–Deceuninck + 3' 58"
6  Raúl García Pierna (ESP) Equipo Kern Pharma + 4' 09"
7  Jenno Berckmoes (BEL) Team Flanders–Baloise + 5' 32"
8  Louis Barré (FRA) Arkéa–Samsic + 8' 31"
9  Petr Kelemen (CZE) Tudor Pro Cycling Team + 10' 13"
10  Luca Van Boven (BEL) Bingoal WB + 12' 22"

Team classification

Final team classification (1–10)
Rank Team Time
1 Team TotalEnergies 33h 44' 32"
2 Israel–Premier Tech + 1' 37"
3 Cofidis + 5' 33"
4 AG2R Citroën Team + 7' 07"
5 Tudor Pro Cycling Team + 7' 43"
6 Lotto–Dstny + 8' 18"
7 Trek–Segafredo + 8' 50"
8 Uno-X Pro Cycling Team + 11' 07"
9 Arkéa–Samsic + 13' 58"
10 Ineos Grenadiers + 15' 25"

Notes

  1. ^ The general classification leader's jersey is known as the coral jersey.

References

  1. ^ "Etoile de Bessèges - Tour du Gard". UCI. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  2. ^ "Équipes 2023" [Teams 2023] (in French). Étoile de Bessèges. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  3. ^ "Cyclisme : tout savoir du tracé de l'Étoile de Bessèges dans les Cévennes gardoises" [Cycling: everything you need to know about the Étoile de Bessèges route in the Cévennes in the Gard]. Midi Libre (in French). 30 January 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  4. ^ Timms, Joe (31 January 2022). "Etoile de Bessèges 2022: Route, predictions and contenders". Rouleur. Gruppo Media. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  5. ^ "Étape 1" [Stage 1] (in French). Étoile de Bessèges. Archived from the original on 31 January 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  6. ^ a b Weislo, Laura (1 February 2023). "De Lie outsprints Pedersen to win opening day at Etoile de Bessèges". CyclingNews. Future plc. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  7. ^ "Étape 2" [Stage 2] (in French). Étoile de Bessèges. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  8. ^ O'Shea, Sadhbh (2 February 2023). "Stage 2 of Étoile de Bessèges neutralized after major crash". Velo News. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  9. ^ "Étape 3" [Stage 3] (in French). Étoile de Bessèges. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  10. ^ a b Weislo, Laura (3 February 2023). "Arnaud De Lie wins crash-marred stage 3 Etoile de Bessèges". CyclingNews. Future plc. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  11. ^ "Étape 4" [Stage 4] (in French). Étoile de Bessèges. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  12. ^ a b Ostanek, Daniel (4 February 2023). "Skjelmose takes Etoile de Bessèges lead with stage 4 victory". CyclingNews. Future plc. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  13. ^ "Étape 5" [Stage 5] (in French). Étoile de Bessèges. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  14. ^ a b c Tyson, Jackie (5 February 2023). "Powless edges to Etoile de Bessèges overall win with powerful final time trial". CyclingNews. Future plc. Retrieved 5 February 2023.