Due to the start in the Basque country, the first Pyrenean cols already loom in stage five. "The 2023 Pyrenees stages are relatively less demanding than in previous years", Merijn Zeeman states. "But the first week is already quite difficult, partly due to the start in the Basque Country. It will soon be clear who's the strongest."

Through several transitional stages, the peloton is presented with a special stage. In stage nine, the finish will be at the peak of the Puy de Dôme, a climb in the Massif Central with winding roads up to the summit at approximately 1500 meters, for the first time in 35 years. "It's one of the stages that stands out. Everyone will be looking forward to this one", the Team Jumbo-Visma sporting director says.

After the first rest day, the peloton is heading towards the Alps. Zeeman sees opportunities for his team there as well. "The organisation has set out some tough stages there, including uphill arrivals on the Grand Colombier and the Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc. The roof of the Tour this year is the Col de la Loze, a climb we remember from the 2020 edition. It seems that the Alps will be the main focus of this race."

It is noteworthy that there will only be one time trial. The riders will complete a 22-kilometre race against the clock in stage sixteen. Before the race's traditional conclusion on Paris' Champs-Elysées, the last stage is held in the Vosges Mountains. "The fact that there is just one time trial in the race does not bother me. I think the course is quite diverse. We can easily adapt to it. These are things that are beyond our control. The only thing we can control is meticulous planning. Additionally, we hope to compete for the ultimate win in the upcoming edition", the ambitious Zeeman says.

The second edition of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift course was also revealed by organiser ASO, before announcing the route of La Grande Boucle. According to Zeeman, the Team Jumbo-Visma women's team has many opportunities to succeed during the eight stages. "Several of our riders should be able to win several stages. Our team will fight for it. Due to the finish on the Tourmalet and the last time trial in Pau, we won't see the true differences until the final weekend. We will not focus so much on the GC but on achieving daily success. Our women demonstrated last year that there is a lot of success to be had in that."