The 75th Tour de Romandie takes off this Tuesday with the prologue in Lausanne. Very demanding, the course should crown a climber-roller. Therefore, defending champion Geraint Thomas is a plausible candidate for his own succession. On the Swiss side, Marc Hirschi can aim for a place on the podium.
Keystone
The director of the Romande loop, Richard Chassot repeated it on the RTS set on Sunday evening: “We have done everything to promote the success of a climber.” The architect of the Tour de Romandie stages, Bernard Bärtschi, thus had a heavy hand for the queen stage on Saturday between Aigle and Zinal and for the ultimate time trial uphill between the World Cycling Center in Eagle and Villars.
A quick look at the winners of the last editions shows that climbers have often found favorable ground for their qualities. Witness the victories of Primoz Roglic (2018 and 2019), Nairo Quintana (2016), Igor Zakarin (2015) or Cadel Evans (2011).
Make a difference in Zinal
The question that arises is: can Thibaut Pinot, Marc Hirschi, Aleksandr Vlasov, Michael Woods or Sepp Kuss hope to wear the green jersey – return of this color for the leader’s tunic following 20 years of yellow – by the simple due to the presence of a time trial uphill? Nothing is less sure.
Admittedly, the last 10 km climb will require climbing skills, but the first 5 completely flat kilometers will satisfy the riders who are playing for the general classification. In 2018, when the start was given in Ollon, the Colombian Egan Bernal won with 4 ” ahead of Roglic.
Rather, climbers will need to seek their salvation during the approach to Zinal the day before. “It’s one of the toughest stages I’ve done,” says Bernard Bärtschi. Over 180 km, the runners will have four 1st category Mountain Grand Prix to overcome (4160 m of altitude difference) and a final climb of nearly 28 km from the exit of Sierre, with the succession of the Pontis, Grimentz and of Zinal.
Hirschi to succeed Dufaux?
Laurent Dufaux is the last Swiss winner of the Tour de Romandie (1998) and the last to be on the podium (2nd in 2003 behind Tyler Hamilton). Will he have a successor to Villars? Switzerland’s best assets rest on the shoulders and calves of Marc Hirschi and Gino Mäder.
The UAE Team Emirates climber is looking for his best form. Entering competition on March 20 only, he reassured Sunday with his 9th place on Liège – Bastogne – Liège in the time of the second Quinten Hermans – also present on the roads of French-speaking Switzerland – following having missed his Flèche Wallonne (32nd).
Last year, the Bernese retired following the mountain stage which ended in Thyon 2000, where he conceded more than 20 minutes to winner Michael Woods. Leader of his team, the former U23 world champion has everything to do well.
For his part, Mäder had a more discreet start to the season. The Bernese did not run much. But he finished last season with a gratifying fifth place overall in the Tour of Spain. The climber from Bahrain may have to share leadership with Dylan Teuns, the recent winner of the Flèche Wallonne, who has already won stage races such as the Tour of Poland or the Tour of Wallonia.
Fourteen Swiss are announced at the start, including the Swiss Cycling team with French-speaking Yannis Voisard, Antoine Debons and Valère Thiébaud. Simon Pellaud (Trek) had to give up due to illness, while Stefan Küng takes a break following a busy start to the season.
Sprinters with little advantage
The line-up will feature two Spring Classic winners with Teuns (Flèche Wallonne) and Magnus Sheffield (Flèche Brabant). Few sprinters, on the other hand, ventured on the roads of French-speaking Switzerland this year. It is true that the profile is not the most favorable for them, even if the arrivals at Echallens and Granges-Marnand might be favorable to them. The Colombian Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates) might then recover his health.
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