Tadej Pogačar heads to Tour de Suisse as pre‑Tour favorite

The 89th edition of the Tour de Suisse begins on Wednesday with five stages covering 633.5 km. For the first time, the men's and women's races share the same route and dates. Slovenian rider Tadej Pogačar, the four‑time Tour de France champion, arrives in Switzerland after a period of altitude training in the Sierra Nevada and a flawless spring campaign that includes victories in Strade Bianche, Milan‑San Remo, the Tour of Romandía and other classics. He is the clear favorite for the race, especially as his main rival Jonas Vingegaard will not start.

The start is in Sondrio, Italy, and the route features a mix of flat sections, several third‑category climbs and a decisive final mountain stage with multiple ascents of the Col de la Croix. Other notable starters include Primoz Roglič, Richard Carapaz, Matteo Trentin, and the returning Mikel Landa, who comes back after a serious crash in the Itzulia. Sprint prospects such as Arnaud De Lie and Kaden Groves are also expected to contest the flatter stages.

Pogačar will use the Swiss race to fine‑tune his form ahead of the Tour de France, which starts on 4 July in Barcelona.