The 4 (6) days of Dunkirk
4 jours de Dunkerque / Grand Prix des Hauts de France is a race that, contrary to its name, consists of 6 stages. It's true that in the first 8 editions of the event, from 1955 to 1962, the race was indeed held over 4 days. However, since 1963, the race has varied the number of competition days between 5 and 7, with the current format of 6 days being established since 2017.
Route
The six stages that make up the race traverse the northwest of France, in the area between the coastal towns of Dunkirk and Calais and the city of Lille, situated about 100 kilometers inland. The first three stages face the Atlantic wind and the potential formation of echelons as the main difficulties, but they should still end in some sort of sprint. Stage 4 has echoes of Paris-Roubaix, with 3 sections of cobblestones included in the final circuit around the famous town of Mons-en-Pévèle, which the cyclists will have to tackle 5 times. The fifth stage, with a final circuit of 14 km in Cassel including two climbs that must be overcome 8 times, will undoubtedly be decisive for the general classification. Finally, the sixth and last stage returns to the coast and the Atlantic atmosphere of the first three days, and should again be conducive to a sprint finish.
Favorites
Arnaud Démare (800), Sam Bennett (600), Pascal Ackermann (600), Casper Van Uden (200), Corbin Strong (600), Milan Fretin (200), John Degenkolb (200), Anthony Turgis (200), Kasper Asgreen (400), Jake Stewart (400), Paul Penhoet (200), Edvald Boasson Hagen (200), Marc Sarreau (200), Nils Eekhoff (200), Samuel Watson (200), Jason Tesson (200), Dries De Bondt (200), and Amaury Capiot (200) are some of the most prominent cyclists listed in the provisional start list.
Photo: © 4 jours de Dunkerque / Grand Prix des Hauts de France