2023-04-25 16:45:29
Josef Cerny (Soudal-Quick Step) is the first leader of the Tour de Romandie. The Czech won the 6.8 km prologue in Port-Valais, ahead of Norwegian Tobias Foss and Frenchman Remi Cavagna. Joel Suter, best Swiss, for his part took a good 5th place.
Cerny (29) was ahead of the Norwegian Tobias Foss, world time trial champion, by only 0”29. Frenchman Remi Cavagna completed the podium at 0”92. Suter for his part conceded 4”18 to the winner.
The 1st yellow jersey of the TdR 2023 caused some surprise with his success, even if he is comfortable in the solitary effort. He has 3 time trial champion titles in his country. His biggest victory so far was a stage in the Giro d’Italia in 2020.
The other Swiss shy regarding the prologue
If Suter was able to dialogue with the best on a flat course which included only 3 bends, the other Helvetians finished a little further. Yanis Voisard took 34th place. Prototype of the climber, the Jurassien did well on a route far from benefiting his size of less than 60 kg. He should show up during the La Chaux-de-Fonds stage and perhaps lead the queen stage on Saturday.
Gino Mäder (43rd), is 22 seconds behind, a result that does not satisfy the best Swiss asset for the general classification. After losing 4 seconds on Damiano Caruso, the highest ranked favorite, the St-Gallois was disappointed:“It’s a very bad day for me. It must not be the same for the next few days. Honestly, it was not good. I did not have the same confidence as last year in the prologue, but I don’t understand why it didn’t work.”
Sébastien Reichenbach took 46th place at 22”. For his part, the Argovian Jan Christen, 18 years old and youngest rider of the Tour de Romandie, conceded 34 seconds for his debut in the World Tour.
ats/nm
Prologue at Le Bouveret (25.04)
The program for this 76th edition
Wednesday April 26: 1st stage between Crissier and the Vallée de Joux (170 km)
Thursday April 27: 2nd stage between Morteau (FRA) and La Chaux-de-Fonds (163 km)
Friday April 28: 3rd stage, time trial in Châtel-Saint-Denis (18.7 km)
Saturday April 29: 4th stage between Sion and Thyon 2000 (161 km)
Sunday April 30: 5th stage between Vufflens-la-Ville and Geneva (170 km)
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