2023 in a photo finish: A matter of centimetres - these were the closest decisions of the year
Sebastian Lindner
· 14.11.2023
UAE Tour, 1st stage | 20 February 2023 | Merlier vs. Ewan
Millimetres were already at stake in February. On stage 1 of the UAE Tour, things got really tight in the finale after the race was ridden on the wind edge for most of the day. A group, which included numerous sprinters, finally made it to the finish line after Al Mirfa. Among them: Caleb Ewan (Lotto Dstny) and the Belgian champion Tim Merlier (Soudal - Quick Step).
At the finish line, it is impossible to tell with the naked eye which of the two sprinters is ahead after the tiger jump. In the end, however, the much taller Belgian is able to push his bike further forwards. He celebrates his second win of the season, Ewan takes it easy at first after having to wait 15 minutes for the decision.
Strade Bianche Donne | 4 March 2023 | Vollering vs. Kopecky
The Strade Bianche Donne heralded the start of a week of hair-trigger decisions. After a horse caused a stir on the course, the two SD-Worx team-mates Lotte Kopecky and Demi Vollering first had to catch Kristin Faulkner on the final climb to the finish in Siena to be able to worry about victory.
Kopecky was the first to enter the final bend with Vollering on her rear wheel and then pulled away. In the slipstream, the Dutchwoman sprinted alongside the Belgian - and, according to the photos of the finish line, past her. For Vollering, the victory was not only the start of a sensational spring, but also an unrivalled season. The subsequent winner of the Ardennes-Tripple and the Tour de France had tears in her eyes. For Kopecky, only the memories of her previous year's victory remained.
GP Jean-Pierre Monsere | 5 March | Thijssen vs. Ewan
Just one day later, things get really strange. Caleb Ewan is involved for the second time this season. His opponent this time: Gerben Thijssen (Intermarche-Circus-Wanty). Both are sprinting for victory in the GP Jean-Pierre Monsere. It's damn close, but everyone thinks the Australian is the winner. Even Thijssen, still on his bike, pats him on the back and recognises his victory.
Ewan is asked to take part in the winner's interview and remembers the tight box barely a fortnight ago at the UAE Tour. But the feeling of victory quickly fades. Shortly afterwards, the roll backwards: Thijssen is declared the winner after viewing the images from the finish line camera. And Ewan can't believe it. He posted pictures on X (formerly Twitter) that put the final decision in a strange light.
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Tirreno-Adriatico, stage 2 | 7 March 2023 | Jakobsen vs. Philipsen
Two days later, everything initially looks as if a close decision is not an option. Because on the 2nd stage of Tirreno-Adriatico, Fernando Gaviria (Movistar) surprisingly set off in a sprint early on and seemed to be heading for victory. But Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) pays attention and is able to close the gap.
But he can't take advantage of this, because a white jersey with blue stripes and yellow stars is still zooming along in his slipstream. It overtakes him on the right and is even able to pass him with its higher final speed. Fabio Jakobsen (Soudal - Quick Step) secures his second win of the season. After the race, he admits that he wasn't sure at first that he had really won, especially in view of the events of the previous days.
Giro d'Italia, stage 11 | 17 May 2023 | Ackermann vs. Milan
After the finish line camera has led a quiet life for most of the classics season, the Giro will be exciting again. On the longest stage of this year's Tour of Italy (219 kilometres), the question is: Pascal Ackermann (UAE Team Emirates) or Jonathan Milan (Bahrain Victorious)? First victory in almost a year or second stage win in the Tour?
After a very close look, it was clear that the former German champion Ackermann was ahead in the photo finish. His Italian opponent was also happy for the Palatine, who had nothing to celebrate for a long time. Milan, on the other hand, defended the Maglia Ciclamino all the way to Rome. It was already his third second place. But not the last ...
Giro d'Italia, 17th stage | 24 May 2023 | Dainese vs. Milan vs. Matthews
Just six days later, the time had come again. Once again, the riders had to look very closely before it became clear that Milan would only finish second again. In Caorle, at the finish of the 17th stage, this time it was his compatriot Alberto Dainese (Team DSM) who came out on top by a wafer-thin margin.
To make things a little more exciting, Michael Matthews (Team Jayco-AlUla), who specialises in uphill finishes, also got involved. The fact that he ultimately had to admit defeat in third place was barely recognisable in the moving image.
Tour de France, 19th stage | 21 July 2023 | Mohoric vs. Asgreen
Of course, the most important race in the world must also have a photo finish. Matej Mohoric (Bahrain-Victorious) and Kasper Asgreen (Soudal - Quick Step) made sure of that on the 19th stage of the Tour de France.
It quickly became clear that the stage would be one for the breakaway. A large group quickly broke away from the peloton. While the German hope Nils Politt (Bora-Hansgrohe) broke his chain in the decisive phase and Georg Zimmermann ran out of energy in his third long breakaway in the finale, Mohoric and Asgreen attacked together with Ben O'Connor (AG2R-Citroën) out of the group shortly before the end. However, the Australian ran out of energy on the finishing straight, the other two made it extremely exciting and only knew who had won long after the finish. When the decision was made in Mohoric's favour, he commented on it very emotionally.
Tour de France,21st stage | 23 July 2023 | Meeus vs. Philipsen vs. Groenewegen vs. Pedersen
And once again, it was very close at the Tour. Fortunately, the Champs-Elysees are pretty damn wide, because otherwise Jordi Meeus (Bora-Hansgrohe), Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Dylan Groenewegen (Team Jayco-AlUla) and Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) might not have been able to cross the finish line in the grand finale in Paris.
The fact that Boras Meeus ended up as the surprise winner and snatched the fifth stage victory of the tour away from Philipsen with a perfectly timed tiger jump was not apparent at first. Groenewegen or Pedersen, who finished third and fourth, could just as easily have had the better end for themselves. There has hardly been a closer and at the same time wider finale at the Tour.
Simac Ladies Tour, 1st stage | 6 September 2023 | Balsamo vs. Wiebes
The women can also make it tight in the bunch sprint, as Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) and Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx) proved on stage 1 of the Simac Ladies Tour. However, it was not to be expected that there was any chance of beating the undisputed sprint queen Wiebes. The 24-year-old Dutchwoman has been the measure of all things on flat finishes for the past two years.
But at the start of the tour in her Dutch homeland, she had to concede to the former world champion - even though she had the inside line in a slight bend. However, this decision could only be made by analysing a photo of the finish. Running pictures could not determine a winner. On the last day of the Simac Ladies Tour, the two sprinted against each other again. Wiebes returned the favour.
Tour de Romandie feminine, stage 1 | 15 September 2023 | Bertizzolo vs. Schrempf
One round trip later, things get tight again - actually completely unnecessarily. The Austrian Carina Schrempf (Fenix-Deceuninck) is already 29 years old, but only in her second year as a road pro. Her lack of experience makes itself felt on the first stage of the Tour de Romandie.
Schrempf attacks out of the speeding field at the 3000 metre mark and actually saves a few seconds on the home straight. With victory within her grasp, she sets herself up to celebrate her first victory on the international stage. But she doesn't realise just how great the excess speed of the field is. If Schrempf looked like a sure winner 25 metres before the finish, this was no longer the case at the finish line. Sofia Bertizzolo from Italy was actually ahead at the decisive point and was able to celebrate her first win of the season, while Schrempf was only able to pay her lesson in shame.
Tour of Guangxi, stage 6 | 17 October 2023 | Kooij vs. Molano vs. Hayter
The sprinters have saved something for the last day of the World Tour calendar. The 6th and final stage of the Tour of Guangxi ends in a bunch sprint - including a photo finish between Olav Kooij (Jumbo-Visma), Juan Sebastian Molano (UAE Team Emirates) and Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grneadiers).
The computer then spit out the daily classification in this order based on the photos taken at the finish. It is not known whether Kooij received a small bonus because he turned 22 years old to the day.
