Sprinters’ meeting in Fourmies
Although not part of the UCI WorldTour, the GP de Fourmies / La Voix du Nord is one of the most prestigious one-day races in France. The event, which was held for the first time in 1928, is part of the ProSeries and at the same time also of the Coupe de France, a racing competition that adds the results of various one-day races that is quite prestigious, especially in France and for French teams.
Route
The race takes place in the surroundings of the town of Fourmies, very close to the Belgian border. The route of this edition of the event is very similar to last year's, and features several laps on two different circuits. The first circuit, which cyclists must complete 3 times, is 33.5 km long and includes the climbs to Sacré Coeur (0.7 km at 7.3%) and Côte Bocquet (1.6 km at 3 .6%). The second circuit, shorter (9 km), is not flat either, and includes a 0.4 km ramp at 5.8%. Riders will have to complete 6 tours on the second circuit.
Favorites
Although it is a race that may seem ideal for puncheurs due to the constant ups and downs, the reality is that in recent years it is the sprinters who have managed to raise their arms in the streets of Fourmies. In the last decade, we have witnessed wins by Elia Viviani (600) (2021), Pascal Ackermann (800) (2018, 2019), Nacer Bouhanni (400) (2013, 2017) and Marcel Kittel (2016).
On this occasion we also have to look for the favorites among the sprinters: Fabio Jakobsen (800), Caleb Ewan (800), Alexander Kristoff (800), Arnaud De Lie (200), Fernando Gaviria (800), Dylan Groenewegen (400), Hugo Hofstetter (600), Maximilian Walscheid (400), Luca Mozzato (400), Ion Aberasturi (400), Jakub Mareczko (200), Kristoffer Halvorsen (200), Jason Tesson (200) and Matteo Moschetti (200) are some of the fastest men in the starting list.
The presence of so many teams interested in a sprint finale makes it very difficult for someone to surprise the peloton. Still, Julian Alaphilippe (1000), Julien Simon (200) and Taco Van Der Hoorn (200) are perhaps the top three among those who can try.