tour de suisse wikipedia

Tour de Suisse 2023: The Route

Stage 1 is an ITT around the Sihlsee, an artificial lake. The route is 12.7 kilometres long. And flat.

The Tour de Suisse is far from a sprinters friendly race, but stage 2 could come down to a fast finishers showdown. The route is undulating, the finale flat.

The first uphill finish happens in stage 3 . The last 40 kilometres take in the Col des Mosses – 13.7 kilometres at 4% – before the finale is a 11.1 kilometres long climb at 7.6% to Villars-sur-Ollon.

Stage 4 also finishes uphill. The run-in is flat before the climbing commences with 70 kilometres to go. The finish climb is a mishmash of ascents and descents. It starts out with 7.8 kilometres at 8.6% before short downhills and uphills alternate all the way to the line in Leukerbad. The last 1.2 kilometres go up at 5.2%.

The Queen Stage adds an elevation gain of over 4,700 metres to the mix, but it’s not a mountain top finish. In fact, the finale is a 9.5 kilometres descent from the Abula Pass, which is a 17.4 kilometres long climb with an average gradient of 6.8%.

At 215.8 kilometres, stage 6 is the longest of the Tour de Suisse. One could argue that it’s three races for one. The first part is mountainous, the middle section is predominantly flat, while the last 55 kilometres are hilly. The finish is situated on a 2.5 kilometres climb at 6.7%

The 7th stage is a lumpy race with a flat finale before the Tour de Suisse concludes with a second ITT. Stage 8 is a 25.7 kilometres long race against the clock on an undulating course with two short climbs.

Tour de Suisse 2023: route, profiles, more

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Cyclist Gino Mäder, 26, dies after a high-speed crash in the Swiss Alps

Bill Chappell

Team Bahrain cyclist Gino Mäder of Switzerland died after suffering a terrible crash in the Tour de Suisse. He's seen here at the 2021 Giro d'Italia road race, wearing the blue jersey signifying the best climber. Dario Belingheri/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

Team Bahrain cyclist Gino Mäder of Switzerland died after suffering a terrible crash in the Tour de Suisse. He's seen here at the 2021 Giro d'Italia road race, wearing the blue jersey signifying the best climber.

Swiss cyclist Gino Mäder died Friday, one day after suffering a terrible crash during a mountain descent in stage 5 of the Tour de Suisse. Both Mäder and another racer, Magnus Sheffield of the U.S., were taken to the hospital after they were hurled into a ravine in the Swiss Alps.

Mäder, 26, crashed during the "queen stage" of the race — the label given to a multistage road race's most challenging and grueling days, which usually involve multiple ascents and test even the strongest riders.

A Pro Cyclist Rode An Unofficial, Solo Tour De France And Beat The Pack

After reaching the Albula Pass at a height just under 7,600 feet, Mäder and other riders faced a roughly 10-kilometer descent , racing down to the stage's finish line. In that segment, a motorcycle camera unit following the race leader clocked speeds of around 100 kph (62 mph).

It's not known precisely what led to the crash; TV broadcasts of the race didn't seem to catch the moment that sent the two riders off the road. "The circumstances of the accident are being clarified," race organizers said on Thursday.

After Mäder's death, the Graubünden cantonal police said on Friday that it is investigating the crash, along with the public prosecutor's office. The police issued a call for witnesses to come forward, particularly if they have video evidence.

The crash came in a high-speed portion of the course

During the descent, the two riders "crashed at very high speed," race organizers said. Another rider, Roland Thalmann, described the scene.

"After a long curve, two bikes were lying on the side of the road, which didn't look nice," Thalmann said, according to Cycling News . "When I looked back, I saw that two riders were quite far down."

Paint outlines of what look to be two tire tracks leading off the road at the curve where Swiss rider Gino Mäder fell during a high-speed descent of the fifth stage of the Tour de Suisse. Mäder, 26, died from injuries he sustained when he plunged into a ravine. Arnd Wiegmann/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

Paint outlines of what look to be two tire tracks leading off the road at the curve where Swiss rider Gino Mäder fell during a high-speed descent of the fifth stage of the Tour de Suisse. Mäder, 26, died from injuries he sustained when he plunged into a ravine.

"The race doctor was on the scene of the accident within two minutes," organizers said. Dr. Roland Kretsch found Sheffield, 21, responsive, with a concussion and bruises. Mäder was in far worse condition in a creek, as he "lay motionless in the water," according to organizers.

The medical team was able to resuscitate Mäder, and he was airlifted to a hospital. Kretsch later told SRF that the cyclists were found far below the roadway, and that Mäder had injuries to his head area.

Mäder's death stuns the cycling world

"Our entire team is devastated by this tragic accident, and our thoughts and prayers are with Gino's family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time," Mäder's cycling squad, Team Bahrain Victorious, said as it announced his death.

"Today and every day, we ride for you, Gino," the team said.

An aerial photo from June 16, 2023, shows the curve where Swiss rider Gino Mäder crashed during a high-speed descent in the Tour de Suisse. Arnd Wiegmann/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

An aerial photo from June 16, 2023, shows the curve where Swiss rider Gino Mäder crashed during a high-speed descent in the Tour de Suisse.

After the tragic news emerged, cyclists rode an extremely shortened sixth stage of the Tour de Swiss as a memorial to Mäder, with organizers saying the peloton, or main pack of cyclists, would ride only the final 20 kilometers of the planned course under "neutralized" conditions, meaning competition is suspended.

At Friday's finish line, a large crowd turned out to applaud Mäder's six teammates as they crossed the finish line together.

🇨🇭 #Tourdesuisse In honour of Gino! @tds #RideAsOne pic.twitter.com/3jX6WD4BFq — Team Bahrain Victorious (@BHRVictorious) June 16, 2023

The new plan followed another last-minute change, after an avalanche blocked Friday's planned route in the mountains.

In 2021, Mäder won the best young cyclist's white jersey at La Vuelta, Spain's 21-stage race. He took fifth place in that race — the same spot he earned earlier this year, in the eight-day Paris-Nice race.

The Tour de Suisse isn't one of road cycling's three "Grand Tour" races, but with eight stages and plenty of high mountains, it's widely seen as a key tune-up for the Tour de France in July.

Race course layout is put under scrutiny

After Thursday's crash, Belgian rider Remco Evenepoel, the reigning world champion, criticized the race course's layout, as he sent his hopes for recovery to riders who crashed.

I hope all the guys that were involved in a crash are okay!! 🙏🏻❤️ I hope that the final of today's stage is food for thought for both cycling organisers as well as ourselves as riders. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/UZm6sRwiez — Remco Evenepoel (@EvenepoelRemco) June 15, 2023

"While a summit finish would have been perfectly possible, it wasn't a good decision to let us finish down this dangerous descent," Evenepoel said . "As riders, we should also think about the risks we take going down a mountain."

Evenepoel posted that message on Thursday, before news of Mäder's death emerged.

In many stage races with famously imposing mountains, organizers place the finish line at the very top of the mountain, or just beyond it.

Tour De France Officials Search For Spectator Who Caused Massive Crash

Thursday's stage included three mountain passes, with the first (Furka) and last (Albula) rated as "Hors Catégorie" — a designation reserved for ultra-steep climbs that are beyond cycling's normal 5-level categorization for mountains.

"We will see the best climbers in action again, but the last kilometers will also require a large dose of courage and honed descent skills," the race's official guide stated . It promised that the closing kilometers, descending from the Albula Pass to the mountain village of La Punt, "will be something to see."

Mäder died exactly 75 years after the only other death in the Tour de Suisse, which came when Richard Depoorter crashed in a dim tunnel and was run over by an escort vehicle in 1948, according to Swiss broadcaster RSF .

Tour de Suisse 2024 route

The eight-day stage race in Switzerland features two time trials and almost 18,000 metres of climbing

Stage 8: Aigle - Villars-sur-Ollon (ITT), 15.7km

The Tour de Suisse returns in 2024 with the shortest edition in the race's history in terms of distance but as tough as ever with nearly the same amount of climbing as last year packed into eight stages.

A year after the tragic death of Gino Mäder , who crashed on the descent from the Albula pass, the entire region around the site of his fall is absent from the route.

Instead, the race begins in Vaduz and traverses the centre of Switzerland from north to south before a trip west for the final two stages around Villars-sur-Ollon.

The race will include two time trials and four mountain summit stage finishes, making for a tough week covering 948.9 kilometres and 19,000 metres of climbing.

"Only the best mountain riders will be able to have their say for the overall victory. However, different types of riders will be possible for stage victories," says Tour director Olivier Senn.

Stage 1: Vaduz - Vaduz, 4.8km

The Tour de Suisse starts with a short time trial in Vaduz, just 4.8 kilometres long and pan-flat. The stage will most likely not be a major factor for the general classification but instead, gives the sprinters and power riders a chance to take the lead before the race heads into the high mountains.

Stage 2: Vaduz - Regensdorf, 177.9km

The second day of racing is a punchy course, leaving Vaduz and heading to Regensdorf. Although it's just 177.9 kilometres, it's the longest stage of the 2024 Tour de Suisse. With three classified ascents and 2,400 metres of climbing, it will give the mountain goats a chance to warm up their legs after the explosive effort on the opening stage but ultimately could end up in a bunch sprint.

Stage 3: Steinmaur - Rüschlikon, 161.9km

Stage 3 of the 2024 Tour de Suisse heads from Steinmaur to Rüschlikon and, aside from stage 1, is the flattest of the week and one suited to the sprinters even if it climbs almost 2,000 metres. There is a short climb ending with 10km to go and a quick descent and an uphill drag to the line.

Stage 4: Rüschlikon - San Gottardo, 170.5km

The roads begin to reach into the thousands of metres in altitude on stage 4 of the 2024 Tour de Suisse. After a relatively flat first 140 kilometres, the race heads up the only climb of the day, the undulating Gotthard Pass from the Schöllenen gorge side to the north, a 13.2km test at an average of 7% grade.

Stage 5: Ambri - Cari, 148.8km

Stage 5 gives riders an out-and-back route of 148.8km from Ambri to Cari, starting with a loop around Ambri that takes in the Altanca ascent almost from the flag drop and offers little respite before the first ascent of the mountain to Cari, coming from the western side. Riders then descend past the finish line and race toward Biasca and complete a flat loop through Gorduno before coming back the way they came to summit Cari from the eastern side.

With double-digit gradients and an average of 8%, it's a major test for the GC contenders, especially at the end of a short stage with 3,200 metres of climbing.

Stage 6: Locarno - Blatten-Belalp, 151.2km

More mountains meet the riders on stage 6 with the highest point of the 2024 Tour de Suisse coming on the mid-stage Nufenenpass from Airolo and ascending to over 2,400 metres in altitude. Also known as the Passo della Novenà, it's a beast of a climb - 24.1km long and averaging 5.5% - but only the warm up for the 7km final ascent to Blatten at the end of the 151.2km stage.

Stage 7: Villars-sur-Ollon - Villars-sur-Ollon, 118.7km

Stage 7 is very short and will be a free-for-all starting on the Col de la Croix out of the gates, and covering the climb a second time mid-stage before ending at Villars-sur-Ollon partway up the third ascent. The climb itself is 18.5km long and averages 6.8% and makes up most of the day. The riders will be very familiar with each switchback by the time they reach the finish after 118.7 kilometres and 3,070 metres of climbing.

As if the riders hadn't gone up the Croix enough, the final stage time trial uses a piece of the course from stage 7, heading from the UCI headquarters in Aigle back up to Villars-sur-Ollon covering 15.7km and 879 metres of climbing. It's a sting in the tail after a week packed with ascending.

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