Tour de Romandie, Stage 1: Martigny - Leysin, 172.6km

[jobiwan]

Should be kind of interesting. Could be won by a number of riders.

Top 10 after prologue:
1 Jonathan Castroviejo Nicolas (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:03:40.42
2 Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:00:00.27
3 Leigh Howard (Aus) HTC-Highroad 0:00:00.73
4 Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra) Team RadioShack 0:00:01.95
5 David Millar (GBr) Team Garmin-Cervelo 0:00:02.10
6 Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:00:02.98
7 Patrick Gretsch (Ger) HTC-Highroad 0:00:03.44
8 Mark Renshaw (Aus) HTC-Highroad 0:00:03.64
9 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Pro Team Astana 0:00:03.95
10 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Leopard Trek 0:00:04.00

 

[nvpacchi]

April 27: Tour de Romandie, Stage 1 > Martigny - Leysin (171 km)

at the request of ACF, I bring you stage 1:

The pick is hard to decipher, but it looks like +/- 150m in elevation gain for the final 3k.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

the final climb is 4,4% average

nothing to worry boring Tony. But I hope Vinokourov burns some people

 

[bohino11]

Im thinking Freire could be there or there abouts on a finish like this. A late vino attack could spoil it though. Any thoughts?

 

[roundabout]

I'll get me one of them there Belgian flag avatars if Freire finishes top-30 on a stage like this.

Vinokourouv could well win if people slow down and start looking at each other.

 

[bohino11]

I'll get me one of them there Belgian flag avatars if Freire finishes top-30 on a stage like this.

Vinokourouv could well win if people slow down and start looking at each other.

Ok did u watch Amstel Gold. He finished 6th against the best classics riders on what is surely a harder track. He won 2 stages in Normandie in 2009 when this was a tougher route. He also won 3 stages in the hilly Tirenno Adriatico in 2008 aswell as numerous tough grand tour stages. top 30 is well within his grasp and bookies have even priced Bennati low for tomorrow.

Maybe Freire might not be top 30 here if it really heats up. But his form on these type of stages gives him every chance here I think. 4.4% final 3 km is not going to kill him.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

I think this will be quite selective. The final climb comes quite quickly after the first and it has some steeper sections - definitely not a steady 4%. The final km is quite a ramp

If Evans is on good form he'd be favourite in my book. Only Contador and Valverde finished in front of him here in 2006

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

selection of about 30 riders

 

[Raceoftruth]

Are there any time bonuses at the finish?

 

[auscyclefan94]

Evans said that this climb is harder than it looks on paper. Lets hope so from a spectators point of view. Final km is 6.8% which is at least something.

 

[Bavarianrider]

If they are going full throttle right from the beginning of the climb there might be some selection.

 

[El Pistolero]

Evans said that this climb is harder than it looks on paper. Lets hope so from a spectators point of view. Final km is 6.8% which is at least something.

Watch out for Puncheurs like Vino then.

Seems like a climb where the explosive types can get up to 30 seconds advantage.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Watch out for Puncheurs like Vino then.

Seems like a climb where the explosive types can get up to 30 seconds advantage.

Anyway it's areal fraud that this is the only "Mountain finish" in the Romandie

 

[Frosty]

Vanendert looked good in the Ardennes, maybe an uphill finish will suit him now that he hasnt got Gilbert to worry about?

 

[dlwssonic]

looks quite good for evans, just depends on his form. with his 25th tt placing his form shouldnt be that bad. Like I said evans always seems to be in form when he races.

 

[theyoungest]

looks quite good for evans, just depends on his form. with his 25th tt placing his form shouldnt be that bad. Like I said evans always seems to be in form when he races.

Yes, he had excellent form in the Tour 2009

But you're right, Evans is almost always at a decent level.

 

[Jamsque]

I am hoping against all reason that it might be Millar Time.

 

[Carl0880]

Vino looks like an obvious choice for this stage, because he said he want to capitalize on his form before his break, and this finish looks like aperfect one ofr him, on a climb with some difficulty, but not to great of a percentage. Before his puncture, he looked excellent.

I also can see Roman winning this on a counter attack after Vino is caught.

I see this stage as one where the Top TT that can climb (evans, Wiggins, Menchov), wont attack just stay upfront, and if someone else wants to go and pick off a couple of seconds, I dont think they will dig to deep to chase.

If its not Vino, then I think it could be an outsider to win the stage, Like Carrara for Vacansoliel, or Chris Sorensen for Leopard, Roche .

 

[la.margna]

Anyway it's areal fraud that this is the only "Mountain finish" in the Romandie

Definitely. Complete joke this year's Tour de Romandie.

 

[jens_attacks]

a little vino-evans battle,an appetizer for le tour de france.

astana will take over before the two climbs and will do some damage.

 

[dlwssonic]

Yes, he had excellent form in the Tour 2009

But you're right, Evans is almost always at a decent level.

yea his TDF 2009 was an exception, probably was demoralised after the super fail lotto TTT and his fail attack on arcarlis.

 

[greenedge]

yeah i think Astana should make the race hard. However i doubt Vino can win, he will not go so well up the climb maybe. I think Gasparotto in the break will work well, i can envisage him winning. Think Evans will keep Vino in check. Basso also has to attack to get back 9 seconds off Cadel.

 

[rmacek]

Yes, I hope Astana will do something, but they are weakened because Robert Kiserlovski had to abandon. (still suffering from that horrible crash - cracked vertebra, not sure if he will be able to ride Giro..)

 

[Bavarianrider]

Tony Martin has the punch to win those things. Remeber his win in Crans Montana 2009.
On his homepage he says he's very confident for today.
He was going easy yesterday and is pleased with the result.

 

[Moondance]

Vino FTW...