Cycling: The spectators didn't see a really fair race today at the start of the Tour de Romandie. The changeable weather made for unequal conditions. Fabio Felline (Trek-Segafredo), who started the race early, was able to benefit from this and won the prologue with a time of just under six minutes. Two Germans who are still unknown to many fans made it into the top 10.
Maximilian Schachmann & Christoph Pfingsten in the top 10
The 4,8-kilometre prologue in Aigle should actually allow for beautiful pictures. If the weather had been good, the crooked streets would certainly have provided visual appeal. But things turned out completely differently, because April lived up to its reputation. The weather didn't cooperate, so the race literally fell through. The pilots who started early had clear advantages over the late starters. The Italian Fabio Felline (Trek-Segafredo) knew how to use this. His time of 5:57 should last until the end. He only had to tremble once more at the end when Alex Dowsett (Movistar) scraped past the best time, only two seconds behind. The Brit was second in front of the Australian Alexander Edmondson (Orica-Scott). Just eight seconds behind, Maximilian Schachmann (Quick-Step Floors) finished fourth. Christoph Pfingsten (Bora-hansgrohe) rounded off the good German result with his tenth place. Tom Bohli (BMC) was the eighth best Swiss.
Chris Froome with first points victory over Richie Porte
Fabio Felline will be at the start tomorrow in the leader's jersey. The spectators can expect an exciting duel between Chris Froome (Sky) and Richie Porte (BMC) over the course of the tour. Today both were careful not to fall. Froome ended up 77th (+0:29) and Richie Porte was only 107th (+0:33). While Froome was able to steal four seconds from what is probably his biggest competitor Porte, a former ski jumper seems to be the big winner among the classification riders. Primož Roglič (LottoNL-Jumbo) finished sixth, just nine seconds back. Emanuel Buchmann (Bora-hansgrohe) in 30th place lost only 20 seconds to the day's winner. Tomorrow there will be the first small mountain finish in Champéry. However, the last two days of the Tour de Romandie will be decisive. On Saturday there is the king's stage in Leysin, before the final individual time trial over almost 18 kilometers in Lausanne on Sunday.
Result of the prologue of the Tour de Romandie
| Tour Locations | Driver | Country | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Fabio Fellina | Italy | Trek-Segafredo | 05:57 |
| 2. | Alex Dowsett | Great Britain | Movistar | + 0: 02 |
| 3. | Alexander Edmondson | Australia | Orica Scott | + 0: 07 |
| 4. | Maximilian schachmann | Germany | Quick Step Floors | + 0: 08 |
| 5. | Victor Campenaerts | Belgium | LottoNL Jumbo | st |
| 6. | Primois Roglic | Slovenia | LottoNL Jumbo | + 0: 09 |
| 7. | Vasil Kiryienka | Belarus | Sky | + 0: 10 |
| 8. | Tom Bohli | Switzerland | BMC | st |
| 9. | Johan LeBon | France | FDJ | + 0: 11 |
| 10. | Christopher Pentecost | Germany | Bora, hansgrohe | st |