2022 Tour de Romandie – the GC battle and prologue preview

The Tour de Romandie 2022 starts on Tuesday 26^th April and ends on the 1^st May 2022. Interestingly, this year will mark the 75^th anniversary of the race.

The route

Swiss like their clock and the 6 days race contains two time-trials.  The race opens with a 5.2 km prologue followed by 3 medium mountain stages meaning minimal chance for sprinters. The queen stage, with an astounding 6 categorised climbs precedes the second time trial, 16 km long, of which 10.2 km is an uphill climb at 8.1%.

Past podiums

Prologue

A completely flat time trial of 5.2 km with showers in the morning with an improvement expected in the afternoon.

Lulu: As a real time trial specialist, Cavagna will give all to take the stage.

CC 2004: Rohan Dennis, the flat parcours will give him an advantage.

Mufcfaan: Remi Cavagna has been barely racing this year and he would want to seize the rare opportunity of victory that will present itself.

Predictions for overall podium

Lulu: It is difficult to predict who of Hayter or Thomas will be the main man for Ineos Grenadier, that is why I chose both and see how things will unroll. Caruso can repeat his Giro de Sicilia feat, but here the opposition is a level up. Ion Izagirre  was only matched by Daniel Martinez in Itzulia Basque Country. Aleksandr Vlasov completed the podium behind Itzulia Basque Country.

Mufcfaan: Ion Izagirre is in splendid form. Was bested by Vlasov in Itzulia through bonus time and so misfortune. The time trials favours him in Romandie. Vlasov has confirmed his potential and now forms part of the elite General Classification rider. O’Connor was the transfer of last season and he is continuing to confirm his potential and the man from Down Under is also a more-than-decent time-trialist. Geraint Thomas comes back to defend his title. The most famous white framed sun-glasses has been out of the pressure for a while and this will favour him. Marc Hirschi has grown back to his shape of 2020. The key to the UAE boat could be handed to him or Ayuso, if McNulty does not feel comfortable after his crash in Liège-Bastogne-Liège. A home win is unlikely but not impossible.

Fantasy riders to watch

L: Lulu     C:CC2004     M:Mufcfaan

Big money certainties; GC contenders

• Ion Izagirre: this race suits him well as he loves ITT and mountains. He seems to be at his best as seen in Itzulia. (L,C,M)
• Ben O’connor: a good climber to follow for top 10 and he loves rain. (M)
• Damiano Caruso: Looks better and better as seen in the tour of Sicily. He will be Team Bahrain leader (L)
  –Great climber and therefore likes the steep gradients (C)
• Brandon McNulty: A good climber and a good time trialist. (C)
• Aleksandr Vlasov: Good at time trial and climbing. He can win the overall. (L,C,M)

Big money bet: riders that could or could not feature for GC battle

• Sergio Higuita: one of the best climbers in the world in the Volta Catalunya but went incognito in Itzulia (M)
  -Good all rounder as he can climb TT and sprint. (C)
• Thibaut Pinot: with no fall or physical problem he seems to be back at a good level, and can win a stage and even aim for the podium. (L)
• Michael Storer: he had an excellent tour of Alps and will definitely be on show. (M)
• David de la Cruz: had an overall good performance at the tour of Alps. (L)
• Gerraint Thomas: won the race last year. Good at time trial and no Slovenians to bully him. (M)
• Rigoberto Uran: excellent at time trial and climb, he could win the overall but his form is unknown (M)
• Michael Woods: never to be counted off. (L)
• Mattia Cattaneo: He will be main Quickstep leader after Ilan Van Wilder crashing out , can TT and climb well (L)

Stage chasers and mid budgets

• Marc Hirschi: will definitely aim to win a stage at home for the minimum. (L,C, M)
• Dylan Teuns: will make his presence felt by going for a stage victory. (M)
• Magnus Sheffield: at 19^th he took the road cycling world by storm, expect him to fight for a stage victory.(M)
• Rohan Dennis: the time trial specialist has been impressing more and more in the mountain but can he fight for general classification? (C)
• Sepp Kuss: a fan favourite. he will be team Jumbo Visma leader (L)
• Geoffrey Bouchard: will in the battle for mountain jersey (L)
• Ethan Hayter: Likely to be Ineos leader for Romandie and another good all rounder (L,C)
• Remi Cavagna: with two 2 stages out of 6 being against the clock, the French could be a good bargain.(M)

Low cost bargains

• Magnus Sheffield: at 19^th he took the road cycling world by storm, expect him to fight for a stage victory.(M)
• Patrick Bevin: A good sprinter who can time trial well. His performance at the tour of Turkey showed he can do more.(L)
• Antonio Tiberi: the former junior ITT is a cheap bet. He has improved his climbing abilities. (M)
• Quinten Hermans: A second place two days ago in Liege means that the Belgian is in great from. He can good in breaks, can climb well and packs a good sprint. Had he been better at time trial, we would have heard more of the cyclo-cross man.
• Chris Froome: No.