Tour de Romandie 24 _29th April *SPOILERS*

inseine

Stage 1 prologue
The race kicks off with a 4.2-kilometre prologue through Fribourg. The parcours is flat for the most part, but there are a number of technical sections and a climb towards the finish.


Runners and riders:
https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/to ... startlist/
Prologue start times
# Rider Name (Country) Team Result
1 Marco Minnaard (Ned) Wanty-Groupe Gobert 15:13:00
2 Simon Spilak (Slo) Katusha-Alpecin 15:14:00
3 Jaco Venter (RSA) Dimension Data 15:15:00
4 Leo Vincent (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 15:16:00
5 Daniel Martin (Irl) UAE Team Emirates 15:17:00
6 Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Team Sunweb 15:18:00
7 Floris De Tier (Bel) LottoNL-Jumbo 15:19:00
8 William Clarke (Aus) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale 15:20:00
9 Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Trek-Segafredo 15:21:00
10 David Lopez Garcia (Spa) Team Sky 15:22:00
11 Nico Denz (Ger) AG2R La Mondiale 15:23:00
12 Andrey Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team 15:24:00
13 Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Lotto Soudal 15:25:00
14 Hermann Pernsteiner (Aut) Bahrain-Merida 15:26:00
15 Dayer Quintana (Col) Movistar Team 15:27:00
16 Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe 15:28:00
17 Svein Tuft (Can) Mitchelton-Scott 15:29:00
18 Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Quick-Step Floors 15:30:00
19 Tom Bohli (Swi) BMC Racing Team 15:31:00
20 Fabien Doubey (Fra) Wanty-Groupe Gobert 15:32:00
21 Jose Goncalves (Por) Katusha-Alpecin 15:33:00
22 Merhawi Kudus (Eri) Dimension Data 15:34:00
23 Davide Cimolai (Ita) Groupama-FDJ 15:35:00
24 Rui Costa (Por) UAE Team Emirates 15:36:00
25 Michael Storer (Aus) Team Sunweb 15:37:00
26 Bram Tankink (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo 15:38:00
27 Brendan Canty (Aus) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale 15:39:00
28 Gregory Daniel (USA) Trek-Segafredo 15:40:00
29 Luke Rowe (GBr) Team Sky 15:41:00
30 Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 15:42:00
31 Hugo Houle (Can) Astana Pro Team 15:43:00
32 Enzo Wouters (Bel) Lotto Soudal 15:44:00
33 Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Bahrain-Merida 15:45:00
34 Eduardo Sepulveda (Arg) Movistar Team 15:46:00
35 Emanuel Buchmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe 15:47:00
36 Rob Power (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott 15:48:00
37 James Knox (GBr) Quick-Step Floors 15:49:00
38 Rohan Dennis (Aus) BMC Racing Team 15:50:00
39 Timothy Dupont (Bel) Wanty-Groupe Gobert 15:51:00
40 Baptiste Planckaert (Bel) Katusha-Alpecin 15:52:00
41 Johann Van Zyl (RSA) Dimension Data 15:53:00
42 Antoine Duchesne (Can) Groupama-FDJ 15:54:00
43 Darwin Atapuma (Col) UAE Team Emirates 15:55:00
44 Christopher Hamilton (Aus) Team Sunweb 15:56:00
45 Lars Boom (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo 15:57:00
46 Daniel Martinez (Col) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale 15:58:00
47 Julien Bernard (Fra) Trek-Segafredo 15:59:00
48 Diego Rosa (Ita) Team Sky 16:00:00
49 Alexis Gougeard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 16:01:00
50 Omar Fraile (Spa) Astana Pro Team 16:02:00
51 Victor Campenaerts (Bel) Lotto Soudal 16:03:00
52 Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain-Merida 16:04:00
53 Jose Rojas (Spa) Movistar Team 16:05:00
54 Peter Kennaugh (GBr) Bora-Hansgrohe 16:06:00
55 Mikel Nieve (Spa) Mitchelton-Scott 16:07:00
56 Davide Martinelli (Ita) Quick-Step Floors 16:08:00
57 Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team 16:09:00
58 Thomas Degand (Bel) Wanty-Groupe Gobert 16:10:00
59 Pavel Kochetkov (Rus) Katusha-Alpecin 16:11:00
60 Nicolas Dougall (RSA) Dimension Data 16:12:00
61 Benjamin Thomas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 16:13:00
62 Kristijan Durasek (Cro) UAE Team Emirates 16:14:00
63 Laurens ten Dam (Ned) Team Sunweb 16:15:00
64 Robert Wagner (Ger) LottoNL-Jumbo 16:16:00
65 Nathan Brown (USA) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale 16:17:00
66 Boy van Poppel (Ned) Trek-Segafredo 16:18:00
67 Pavel Sivakov (Rus) Team Sky 16:19:00
68 Axel Domont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 16:20:00
69 Dario Cataldo (Ita) Astana Pro Team 16:21:00
70 Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto Soudal 16:22:00
71 Gorka Izagirre (Spa) Bahrain-Merida 16:23:00
72 Winner Anacona (Col) Movistar Team 16:24:00
73 Pawel Poljanski (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe 16:25:00
74 Lucas Hamilton (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott 16:26:00
75 Michael Morkov (Den) Quick-Step Floors 16:27:00
76 Kilian Frankiny (Swi) BMC Racing Team 16:28:00
77 Xandro Meurisse (Bel) Wanty-Groupe Gobert 16:29:00
78 Matteo Fabbro (Ita) Katusha-Alpecin 16:30:00
79 Nicholas Dlamini (RSA) Dimension Data 16:31:00
80 Rudy Molard (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 16:32:00
81 Roberto Ferrari (Ita) UAE Team Emirates 16:33:00
82 Louis Vervaeke (Bel) Team Sunweb 16:34:00
83 Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo 16:35:00
84 Joe Dombrowski (USA) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale 16:36:00
85 Nicola Conci (Ita) Trek-Segafredo 16:37:00
86 Jonathan Castroviejo (Spa) Team Sky 16:38:00
87 Pierre Latour (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 16:39:00
88 Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana Pro Team 16:40:00
89 Remy Mertz (Bel) Lotto Soudal 16:41:00
90 Kristijan Koren (Slo) Bahrain-Merida 16:42:00
91 Carlos Betancur (Col) Movistar Team 16:43:00
92 Pascal Ackermann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe 16:44:00
93 Michael Albasini (Swi) Mitchelton-Scott 16:45:00
94 Fernando Gaviria (Col) Quick-Step Floors 16:46:00
95 Joey Rosskopf (USA) BMC Racing Team 16:47:00
96 Odd Christian Eiking (Nor) Wanty-Groupe Gobert 16:48:00
97 Maxim Belkov (Rus) Katusha-Alpecin 16:49:00
98 Amanuel Werkilul Ghebreigzabhier (Eri) Dimension Data 16:50:00
99 David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 16:51:00
100 Matteo Bono (Ita) UAE Team Emirates 16:52:00
101 Simon Geschke (Ger) Team Sunweb 16:53:00
102 Stef Clement (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo 16:54:00
103 Pierre Rolland (Fra) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale 16:55:00
104 Tsgabu Grmay (Eth) Trek-Segafredo 16:56:00
105 Egan Bernal (Col) Team Sky 16:57:00
106 Silvan Dillier (Swi) AG2R La Mondiale 16:58:00
107 Jesper Hansen (Den) Astana Pro Team 16:59:00
108 James Shaw (GBr) Lotto Soudal 17:00:00
109 Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Bahrain-Merida 17:01:00
110 Jaime Roson (Spa) Movistar Team 17:02:00
111 Erik Baska (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe 17:03:00
112 Carlos Verona (Spa) Mitchelton-Scott 17:04:00
113 Eros Capecchi (Ita) Quick-Step Floors 17:05:00
114 Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team 17:06:00
115 Guillaume Martin (Fra) Wanty-Groupe Gobert 17:07:00
116 Alex Dowsett (GBr) Katusha-Alpecin 17:08:00
117 Stephen Cummings (GBr) Dimension Data 17:09:00
118 Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe) Groupama-FDJ 17:10:00
119 Anass Ait El Abdia (Mar) UAE Team Emirates 17:11:00
120 Michael Matthews (Aus) Team Sunweb 17:12:00
121 Primoz Roglic (Slo) LottoNL-Jumbo 17:13:00
122 Hugh Carthy (GBr) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale 17:14:00
123 Matthias Brandle (Swi) Trek-Segafredo 17:15:00
124 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky 17:16:00
125 Mathias Frank (Swi) AG2R La Mondiale 17:17:00
126 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team 17:18:00
127 Sander Armee (Bel) Lotto Soudal 17:19:00
128 Ion Izagirre (Spa) Bahrain-Merida 17:20:00
129 Andrey Amador (CRc) Movistar Team 17:21:00
130 RŸdiger Selig (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe 17:22:00
131 Damien Howson (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott 17:23:00
132 Elia Viviani (Ita) Quick-Step Floors 17:24:00
133 Richie Porte (Aus) BMC Racing Team 17:25:00

inseine

Loads of people have backed Dennis and he's off 1h30 something before Porte so he might nave a long wait in the throne (do they have a throne?).

rick_chasey

My least favourite stage race.

inseine

Rick Chasey wrote:

My least favourite stage race.

I wish i hadn't bothered
There aren't any summit finishes but I'm not sure if that's good or bad

andyp

Rick Chasey wrote:

My least favourite stage race.

Whereas the riders love it - good hotels and high quality road surfaces.

rick_chasey

andyp wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

My least favourite stage race.

Whereas the riders love it - good hotels and high quality road surfaces.

F*ck me, good hotels, are you for real?

What are they paying, a grand a night per head?

Hate that place.

rick_chasey

inseine wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

My least favourite stage race.

I wish i hadn't bothered

Soz.

Good effort. Don't let my complaining put you off.


Bram Tankink found out after Liege (which he was a last minute replacement for) that he's now also doing Romandie.

He also just broke the record for most LBL starts.

Told a good annecdote about a big crash he was involved in coming off La-Redoute.

Saw a big crash up ahead on the left. Went to the right, only to see a bike fly across the road and smash into his front wheel.

He was a bit confused afterwards. Tried to get into the ambulance but it was more like a broom wagon bus for injured riders. In his confusion he got out. They asked him where he was going and he kept saying "well I do Romandie, then I have a wait before the Tour de Suisse and then the Tour"

At this point his team car had already left him. A fan eventually worked out what was going on and gave him a lift.

Half way towards the finish he comes around and has a bit of a panic; where the hell am I? Who is this man and why am I in his car?

Eventually it all gets sorted out.

Only now, every start, the fan waits for Bram and tells him "i'll be waiting at the same place if you need a lift "

RichN95.

^^^ Am I the only one thinking, nice story, but why the hell is Tankink riding a race again. Do Jumbo not have concussion protocols?

blazing_saddles

The grey bit part of the prologue course profile.

rick_chasey

RichN95 wrote:

^^^ Am I the only one thinking, nice story, but why the hell is Tankink riding a race again. Do Jumbo not have concussion protocols?

That was 2015...

I omitted that!

RichN95.

Rick Chasey wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

^^^ Am I the only one thinking, nice story, but why the hell is Tankink riding a race again. Do Jumbo not have concussion protocols?

That was 2015...

I omitted that!

Ah. He should be OK by now.

specialgueststar

Blazing Saddles wrote:

The grey bit part of the prologue course profile.

That looks like Macclesfield square or Stockport up to the market

inseine

Of the first 8 to finish, Dan Martin is not the fastest. He needs to up his TTing game especially on a course like this.

inseine

Matthias Brändle out after crashing warming up.....

RichN95.

inseine wrote:

Of the first 8 to finish, Dan Martin is not the fastest. He needs to up his TTing game especially on a course like this.

Do you think he's trying? This parcours (whole race) doesn't look terribly suited to him as a GC rider.

inseine

Simon Spilak off the pace, in 7th of the 10 first finishers;

inseine

RichN95 wrote:

inseine wrote:

Of the first 8 to finish, Dan Martin is not the fastest. He needs to up his TTing game especially on a course like this.

Do you think he's trying? This parcours (whole race) doesn't look terribly suited to him as a GC rider.

True, he's never done anything in it before.

blazing_saddles

Belting weather in Fribourg.
French hosts chatting away, oblivious to the race going on behind them.

Bohli leads ahead of Dennis....

blazing_saddles

RTS now live while Eurosport will have.....................haha Kirby.

inseine

Shocker by Dennis

The_Boy

Is there a live tracker for this? Stuck in a car for the next hour and little man sleeping, so don't need to entertain anyone.

RichN95.

The_Boy wrote:

Is there a live tracker for this? Stuck in a car for the next hour and little man sleeping, so don't need to entertain anyone.

http://www.tissottiming.com/2018/tdr/nl ... ive#anchor has the timings

The_Boy

RichN95 wrote:

The_Boy wrote:

Is there a live tracker for this? Stuck in a car for the next hour and little man sleeping, so don't need to entertain anyone.

http://www.tissottiming.com/2018/tdr/nl ... ive#anchor has the timings

Much obliged

knedlicky

Anyone know why Marc Soler isn't starting?
In the Swiss media (in one Zurich newspaper even up to this morning) he was said not only to be taking part, but also considered one of the three GC favourites (the media's others being Roglic and Porte), so presumably he was included in an earlier list of those projected to participate.
However, when Movistar announced their team on Twitter yesterday, his name wasn't there, just like he isn't in Fribourg this afternoon.

RichN95.

knedlicky wrote:

Anyone know why Marc Soler isn't starting?
In the Swiss media (in one Zurich newspaper even up to this morning) he was said not only to be taking part, but also considered one of the three GC favourites (the media's others being Roglic and Porte), so presumably he was included in an earlier list of those projected to participate.
However, when Movistar announced their team on Twitter yesterday, his name wasn't there, just like he isn't in Fribourg this afternoon.

There's some talk of him being a late inclusion to the Giro team (Movistar so far seem to have forgotten they have to ride that)

knedlicky

RichN95 wrote:

knedlicky wrote:

Anyone know why Marc Soler isn't starting?
In the Swiss media (in one Zurich newspaper even up to this morning) he was said not only to be taking part, but also considered one of the three GC favourites (the media's others being Roglic and Porte), so presumably he was included in an earlier list of those projected to participate.
However, when Movistar announced their team on Twitter yesterday, his name wasn't there, just like he isn't in Fribourg this afternoon.

There's some talk of him being a late inclusion to the Giro team (Movistar so far seem to have forgotten they have to ride that)

Thanks, RichN95.

Just watched an interview with Dillier from yesterday, he fancies his chances in the Prologue (he starts in a couple of minutes).

inseine

Bernal = superstar

RichN95.

Matthews takes the lead with only about a dozen still to finish

Roglic third

inseine

Mathews goes quickest! Nice
Dowsett poor. It's been awhile since he's done anything so it seems

blazing_saddles

Geraint 2nd at the split.
Roglic 3rd at the finish.

RichN95.

Thomas 6th, 5 seconds down