All eyes shall be on Tour de Suisse pre-race favorite 2024 runner-up João Almeida (UAE Staff Emirates-XRG) to take management of the eight-day stage race, particularly after his total victories on the Tour de Romandie and Itzulia Basque Nation earlier this 12 months. Nonetheless, the Israel-Premier Tech squad is relying on their climbers, Matthew Riccitello and Mike Woods, making the most of a probably unpredictable race.
Whereas this 12 months’s route will nonetheless problem the riders with over 20,000 metres of climbing, there aren’t any high-altitude main mountain summits. As a substitute, the problem lies within the relentless succession of climbs and a demanding mountain time trial that may shut out the eight-day race.
“It appears like this can be a completely different version of Suisse,” Israel-Premier Tech sports activities director Pat McCarty mentioned in a workforce launch. “There are a variety of in-between days: there are a variety of phases the place, relying who’s in management and the race dynamic, issues may get out of hand. The GC days aren’t too loopy, both – there are quick, steep climbs, however not too many lengthy, back-to-back mountains.”
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In 2024, Riccitello (23) claimed his greatest WorldTour GC end result with a fifth place total, 3:31 down from winner Adam Yates (UAE Staff Emirates). This 12 months, the younger American impressed on the Tour of the Alps the place he finally completed ninth on GC.
“I’m trying ahead to going again to Suisse this 12 months,” mentioned Riccitello, who claimed two top-five finishes finally 12 months’s race. “It’s a race I actually take pleasure in. It is going to be arduous racing – I believe quite a bit shall be selected the final day TT.
“Coaching has gone properly and I’m feeling good forward of the second a part of the season. I’ll be aiming for one of the best end result attainable within the basic classification. We’ve obtained a powerful workforce and might look to be within the combine day by day.”
The Tour de Suisse will mark Woods’ return to racing, following the harm he sustained at Milano–Torino in March, the place the Canadian highway champion suffered a non-displaced fracture of his left clavicle.
“I believe will probably be an thrilling race, and we’ve got a great workforce for it. Woodsy and Riccitello are each going properly. However we even have ambitions throughout a number of phases, beginning on the opening day, the place the class two climb late shall be actually fascinating,” McCarty added.
The Tour de Suisse opener incorporates a 127.2km stage round Küssnacht, made up of two loops—one flat and one marked by the powerful ascent to the Michaelskreuz Chapel. The peloton will tackle the climb twice: first with 105km to go, and once more simply 15km from the end.
“Stage 5 seems to be like being the primary GC day on paper, and the stage 8 time trial is actually good for Matthew.”
McCarty additionally identified that the center phases, 2, 3, 4 and 6, may very well be “actually fascinating” relying on how the race unfolds.
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