2018 Tour de Suisse Race Preview
The details of this year's 2018 Tour de Suisse are falling into place. Find the latest route profiles and maps below, followed by our strategic preview of the race.
The 2018 Tour de Suisse promises to be one of the most compelling editions of the Swiss stage race in recent memory, offering a demanding route that will test the very best riders in the peloton as they look to sharpen their form ahead of the Tour de France later in the summer.
The race begins in Frauenfeld before embarking on a journey through some of Switzerland's most spectacular landscapes, with the organizers putting together a course that rewards climbers while also giving the sprinters and punchy riders opportunities to take stage wins in the opening days. The early stages will allow the fast men to contest the flat finishes, but the race will take on an entirely different complexion once the roads begin to rise into the Alps.
The mountain stages are where this race will be decided, and the route does not disappoint in that regard. Riders will face brutal ascents that demand both physical endurance and tactical intelligence, with summit finishes likely to produce significant time gaps between the overall contenders. The Swiss mountains have a way of exposing weakness and rewarding those who have arrived in peak condition.
The start list reads like a who's who of the general classification world. Chris Froome, the reigning Tour de France champion, arrives in Switzerland as one of the favorites despite questions surrounding his ongoing salbutamol case. Richie Porte is a man who knows this race well having won it in 2017 and will be hungry to defend his title. Tom Dumoulin, fresh from his Giro d'Italia victory, represents a serious threat as a rider capable of both climbing and time trialing to an exceptionally high standard.
The time trial component of the race will play a significant role in shaping the overall standings, and this suits riders of the Dumoulin mold who can produce exceptional power over extended distances on flat or rolling terrain.
Climbers with more pure elevation credentials will be looking to put time into the bigger, heavier riders on the steepest mountain stages, meaning that alliances and rivalries will shift throughout the week depending on the terrain. Racing strategy and the strength of support from team domestiques will be every bit as important as individual ability.
With so many riders using the Tour de Suisse as a final preparation block before July, there is an added layer of intrigue around how much each team will commit to chasing victory in Switzerland versus saving energy and tactical secrets for the bigger prize that awaits in France. Some riders may ride with more freedom than usual, knowing that the real target lies weeks ahead, while others will want to arrive at the Tour de France with a confidence-boosting result under their belt.
The weather in Switzerland can be unpredictable in June, and mountain stages can be dramatically altered by rain, cold temperatures or even snow at higher elevations, adding another element of uncertainty to an already fascinating race.
All of this combines to make the 2018 Tour de Suisse an event well worth following closely, whether as a standalone competition in its own right or as a fascinating preview of the battles that will define the summer of cycling.
Get our full coverage of the Tour de Suisse and every race we cover with our mobile app! The apps have over 100 additional exclusive features, including our award-winning Time Machine feature that lets you pause/rewind/replay the entire app to sync with delayed race video, integrated Fantasy Cycling, push notifications, an integrated news feed, live GPS tracking, world-class commentary, and our animated interactive maps and profiles.
