Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team take on the Tour de Suisse

LATEST NEWS

Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM READY FOR TOUR DE SUISSE

Swiss-registered Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team will take on the Tour de Suisse 2023, our home tour and second World Tour stage race of the season with a motivated seven rider squad.

7 June 2022

The 2023 edition of the Tour de Suisse promises to be an unforgettable event, with eight stages that feature challenging alpine terrain and two individual time-trials. Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, led by General Manager Doug Ryder, will line-up with a diverse and motivated squad, primed to leave their mark on each stage.

Experienced Italian Gianluca Brambilla will start his fifth Tour de Suisse an will be a valuable team captain alongside Australian Damien Howson, who returns to competition after crashing out of the Tour the Hongrie and will be aiming at a good General Classification.

Former Swedish TT champion Tobias Ludvigsson will be starting the Swiss WorldTour stage race for the third time. His versatility and consistency across all terrains will be paramount to supporting his teammates throughout the week and his time trialling pedigree will be put to the test during the two ITT on the menu.

Norwegian Carl Fredrik Hagen will be making his Tour de Suisse debut as will neo-pro Walter Calzoni. It will be the first World Tour stage-race for the 21-year-old Italian who has impressed this season finishing runner-up in the overall classification at the Tour du Rwanda, where he notched no less than four top-5 placings.

Completing our seven-rider roster are Brit Mark Donovan and Canadian Nick Zukowsky who return to Tour de Suisse and bring depth to the team in our goal to race competitively throughout the week.

“We are delighted to be racing the Tour de Suisse , our home tour and the home of so many of our team partners, riders and staff. It’s a unique opportunity to showcase our Swiss registered team’s dedication, resilience, and unwavering pursuit of excellence on the global stage of professional cycling. Together, we ride with immense pride, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and inspiring the next generation of cyclists. Our goal is to be protagonists and fight for a top result throughout the eight stages. The competition will be fierce but we are ready to embrace the challenge and make our presence known in the Tour de Suisse,” said Doug Ryder, General Manager of Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team.

Tour de Suisse will kick off this Sunday, June 11th with a thrilling 12.7 km individual time trial (ITT) in Einsiedeln. With a pan-flat course this will be a stage suited for the time-trail specialists and GC contenders to fight for a top result and establish the overall standings hierarchy from the very start.I’m

On June 12th, the team will take on the road from Beromünster to Nottwil on the first road stage that will encompass 173.7 km. On paper this stage looks prime to end in a bunch sprint but three classified climbs might serve as launchpads for breakaway hopefuls to fight for glory.

The race will intensify on Stage 3 with the arrival of the Swiss mountains and the first summit finish. The peloton will cover 143.8 km of breathtaking roads from Tafers to Villars-sur-Ollon where a final gruelling 9.6 km climb with an average gradient of 8.1% awaits.

On June 14th, Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team will face the challenge of the Montey to Leukerbad Stage 4, covering 152.5 km. With a mix of steep climbs, such as the Crans Montana, and thrilling descents, this leg will test the team’s resilience and determination.

The Queen Stage, with numerous alpine passages, arrives on June 15th. The 211kms from Fiesch to La Punt, will be an endurance test with the riders tackling over 4,700 m of climbing.

On June 16th, the 225.3km Stage 6 from La Punt to Oberwil will be the longest of this edition of Tour de Suisse and have an explosive start with several categorised climbs. However, a flatter second part with a few punchy climbs will favour puncheurs and explosive riders.

The penultimate stage will cover 183.5 km of picturesque landscapes from Tübach to Weinfelden and presents a final opportunity for the fast men in the peloton to fight for a stage win.

The race will culminate on Sunday, June 18th with an individual time trial from St. Gallen to Abtwil. The 25.7 km race against the clock will provide an exciting and challenging finale to the race as the GC contenders will be looking to leave everything on the road in pursuit of glory.

Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team will be led on the road by Sports Directors Alex Sans Vega and Gabriele Missaglia.

Tour de Suisse – Roster

Gianluca Brambilla (ITA)
Walter Calzoni (ITA)
Mark Donovan (GBR)
Carl Fredrik Hagen (NOR)
Damien Howson (AUS)
Tobias Ludvigsson (SWE)
Nick Zukowsky (CAN)