Mersch > Luxembourg-Limpertsberg 177km The final stage in Luxembourg and a very familiar stage. This is a day which never disappoints, it’s perfect for attacking racing. Given the GC situation, it could well be a good day for the breakaway.

Montréal > Montréal 39km ITT Men’s and women’s races are both the exact same route, and both take place on Sunday, so I’ve chucked them in the same preview.  In the men’s race, history beckons for Remco Evenepoel, he’s going for four consecutive wins, something that’s never been done before. Looking to stop him will be Filippo Ganna, hopefully he can get close. In the women’s event, Marlen Reusser is trying to win back-to-back titles, the first time it would have been done since Van Dijk in 2021/2022.

Brakel > Haacht 199km Name change alert, goodbye SUPER 8 and hello to Flandrien 0.0 Classic. The name is different, but the route is the same as the last few years, it’s all about a lap circuit which features Moskesstraat, Holstheide and Smeysberg. If previous editions are anything to go by, it’s going to be a classic example of the peloton trying to catch the attackers in the final 30km. Sometimes the attackers win, sometimes it ends in a sprint, you can never be certain working out which way it will go.

Ettelbruck > Ettelbruck 20.4km ITT Time trial day in Luxembourg. It’s not an easy route, 346m of climbing will be a challenge for the specialist TT riders. Nearly all of the climbing comes between km 4 and km 15, there’s 305m in that section, making it very hard. Today’s stage was crazy, it looked like they tried to play poker with Van der Poel, he folded and everyone else was fucked! A great move by Piganzoli puts him into yellow, now we’ll see if he can keep it.

Wiltz > Diekirch 180km Stage 3 of Tour de Luxembourg is the start of the GC fight. It’s a very tough finale, the same circuit which was used in 2024 when Mauri Vansevenant won stage 3 by attacking with 22km to go, with Formolo, and bridging to the initial break. Van der Poel won the sprint for 2nd, 41 seconds behind, despite looking in trouble on the final climb.

Koolskamp > Koolskamp 180km 110th edition of the race, surely one of the oldest in cycling. It’s the usual circuit around Koolskamp, a day which favours the sprinters.

Niederkorn (Differdange) > Junglinster 167km Van der Poel got his win today, even though he did it in a slightly unconventional way. The Dutchman attacked on the climb, incredibly followed by Eike Behrens. They didn’t get a big gap, so Van der Poel made the right decision to pull the plug and wait for the sprint, ensuring he had just about enough energy to take the win. Stage 2 looks like the easiest day of the race; it should be one for the sprinters.

Seraing > Namur 196km The 66th edition of the race and the organisers have decided to change things up a little bit and make it harder. Back in 2019, and before, the race used to have a more challenging finale with the presence of Côte de Lustin (3km at 5.2%), now they’ve added in a couple of wall climbs, but they are quite far out, so I’m not sure how much of an impact they’ll have. 

Luxembourg-Knuedler > Luxembourg-Fëschmaart 158km The opening stage in Luxembourg and a day which most of these riders will know fairly well. Mathieu van der Poel won back in 2024, all eyes will be on him as he makes his return to racing.

The 86th edition of the race, Brandon McNulty won last year but he’s not back to defend his crown as he’s in Canada preparing for the world championships. Some riders are here to get ready for worlds, as they are only doing the road race which is on the 27th. The biggest name going for this approach is Mathieu van der Poel, it’s going to be fun watching him this week.