Tour de Romandie 2021 *spoliers*
TheBigBean
Posts: 18,164
Wiki Background
The Tour de Romandie is a stage race which is part of the UCI World Tour. It runs through the Romandie region, or French-speaking part of Switzerland. The competition began in 1947, to coincide with the 50-year anniversary of Swiss Cycling. It was held without interruption until the COVID-19 pandemic caused the cancellation of the 2020 edition.[1]
The race traditionally starts with an individual time trial prologue and ends with an individual time-trial in hilly terrains, often in Lausanne. The final time-trial traditionally starts in the stadium north of Lausanne, goes downhill southwards to Lake Léman (Lake Geneva), and makes its way back uphill to the stadium again. The winner and several of the top-ten finishers are usually excellent time trialists.
Four winners of the Tour de Romandie had gone on to win the Tour de France in the same year; Stephen Roche in 1987, then Cadel Evans, Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome in 2011, 2012 and 2013, respectively.
The course of the race usually heads northwards towards the Jura mountains and Alpine mountain ranges of western Switzerland.
Stage Profiles
A cow
The Tour de Romandie is a stage race which is part of the UCI World Tour. It runs through the Romandie region, or French-speaking part of Switzerland. The competition began in 1947, to coincide with the 50-year anniversary of Swiss Cycling. It was held without interruption until the COVID-19 pandemic caused the cancellation of the 2020 edition.[1]
The race traditionally starts with an individual time trial prologue and ends with an individual time-trial in hilly terrains, often in Lausanne. The final time-trial traditionally starts in the stadium north of Lausanne, goes downhill southwards to Lake Léman (Lake Geneva), and makes its way back uphill to the stadium again. The winner and several of the top-ten finishers are usually excellent time trialists.
Four winners of the Tour de Romandie had gone on to win the Tour de France in the same year; Stephen Roche in 1987, then Cadel Evans, Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome in 2011, 2012 and 2013, respectively.
The course of the race usually heads northwards towards the Jura mountains and Alpine mountain ranges of western Switzerland.
Stage Profiles
A cow
11
Posts
Thanks for starting the thread.
I am not sure. You have no chance.
*** Peter Sagan
** Sonny Colbrelli, Magnus Cort, Marc Hirschi, Elia Viviani
* Patrick Bevin, Remi Cavagna, Jake Stewart, Stefan Kung, Alexey Lutsenko
Tour de Romandie 2021 Stage 1
Slideshow 1/4
Wednesday 28 April - Following the prologue on day one the Tour de Romandie continues with a lumpy test of 168.1 kilometres.
The UCI is based in Aigle. The town of 8,000 inhabitants is used to visiting pro-cycling pelotons, although is has been a while since the Tour de Romandie last visited. Four years ago Fabio Feline won the prologue in Aigle.
The route covers a circuit of almost 35 kilometres three times, featuring two short climbs in quick succession. This lap is the core of the route before the riders leave it in the finale.
The last uphill test is crested with 21.5 kilometres remaining, while the finale is played out on the flat.
The 3rd stage of the Tour de Romandie starts at 13.05 and the race is expected to finish around 17.15 – both are local times (CEST).
https://www.cyclingstage.com/tour-de-romandie-2021/stage-1-route-tdr-2021/
I know Romandie fairly well, and actually think much more interesting stage routes could be chosen, as anyone who has done cyclosportives in the area can probably also testify.
Eitherway, this year's Tour of Romandie is more or less the same as that planned for 2020 but then cancelled because of the pandemic.
Some extra info on today's stage:
This stage should have been a dress rehearsal for the world championship road race in Aigle-Martigny last year, but which was then cancelled, and instead took place at Imola.
The planned route last year went up the 4 km long, 10% steep Col de la Petite Forclaz but that currently has construction work going on, so the revised route goes over the two easier climbs Produit (2.6 km, 7.2%) and Chamoson (2.2 km, 5.9%) instead.
It's possible that there will be a break but which will be caught in the last flat 20kms, because this is the only stage really suitable for sprinters. Accordingly, to BB's shortlist of possible winners, one could add Moschetti, Pasqualon, Venturini and Smith.
In addition to what BB has mentioned about the start town, Aigle, it is also where Luuk de Jong was born, the Dutchman who will likely be playing centre-forward for Sevilla tomorrow evening against Arsenal in the Europa League semifinal first tie.
The finish town, Martigny, is the regional centre for Lower Valais. The area around the town is known for its fruit cultivation, especially apricots (thus the apricot spirit made there), and vines, as well as (like elsewhere in Switzerland) for its cheese; Martigny is where I had, with a local white wine, my best ever cheese fondue!
It is also where cyclist Sebastian Reichenbach comes from, and he is in this year's race, so might well be found today in any break.
2020 Voodoo Marasa
2017 Cube Attain GTC Pro Disc 2016
2016 Voodoo Wazoo
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The wall of that consists of the Nappe de Morcles...
In this, you can see the whole of Western Alpine Geology in one outcrop
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A couple of Jumbo's and an Astana debutante.
Without the 10% climb it's a bit of a dull course, isn't it?
Where I had my MRI to confirm my snapped ACL coming up on the left...
(edit - my stream had got behind... spoiled by INRG 🙄)
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Determined that 122 is not Pat Bevin wearing Pat Bevin’s race number
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