Talk about Tadej Pogacar It is necessary to mention its versatility. For this reason, and after a first part of the season focused almost exclusively on Monuments, The Tour de Romandie was presented as the first stage tour of his campaign. Therefore, the initial online day of the Swiss test was destined to put the Slovenian facing his first real mountainous difficulty of this course: Ovronnaz (8.9 km at 9.8%).
Over there, Pogacar did not speculate, he simply attacked. However, to everyone’s surprise, Florian Lipowitz and Lenny Martínez were able to follow himseeing how the trio, which he later joined Nordhagenfaced a group ride of more than 35 kilometers. On the finish line, The one from the UAE fulfilled the predictions to win the final sprint. First win in Switzerland. In Romandía, in addition to clearing another ‘X’, the objective is clear: start preparing for a Tour de France in which Paul Seixas emerges as his clear ‘alter ego’.
The breakaway was not a concern for the men in the general classification; For this reason, a group of seven runners managed to break away when they had not even passed 10 kilometers. During the first section of the stage, in which three laps were made of a circuit in which the La Rasse elevation was ascended (2.5 km at 8.4%), the difference stabilized at 3’30”, with the UAE Team Emirates – XRG leading a peloton that was later joined by the INEOS Grenadiers, who, a few kilometers later, lost Oscar Onley due to stomach problems.
a roman colossus
Once outside the circuit, the peloton headed towards Ovronnazthe port called to decide the day. In this situation, the Emirati team increased the pace to reduce a gap that, at the foot of the climb, was slightly less than 1’45”. Dorian Godon, leader of the race, gave way and the ‘tempo’ increased substantially while The escapees were beginning to fall off the hook.
Pavel Sivakov took responsibility in the group of favorites and the peloton was significantly reduced. Tadej Pogacar did not want to miss his first opportunity. 38 kilometers from the finish line, The Slovenian unleashed a very violent attack that only Lenny Martínez was able to resist. which, in a show of prodigious strength, endured despite the demanding pace set by the Klanec cyclist. In that situation, Lipowitz closed the gap for the leading duo next to a Cepeda who ended up giving in.
Pogacarnot happy with the situation, put one more gear trying to select the group. Nevertheless, the pace was not demanding enough to overtake his rivalskeeping together a trio that thus began a 35-kilometer adventure. In a dizzying descent, Nordhagen managed to link up with the head of the race and join the leading trio.
Classifications of the Tour de Romandie.
The cooperation in the chasing group was unbeatable, which caused the difference to be progressively reduced, although, finally, they were unable to close the gap. In the finish line, the glances began between the four runners called to duel. However, as the most complete runner, Pogacar launched a powerful sprint to which no one had a responsethus achieving his first victory on Swiss soil and securing the leader’s jersey.
