Favorites stage 21 Tour de France 2023 | Flame of Ham vs. the Lion of Amsterdam!

The men start at the Vélodrome de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, after which we witness the familiar scenes with a leisurely pace, champagne glasses, and, above all, lots of relief and enjoyment after three weeks of intense racing. After passing through Versailles, we reach Paris after 61 kilometers, where the race will officially begin.

Anyone who has watched the Tour's final stage in recent years knows the course well: passing by landmarks such as the Arc de Triomphe, Place de la Concorde, Jardin des Tuilleries, and catching a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower. However, the highlight is undoubtedly the mythical Champs-Elysées, which we will cross nine times in the local 6.8-kilometer lap.

One half of the Champs runs slightly uphill, while the other half slopes slightly downhill. The sprinters present will have only one goal: the ninth passage, the finish, and the last meters of the Tour!

Times
Start: 4:45 p.m.
Finish: 7:30 p.m.

Times
Start: 4:30 p.m.
Finish: approximately 7:30 p.m.

Rain? Yes, rain! Puddle water is expected in Paris on Sunday, but not too much. So the cobblestones on the Champs-Elysées are likely to be wet, with a temperature of 23 degrees Celsius. The wind will be quite strong from the southeast, but in a city like Paris, its influence is not too significant.

There will be no doubt: Jasper Philipsen is the standout sprinter of this Tour, representing Alpecin-Deceuninck. The Belgian has claimed victory in four stages and has already secured the green jersey, but he will undoubtedly want to conclude the Tour with grace and dignity in Paris. Supported by Mathieu van der Poel and others, the Flame of Ham will once again be at the start as the sprinter to beat.

Dylan Groenewegen is quietly having a very successful Tour de France, but so far, it has been somewhat straightforward for the Amsterdam native. Groenewegen has already claimed victory once on the Champs-Elysées and mentioned that the Paris finish suits him perfectly. After twenty challenging days, the fast Dutchman, with the bit between his teeth, is eager to seize another opportunity.

Now, let's talk about some men who have navigated the mountains successfully: Christophe Laporte put many climbers under pressure while riding for Jumbo-Visma, but will he go for it again on Sunday? Alternatively, he might opt to cross the finish line arm in arm with his teammates, celebrating yellow jersey Jonas Vingegaard's success. Lidl-Trek relies on Mads Pedersen, and the Dane is arguably the freshest among all the fast sprinters.

At DSM-Firmenich, they are placing their hopes on Sam Welsford in this Tour, who hasn't had the best performance so far. However, the Aussie still has a chance to make an impact in Paris and salvage his team's Tour de France. The same holds true for riders like Cees Bol (Astana), Luca Mozzato (Arkéa Samsic), Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty), and Peter Sagan (TotalEnergies).

Jordi Meeus (BORA-hansgrohe) and Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X) have also conquered all those tough mountains to be ready for the sprint here, while Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) appeared to do so with remarkable ease. Finally, a few more men who will also want to give it a try: Matteo Trentin (UAE-Team Emirates), Corbin Strong (Israel-Premier Tech), Jasper De Buyst (Lotto-Dstny), Alex Aranburu (Movistar), and Nikias Arndt (Bahrain Victorious) seem to primarily aim for an honorable finish.

Are there any riders looking to pull off a stunt like Kasper Asgreen (Deceuninck-Quick-Step) in Paris? Most likely! Here are a few possible names: his teammate Rémi Cavagna, Victor Campenaerts (Lotto-Dstny), Magnus Cort (EF Education-Nippo), Nils Politt (BORA-hansgrohe), and Oliver Naesen (AG2R Citroën) could all be contenders for an attacking move.

Top favorites: Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco AlUla)
Outsiders: Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), Sam Welsford (DSM-Firmenich), Christophe Laporte (Jumbo-Visma) and Jordi Meeus (BORA-hansgrohe)
Longshots: Cees Bol (Astana Qazaqstan Team), Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X), Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty), Bryan Coquard (Cofidis), Luca Mozzato (Arkéa Samsic), Matteo Trentin (UAE-Team Emirates) and Peter Sagan (TotalEnergies)