The Spring Classics are in the books, which means it’s time for the Tour de Romandie to kick of several months of big-time stage races. The cycling world has been focused on flatter Northern Europe for the last few weeks, but the Swiss Alps should provide the stage racing GC riders with plenty of opportunities to strut their stuff.
The Route
The race opens with a very short prologue Tuesday before a mostly flat Stage 1. Stage 2 is likely to have some GC impact with two late climbs, though riders may keep their powder dry for the two all-important stages to come.
Stage 3 is a 15km time trial that does have a bit of a climb in it, while Stage 4 will pit the peloton against three Cat. 1 climbs (and two Cat. 3s). The 70th Tour de Romandie concludes with a likely sprinters’ stage in Geneva.
The Overall Contenders
Several former champions are making the start in Romandie this week. Team Sky brings a powerhouse squad led by two-time race winner Chris Froome, whose all-around talent makes him an obvious favorite. Geraint Thomas and Michal Kwiatkowski are also versatile riders whose ability to time trial and climb could put them into contention.
Katusha boasts two former winners in Simon Spilak and last year’s victor Ilnur Zakarin. Both riders thrive in one-weekers, and Spilak in particular has a long history of being very successful racing in Switzerland.
BMC’s one-two punch of Tejay van Garderen and Richie Porte seems almost certain to be in the mix. Porte landed a few Top 10s in the race in the past even when riding in a support role at Sky—given more room to roam, his one-week prowess and excellent TT abilities make him a very dangerous rider.
Nairo Quintana will love the mountainous Stage 4 and can’t be counted out as an overall contender. The time trial mileage is a bit of a question mark for the Colombian however, who may not be 100% motivated at this point in the season anyway. If he is, he’s a threat. If he’s not, Ion Izagirre may be the guy for Movistar.
Thibaut Pinot has turned into a strong time trialist, which will come in handy here. He had a good race in 2015, winning a stage. Cannondale’s three-pronged attack of Rigoberto Urán, Andrew Talansky, and Pierre Rolland could make things interesting. Rui Costa, like Spilak, always races well in Switzerland and has a knack for one-week affairs. He’s coming off a decent run at the Ardennes, which would suggest that the form is there.
Tom Dumoulin, Rafal Majka, Wilco Kelderman, Ryder Hesjedal, Mathias Frank, Miguel Ángel López, Romain Bardet, Bauke Mollema, and Simon Yates are other potential GC protagonists to keep an eye on.
The Stagehunters
Five-time Romandie stage-winner Michael Albasini is an obvious candidate to pick up more victories this year, especially coming off a great week in the Ardennes. Marcel Kittel will be the heavy favorite for any bunch sprints, with Ben Swift and Moreno Hofland as potential outsiders.
VeloHuman Top 10 GC Favorites
Winner: Richie Porte
Podium: Chris Froome, Simon Spilak
Other Top Contenders: Nairo Quintana, Thibaut Pinot, Ilnur Zakarin, Rigoberto Urán, Rui Costa, Tejay van Garderen, Geraint Thomas
Photo by Georges Ménager (CC).