After a day in cold and wet conditions, all of Tinkoff’s riders came home safe in the opening prologue of the 70th edition of the Tour de Romandie. Over a fast and urban course, punctuated by a small third category climb in the middle, Robert Kiserlovski was the first Tinkoff rider to finish, ending the day in 58th position, and team leader Rafal Majka in 68th position, a second slower.
The opening day’s prologue course was fast and technical. The route, which was only 3.95km, resembled a criterium course more than a time trial, and speeds in the opening and closing sections and the furious riding that took place, supported this.
After a series of testing bends at the start of the route, having to negotiate road furniture, manhole covers, kerbs and a damp road surface, riders faced the third category climb of the Rue de la Montagne. While only a short climb, it sufficiently broke up the course to the point that specialist time trial riders were not dominant on the stage. Many riders elected to use road bikes, as opposed to time trial bikes, owing to the climb and the technical nature of the course, where full control was required and there were few opportunities to stay in an aero position.
The weather was perhaps the biggest concern for the team, owing to the cold and damp conditions, as Sport Director, Patxi Vila explained. “At the beginning the forecast said that the first half of the riders should be better so we got Manuele Boaro out early to set a good time, but the weather turned and we were unlucky there and couldn’t do much.”
As the day went on, the weather came in, meaning Rafal Majka, who was the last of the team to go out, completed his ride with snow in the sky, crossing the finish line in 68th position. Vila was happy with Rafal’s performance, given how difficult it would be to make an impact on such a short course. “We put Rafal as last guy to be with the other GC contenders. In the middle of the day the stage dried and those guys got lucky, and then it got wet again for the guys at the end so he couldn’t go all out, but he stayed upright which was the most important. Compared to the other contenders his time was OK and he is there or thereabouts where he should be. It’s a prologue, and of course we want to win every day we can, but today it was very tough for us in the conditions.”
After a crash in the difficult weather conditions at Sunday’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège, there were concerns over Rafal’s condition coming to Romandie, but Vila was clear that the Tinkoff leader had suffered no ill effects. “Rafal was feeling good today. He didn’t have any pain or problems from his crash on Sunday and so that looks good for the coming week.”
Stage 1 marks the beginning of the race proper. Riders will cover a 169km route that takes in four categorised climbs, that is expected to end in a sprint owing to the descent shortly before the finish. Now that a race leader had been selected, there wouldn’t be much responsibility for Tinkoff to control the race, as Vila explained. “Tomorrow will be one of the easier stages and now there’s a leader’s team to protect the jersey. We will see if we can give Adam Blythe a chance for the sprint as well as protecting Rafal and keeping him out of trouble ahead of Stage 2.”
Stage Result
1. Ion Izagirre (SPA) Movistar 00:05:33
2. Tom Dumoulin (NED) Giant-Alpecin +00:00:06
3. Michal Kwiatkowski (POL) Team Sky +00:00:07
4. Geraint Thomas (GBR) Team Sky +00:00:07
5. Gorka Izagirre (SPA) Movistar +00:00:08
58. Robert Kiserlovski (CRO) Tinkoff +00:00:26
68. Rafal Majka (POL) Tinkoff +00:00:27
83. Pawel Poljanski (POL) Tinkoff +00:00:31
85. Yuri Trofimov (RUS) Tinkoff +00:00:33
95. Manuele Boaro (ITA) Tinkoff +00:00:35
109. Ivan Rovny (RUS) Tinkoff +00:00:39
130. Jesus Hernandez (SPA) Tinkoff +00:00:47
140. Adam Blythe (GBR) Tinkoff +00:00:52
GC after Prologue
1. Ion Izagirre (SPA) Movistar 00:05:33
2. Tom Dumoulin (NED) Giant-Alpecin +00:00:06
3. Michal Kwiatkowski (POL) Team Sky +00:00:07
4. Geraint Thomas (GBR) Team Sky +00:00:07
5. Gorka Izagirre (SPA) Movistar +00:00:08
58. Robert Kiserlovski (CRO) Tinkoff +00:00:26
68. Rafal Majka (POL) Tinkoff +00:00:27
83. Pawel Poljanski (POL) Tinkoff +00:00:31
85. Yuri Trofimov (RUS) Tinkoff +00:00:33
95. Manuele Boaro (ITA) Tinkoff +00:00:35
109. Ivan Rovny (RUS) Tinkoff +00:00:39
130. Jesus Hernandez (SPA) Tinkoff +00:00:47
140. Adam Blythe (GBR) Tinkoff +00:00:52
