The 2023 Tirreno-Adriatico will begin with an 11.5 kilometre individual time trial in Lido di Camaiore, Italy.
Organiser RCS presented the route for the 58th edition of the Italian week-long stage race this morning, with RCS Sport Race Director Stefano Allocchio calling it “varied” and suggesting that it “offers chances for every type of rider”.
Similarly to this year's edition won by Tadej Pogačar, the 58th edition of the race will begin with a short race against the clock, before the following two flatter stages which will provide opportunities for the sprinters to test their legs.
Stage four between Grecco and Tortoreto will be a difficult and hilly test with more than 2,000 metres of climbing with three repeats of the final 17 kilometre finishing circuit. The final climb to Tortoreto also offers an average gradient of 7% which will be a tough proposition at the end of a long day in the saddle.
Stage five is when things start to get really difficult, with the arrival of the gruelling 1,465 metre long Sarnano-Sassotetto climb.
(Image credit: RCS)
Saturday’s stage six is another challenging proposition in the Marche region. The 194 kilometre long route takes the riders between Osimo Stazione and Osimo, with over 3,000 metres of elevation gain on the menu. The final circuit of the stage also features slopes of more than 20% gradient. A tough ask indeed.
Tirreno-Adriatico is often contested by riders who are likely to then go on to ride the Giro d'Italia in May. However, there are some exceptions to that rule. Particularly with Tadej Pogačar winning last year's edition.
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In his analysis of the route, Stefano Ollochio suggested that he was particularly looking forward to stage five and the Sarnano-Sassotetto climb.
"The route of the 58th edition of the "Race of the Two Seas" is varied and offers chances for every type of riders. As in 2022 we will start with an Individual Time Trial followed by stages for there will be legs for sprinters, finisseurs and the return of the uphill finish. We have already tackled the Sarnano-Sassotetto ascent in the past but this will be the first time we'll get to the Valico of Santa Maria Maddalena," he said.
The 58th edition of Tirreno-Adriatico will run between 6-12 March 2023.
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After previously working in higher education, Tom joined Cycling Weekly in 2022 and hasn't looked back. He's been covering professional cycling ever since; reporting on the ground from some of the sport's biggest races and events, including the Tour de France, Paris-Roubaix and the World Championships. His earliest memory of a bike race is watching the Tour on holiday in the early 2000's in the south of France - he even made it on to the podium in Pau afterwards. His favourite place that cycling has taken him is Montréal in Canada.
