Tour of Flanders 2023: TV and live stream details, favourites, route map, Mathieu van der Poel defends title
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Updated 29/03/2023 at 15:39 GMT
Tour of Flanders 2023: The second Monument of the season arrives on Sunday as Ronde van Vlaanderen takes centre stage. Both the men’s and women’s fields are stacked with the likes of Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert, Tadej Pogacar, Lotte Kopecky and Annemiek van Vleuten set to take to the Flemish cobbles. So how can you watch on Eurosport and discovery+? Look no further…
Highlights: Van der Poel triumphs again, ‘where was Pogacar?’
All eyes will fall on the tried-and-tested Oude Kwaremont-Paterberg cobbled combo this weekend as both the men’s and women’s pelotons take to the Belgian bergs for the Tour of Flanders. Also known as the Ronde van Vlaanderen, the race runs for its 107th edition for the men, with the women tackling the famous ‘helligen’ for a 20th time.
With the peloton's biggest one-day superstars turning out in force, and at least a few spots of rain on the menu, it promises to be a cracker.
Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) will be out for revenge in the men's race after somehow finishing fourth in a two-horse race in last year's edition, when Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin–Deceuninck) took a second victory, while Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) will seek to defend her women's title.
The warm-up events have seen Jumbo-Visma dominate the men's peloton, with Wout van Aert sneaking victory at E3 Saxo Classic ahead of Van der Poel and Pogacar before teeing up team-mate Christophe Laporte for victory at Gent-Wevelgem.
Meanwhile, Marlen Reusser (SD Worx) soloed to victory in the women's Gent-Wevelgem - despite taking a wrong turn with 5km to go.
When is Tour of Flanders 2023?
The men's and women's Tour of Flanders takes place on Sunday April 2.
How can I watch Tour of Flanders 2023? Live stream details
Eurosport and discovery+ has you covered for both races, with blanket coverage running from 08:55-17:30 BST, bookended by The Breakaway.
Watch the men's race LIVE from 08:55-16:25 BST on discovery+ and eurosport.co.uk, or tune in from 09:30-16:00 BST on Eurosport 1.
Watch the women's race LIVE from 14:00-17:30 BST on discovery+ and eurosport.co.uk, or tune in from 16:00-17:30 BST on Eurosport 1.
Who is riding?
Defending champion Van der Poel, Van Aert and Pogacar headline the field after their lively battle at E3, with Strade Bianche winner Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) returning from concussion to join the fearsome trio.
Should Van Aert find himself heavily-marked on race day, Jumbo have a few other cards to play in Laporte, Dylan van Baarle and Tiesj Benoot, while Julian Alaphilippe and Kasper Asgreen spearhead Soudal-QuickStep's hopes.
Lotte Kopecky returns to defend her women's title as SD Worx bring a typically formidable line-up to the Flemish cobbles, with Lorena Wiebes, Demi Vollering and Marlen Reusser in their ranks, while two-time champion Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) will chase her first win of the season.
Elsewhere, the peloton's greatest character Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig goes for FDJ-SUEZ, while there is also British interest in four-time junior world champion Zoe Backstedt (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB).
Tour of Flanders 2023 men's route
The men's race returns to Bruges for the first time since 2016, but all the usual favourites - including the Oude Kwaremont-Paterberg finale - remain. Coming in at a smidge over 273km, with six major cobbled sections and 19 climbs, it promises to be a long and bumpy day in the saddle.
Tour of Flanders 2023 women's route
The women’s race starts and finishes in Oudenaarde and includes 13 hills and five cobbled sectors crammed into 158km with the climax featuring the same Kwaremont-Paterberg combo as the men, ahead of the flat 13.3km run to the line.
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Stream the 2023 cycling season live and on-demand on discovery+ and eurosport.co.uk
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