RideLondon Classique 2023 Standings: Back With the Three-Day Format
Overview of the Route & Schedule

The Women’s WorldTour welcomed back the Ford RideLondon Classique for its second consecutive season, having been expanded last year to a three-day race; the event took place from May 26 to May 28, 2023.
Originating as a one-day event in 2013, with a circuit in central London, the Classique was established as a legacy race from the 2012 London Olympic road race.
It joined the inaugural Women’s WorldTour calendar in 2016, offering an impressive €100,000 prize purse, making it one of the most lucrative one-day races for women. For the past nine years, the RideLondon Classique has been held alongside the RideLondon sportive. However, this year, it underwent a significant transformation, evolving into a three-day tour. After the cancellation of the race in 2020 and 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, it returned in 2022 with an extended 3-day format.
In an effort to focus exclusively on the Women’s WorldTour race, the race organizers decided to discontinue the men’s RideLondon-Surrey Classic. Additionally, the host region shifted from Surrey to Essex. Despite these expansion and qualitative changes, the prize pool for the event was reduced from €100,000 for the one-day race to €60,000 across the three stages.
Overview of the RideLondon Classique 2023
🚴♂️ RideLondon Classique 2023 🚴♂️
Date, time:
Start Location: Saffron Walden
Finish Location: London Distance: 378.8km
Previous Edition: 2022 RideLondon-Classique
May 26, 2023: Stage 1: | Saffron Walden – Colchester, 149.7km |
May 27, 2023: Stage 2: | Maldon – Maldon, 137.1km |
May 28, 2023: Stage 3: | London – London, 92km |
The Route: A Predominantly Sprinters’ Race
Although the 2022 edition of the race expanded to two additional stages, the RideLondon Classique predominantly remains a sprinters’ race. Stage 1 and 2, while not entirely flat, present manageable challenges for the sprinters.
The final stage in London promises a fast and exhilarating circuit race throughout the capital. Given the availability of time bonuses at the end of each stage, securing the overall victory requires consistent performance across all three days of racing.
Stage 1: Maldon to Maldon (137.1km):
The first two stages of the RideLondon Classique traverse the undulating hills of Essex, a successful formula implemented in the previous edition. Stage 1 commences in Saffron Walden, covering 149.7 kilometers before concluding in Colchester with an uphill finish near Colchester Castle.
The opening stage loops around the Abberton Reservoir, then returns to Maldon for two final laps, a familiar feature of the RideLondon Classique route. While the course encompasses five marked climbs, they are relatively gentle and are unlikely to disrupt the anticipated sprint finish.
Stage 2: Chelmsford to Epping (141 km):
Starting from Chelmsford, stage 2 embarks on a rolling route through northern Essex, encompassing approximately 1300 meters of vertical ascent before culminating in a circuit in Epping.
This stage traverses the east coast of Essex, with both the start and finish located in Maldon. The final 22 kilometers of the 137.1-kilometer route entail three climbs, which are tackled over three finishing circuits in Epping.
These circuits include short yet challenging climbs within the town center, posing a test for the riders. While they may not be enough to distance the sprinters entirely, positioning will be crucial in the closing kilometers to secure a favorable finish.
Stage 3: Victoria Embankment (85.3km):
Stage 3 goes back to the one-day editions of the RideLondon Classique by hosting a central-London circuit race. However, the route differs from previous years.
Starting from the Victoria Embankment, the race weaves through a loop around Westminster before culminating with a straight stretch alongside the Thames River. The final day of the race encompasses a total of 92 kilometers, featuring circuits that commence and conclude along The Mall, an iconic road spanning from Buckingham Palace to Trafalgar Square.
The stage consists of 11 laps in total, commencing with two shorter laps of 7.3 kilometers, followed by nine repetitions of a longer 10.1-kilometer lap, including a loop around Pall Mall and Piccadilly. With its short yet fast nature, the winner must possess exceptional speed and technical skills to navigate the tight city center roads.
RideLondon Classique 2023 Standings & Results
Stage 1: Charlotte Kool of Team DSM clinched victory in Stage 1 of the RideLondon Classique, a race from Saffron Walden to Colchester. Following a 149.7-kilometer ride, a bunch sprint ensued, with Clara Copponi from FDJ-SUEZ finishing second and Lizzie Deignan of Trek-Segafredo securing third place. The stage witnessed a group of 16 riders contending for the sprint after an intense day of racing.
Stage 2: Chloé Dygert of Canyon-SRAM emerged as the winner of Stage 2, triumphing in an uphill sprint. A reduced group contested the sprint, and Dygert proved to be the fastest. Meanwhile, overnight leader Charlotte Kool of Team DSM encountered a crash just outside the final kilometer, yet managed to finish the stage and retain her position atop the overall classification.
Stage 3: Charlotte Kool of Team DSM continued her impressive performance by winning the final stage, a bunch sprint on the streets of London. Kool’s victory secured her the overall title. Chloé Dygert from Canyon-SRAM and Lizzie Deignan of Trek-Segafredo completed the podium, finishing second and third, respectively.
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