# 2023 Étoile de Bessèges

The 2023 Étoile de Bessèges – Tour du Gard (transl. Star of Bessèges – Tour of Gard) was a road cycling stage race that took place between 1 and 5 February 2023 almost entirely within the French department of Gard. The race was rated as a category 2.1 event on the 2023 UCI Europe Tour calendar, and was the 53rd edition of the Étoile de Bessèges.

## Teams

Eight of the 18 UCI WorldTeams, eight UCI ProTeams, and four UCI Continental teams make up the 20 teams that participated in the race. Each team entered a full squad of seven riders, for a total of 140 riders who started the race.
UCI WorldTeams
* AG2R Citroën Team
* Alpecin–Deceuninck
* Cofidis
* Ineos Grenadiers
* EF Education–EasyPost
* Groupama–FDJ
* Intermarché–Circus–Wanty
* Trek–Segafredo
UCI ProTeams
* Bingoal WB
* Equipo Kern Pharma
* Israel–Premier Tech
* Lotto–Dstny
* Team Flanders–Baloise
* Team TotalEnergies
* Tudor Pro Cycling Team
* Uno-X Pro Cycling Team
UCI Continental Teams
* Van Rysel–Roubaix–Lille Métropole
* Nice Métropole Côte d'Azur
* St. Michel–Mavic–Auber93
* CIC U Nantes Atlantique

## Route

Stage characteristics and winners :
| Stage | Date | Course | Distance | Type | Type | Stage winner |
| 1 | 1 February | Bellegarde to Bellegarde | 162.18 km (100.77 mi) | | Flat stage | Arnaud De Lie (BEL) |
| 2 | 2 February | Bagard to Aubais | 169.63 km (105.40 mi) | | Hilly stage | No winner |
| 3 | 3 February | Bessèges to Bessèges | 169.71 km (105.45 mi) | | Hilly stage | Arnaud De Lie (BEL) |
| 4 | 4 February | Saint-Christol-lès-Alès to Mont Bouquet [fr] | 147.5 km (91.7 mi) | | Mountain stage | Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (DEN) |
| 5 | 5 February | Alès to Alès | 10.66 km (6.62 mi) | | Individual time trial | Mads Pedersen (DEN) |
| Total | Total | Total | 659.68 km (409.91 mi) | 659.68 km (409.91 mi) | 659.68 km (409.91 mi) | 659.68 km (409.91 mi) |

## Stages
### Stage 1
#### 1 February 2022 – Bellegarde to Bellegarde, 162.18 km (100.77 mi)

Stage 1 Result (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Arnaud De Lie (BEL) | Lotto–Dstny | 3h 30' 35" |
| 2 | Mads Pedersen (DEN) | Trek–Segafredo | + 0" |
| 3 | Benoît Cosnefroy (FRA) | AG2R Citroën Team | + 0" |
| 4 | Dylan Teuns (BEL) | Israel–Premier Tech | + 3" |
| 5 | Andrea Piccolo (ITA) | EF Education–EasyPost | + 3" |
| 6 | Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (DEN) | Trek–Segafredo | + 5" |
| 7 | Neilson Powless (USA) | EF Education–EasyPost | + 5" |
| 8 | Aaron Van Poucke (BEL) | Team Flanders–Baloise | + 5" |
| 9 | Pau Miquel (ESP) | Equipo Kern Pharma | + 8" |
| 10 | Anders Halland Johannessen (NOR) | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | + 8" |
General classification after Stage 1 (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Arnaud De Lie (BEL) | Lotto–Dstny | 3h 30' 35" |
| 2 | Mads Pedersen (DEN) | Trek–Segafredo | + 4" |
| 3 | Benoît Cosnefroy (FRA) | AG2R Citroën Team | + 6" |
| 4 | Dylan Teuns (BEL) | Israel–Premier Tech | + 13" |
| 5 | Andrea Piccolo (ITA) | EF Education–EasyPost | + 13" |
| 6 | Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (DEN) | Trek–Segafredo | + 15" |
| 7 | Neilson Powless (USA) | EF Education–EasyPost | + 15" |
| 8 | Aaron Van Poucke (BEL) | Team Flanders–Baloise | + 15" |
| 9 | Pau Miquel (ESP) | Equipo Kern Pharma | + 18" |
| 10 | Anders Halland Johannessen (NOR) | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | + 18" |

### Stage 2
#### 2 February 2022 – Bagard to Aubais, 169.63 km (105.40 mi)

The stage was neutralised due to a large crash on a bridge about 22 kilometers from the finish. Therefore, no winner was declared and all classifications remained the same from stage 1 heading into stage 3.

### Stage 3
#### 3 February 2022 – Bessèges to Bessèges, 169.71 km (105.45 mi)

Stage 3 Result (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Arnaud De Lie (BEL) | Lotto–Dstny | 4h 03' 47" |
| 2 | Valentin Ferron (FRA) | Team TotalEnergies | + 0" |
| 3 | Samuel Watson (GBR) | Groupama–FDJ | + 0" |
| 4 | Louis Barré (FRA) | Arkéa–Samsic | + 0" |
| 5 | Sep Vanmarcke (BEL) | Israel–Premier Tech | + 0" |
| 6 | Joel Suter (SUI) | Tudor Pro Cycling Team | + 0" |
| 7 | Rémy Mertz (BEL) | Bingoal WB | + 0" |
| 8 | Pierre Latour (FRA) | Team TotalEnergies | + 0" |
| 9 | Greg van Avermaet (BEL) | AG2R Citroën Team | + 0" |
| 10 | Franck Bonnamour (FRA) | AG2R Citroën Team | + 0" |
General classification after Stage 3 (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Arnaud De Lie (BEL) | Lotto–Dstny | 7h 34' 02" |
| 2 | Benoît Cosnefroy (FRA) | AG2R Citroën Team | + 16" |
| 3 | Dylan Teuns (BEL) | Israel–Premier Tech | + 23" |
| 4 | Samuel Watson (GBR) | Groupama–FDJ | + 24" |
| 5 | Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (DEN) | Trek–Segafredo | + 25" |
| 6 | Neilson Powless (USA) | EF Education–EasyPost | + 25" |
| 7 | Pierre Latour (FRA) | Team TotalEnergies | + 28" |
| 8 | Ben Tulett (GBR) | Ineos Grenadiers | + 28" |
| 9 | Krists Neilands (LAT) | Israel–Premier Tech | + 28" |
| 10 | Pau Miquel (ESP) | Equipo Kern Pharma | + 28" |

### Stage 4
#### 4 February 2022 – Saint-Christol-lès-Alès to Mont Bouquet [fr], 147.5 km (91.7 mi)

Stage 4 Result (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (DEN) | Trek–Segafredo | 3h 22' 23" |
| 2 | Neilson Powless (USA) | EF Education–EasyPost | + 0" |
| 3 | Pierre Latour (FRA) | Team TotalEnergies | + 13" |
| 4 | Pavel Sivakov (FRA) | Ineos Grenadiers | + 19" |
| 5 | Kévin Vauquelin (FRA) | Arkéa–Samsic | + 1' 06" |
| 6 | Thibaut Pinot (FRA) | Groupama–FDJ | + 1' 17" |
| 7 | Hugo Houle (CAN) | Israel–Premier Tech | + 1' 30" |
| 8 | Arnaud De Lie (BEL) | Lotto–Dstny | + 1' 34" |
| 9 | Julien Bernard (FRA) | Trek–Segafredo | + 1' 40" |
| 10 | Axel Laurance (FRA) | Alpecin–Deceuninck | + 1' 53" |
General classification after Stage 4 (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (DEN) | Trek–Segafredo | 10h 56' 40" |
| 2 | Neilson Powless (USA) | EF Education–EasyPost | + 4" |
| 3 | Pierre Latour (FRA) | Team TotalEnergies | + 22" |
| 4 | Pavel Sivakov (FRA) | Ineos Grenadiers | + 1' 00" |
| 5 | Arnaud De Lie (BEL) | Lotto–Dstny | + 1' 19" |
| 6 | Kévin Vauquelin (FRA) | Arkéa–Samsic | + 1' 26" |
| 7 | Thibaut Pinot (FRA) | Groupama–FDJ | + 1' 37" |
| 8 | Hugo Houle (CAN) | Israel–Premier Tech | + 1' 50" |
| 9 | Krists Neilands (LAT) | Israel–Premier Tech | + 2' 13" |
| 10 | Anthony Perez (FRA) | Cofidis | + 2' 13" |

### Stage 5
#### 5 February 2022 – Alès to Alès, 10.66 km (6.62 mi), (ITT)

Stage 5 Result (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Mads Pedersen (DEN) | Trek–Segafredo | 15' 25" |
| 2 | Joshua Tarling (GBR) | Ineos Grenadiers | + 8" |
| 3 | Ben Tulett (GBR) | Ineos Grenadiers | + 10" |
| 4 | Kévin Vauquelin (FRA) | Arkéa–Samsic | + 11" |
| 5 | Pierre Latour (FRA) | Team TotalEnergies | + 15" |
| 6 | Magnus Cort (DEN) | EF Education–EasyPost | + 20" |
| 7 | Ben Turner (GBR) | Ineos Grenadiers | + 20" |
| 8 | Neilson Powless (USA) | EF Education–EasyPost | + 21" |
| 9 | Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (DEN) | Trek–Segafredo | + 26" |
| 10 | Bruno Armirail (FRA) | Groupama–FDJ | + 26" |
General classification after Stage 5 (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Neilson Powless (USA) | EF Education–EasyPost | 11h 12' 30" |
| 2 | Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (DEN) | Trek–Segafredo | + 1" |
| 3 | Pierre Latour (FRA) | Team TotalEnergies | + 12" |
| 4 | Kévin Vauquelin (FRA) | Arkéa–Samsic | + 1' 12" |
| 5 | Pavel Sivakov (FRA) | Ineos Grenadiers | + 1' 27" |
| 6 | Thibaut Pinot (FRA) | Groupama–FDJ | + 1' 58" |
| 7 | Arnaud De Lie (BEL) | Lotto–Dstny | + 2' 04" |
| 8 | Hugo Houle (CAN) | Israel–Premier Tech | + 2' 27" |
| 9 | Anthony Perez (FRA) | Cofidis | + 2' 36" |
| 10 | Joel Suter (SUI) | Tudor Pro Cycling Team | + 2' 53" |

## Classification leadership table

Classification leadership by stage :
| Stage | Winner | General classification | Points classification | Mountains classification | Young rider classification | Team classification |
| 1 | Arnaud De Lie | Arnaud De Lie | Arnaud De Lie | Ayco Bastiaens | Arnaud De Lie | EF Education–EasyPost |
| 2 | No winner | Arnaud De Lie | Arnaud De Lie | Ayco Bastiaens | Arnaud De Lie | EF Education–EasyPost |
| 3 | Arnaud De Lie | Arnaud De Lie | Arnaud De Lie | Vito Braet | Arnaud De Lie | Israel–Premier Tech |
| 4 | Mattias Skjelmose Jensen | Mattias Skjelmose Jensen | Arnaud De Lie | Vito Braet | Mattias Skjelmose Jensen | Team TotalEnergies |
| 5 | Neilson Powless | Neilson Powless | Arnaud De Lie | Vito Braet | Mattias Skjelmose Jensen | Team TotalEnergies |
| Final | Final | Neilson Powless | Arnaud De Lie | Vito Braet | Mattias Skjelmose Jensen | Team TotalEnergies |
* On stage 2, Mads Pedersen, who is second in the points classification, will wear the yellow jersey, because first-placed Arnaud De Lie will wear the coral jersey as the leader of the general classification. For the same reason, Andrea Piccolo will wear the white jersey for being second in the young rider classification.

## Current classification standings

Legend :
| Denotes the leader of the general classification | Denotes the leader of the mountains classification |
| Denotes the leader of the points classification | Denotes the leader of the young rider classification |

### General classification

Final general classification (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Neilson Powless (USA) | EF Education–EasyPost | 11h 12' 30" |
| 2 | Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (DEN) | Trek–Segafredo | + 1" |
| 3 | Pierre Latour (FRA) | Team TotalEnergies | + 12" |
| 4 | Kévin Vauquelin (FRA) | Arkéa–Samsic | + 1' 12" |
| 5 | Pavel Sivakov (FRA) | Ineos Grenadiers | + 1' 27" |
| 6 | Thibaut Pinot (FRA) | Groupama–FDJ | + 1' 58" |
| 7 | Arnaud De Lie (BEL) | Lotto–Dstny | + 2' 04" |
| 8 | Hugo Houle (CAN) | Israel–Premier Tech | + 2' 27" |
| 9 | Anthony Perez (FRA) | Cofidis | + 2' 36" |
| 10 | Joel Suter (SUI) | Tudor Pro Cycling Team | + 2' 53" |

### Points classification

Final points classification (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Points |
| 1 | Arnaud De Lie (BEL) | Lotto–Dstny | 58 |
| 2 | Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (DEN) | Trek–Segafredo | 46 |
| 3 | Mads Pedersen (DEN) | Trek–Segafredo | 45 |
| 4 | Neilson Powless (USA) | EF Education–EasyPost | 38 |
| 5 | Pierre Latour (FRA) | Team TotalEnergies | 38 |
| 6 | Kévin Vauquelin (FRA) | Arkéa–Samsic | 31 |
| 7 | Samuel Watson (GBR) | Groupama–FDJ | 21 |
| 8 | Valentin Ferron (FRA) | Team TotalEnergies | 20 |
| 9 | Ben Tulett (GBR) | Ineos Grenadiers | 20 |
| 10 | Joshua Tarling (GBR) | Ineos Grenadiers | 20 |

### Mountains classification

Final mountains classification (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Points |
| 1 | Vito Braet (BEL) | Team Flanders–Baloise | 34 |
| 2 | Neilson Powless (USA) | EF Education–EasyPost | 26 |
| 3 | Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (DEN) | Trek–Segafredo | 23 |
| 4 | Dries De Bondt (BEL) | Alpecin–Deceuninck | 18 |
| 5 | Kévin Vauquelin (FRA) | Arkéa–Samsic | 16 |
| 6 | Ben Turner (GBR) | Ineos Grenadiers | 14 |
| 7 | Thomas Champion (FRA) | Cofidis | 14 |
| 8 | Mads Pedersen (DEN) | Trek–Segafredo | 13 |
| 9 | Andrea Mifsud (FRA) | Nice Métropole Côte d'Azur | 12 |
| 10 | Ben Tulett (GBR) | Ineos Grenadiers | 10 |

### Young rider classification

Final young rider classification (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (DEN) | Trek–Segafredo | 11h 12' 31" |
| 2 | Kévin Vauquelin (FRA) | Arkéa–Samsic | + 1' 11" |
| 3 | Arnaud De Lie (BEL) | Lotto–Dstny | + 2' 03" |
| 4 | Pau Miquel (ESP) | Equipo Kern Pharma | + 3' 07" |
| 5 | Axel Laurance (FRA) | Alpecin–Deceuninck | + 3' 58" |
| 6 | Raúl García Pierna (ESP) | Equipo Kern Pharma | + 4' 09" |
| 7 | Jenno Berckmoes (BEL) | Team Flanders–Baloise | + 5' 32" |
| 8 | Louis Barré (FRA) | Arkéa–Samsic | + 8' 31" |
| 9 | Petr Kelemen (CZE) | Tudor Pro Cycling Team | + 10' 13" |
| 10 | Luca Van Boven (BEL) | Bingoal WB | + 12' 22" |

### Team classification

Final team classification (1–10) :
| Rank | Team | Time |
| 1 | Team TotalEnergies | 33h 44' 32" |
| 2 | Israel–Premier Tech | + 1' 37" |
| 3 | Cofidis | + 5' 33" |
| 4 | AG2R Citroën Team | + 7' 07" |
| 5 | Tudor Pro Cycling Team | + 7' 43" |
| 6 | Lotto–Dstny | + 8' 18" |
| 7 | Trek–Segafredo | + 8' 50" |
| 8 | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | + 11' 07" |
| 9 | Arkéa–Samsic | + 13' 58" |
| 10 | Ineos Grenadiers | + 15' 25" |