Limited Places - REGISTER NOW!
United States | Southeast | Virginia >> Jon Izaguirre (Movistar) wins the 4km Tour de Romandie Prologue

Jon Izaguirre (Movistar) wins the 4km Tour de Romandie Prologue

Jon Izagirre (Movistar) put in an impressive win in the 4km opening TT of the 2016 hailing "I intend to keep the yellow jersey for as long as possible"

On a cold day that saw occasional snow showers in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland,  Jon Izagirre rode seven seconds faster than former world champion Michal Kwiatkowski of Sky who finished 3rd, with Sky’s Geraint Thomas finished fourth and best placed of the GC favorites.

Tejay van Garderen (BMC) finished 9th, one second up on FDJ’s leader, Thibaut Pinot. Nairo Quintana finished 16 seconds behind his winning Movistar teammate. Two-time race champion Chris Froome was 60thbut only 26 seconds behind the winner.

Chros Froome is trying to win the race for the third time as he prepares to defend his Tour de France title. Rain slowed times on the opening 3.95km stage in the town of La Chaux-de-Fonds, with poor weather expected all week. The weather can be very cold, sometimes spectators use snow skis to get to a stage of the Tour de Romandie!  

Wednesday’s Stage 1 runs from La Chaux-de-Fonds to Moudon 169km, a gently rolling profile that could come down to a bunch sprint or breakaway.

The 2016 edition sees an impressive field of riders, including Christopher Froome, Nairo Quintana, Thibaut Pinot, Romain Bardet, Richie Porte, Tejay van Garderen, Rigoberto Uran, Pierre Rolland, Andrew Talansky, Marcel Kittel, Rui Costa, Simon Gerrans, Tom Dumoulin, Michal Kwiatkowski, Geraint Thomas, Rafal Majka, Ryder Hesjedal and Enrico Gasparotto.

The winners of four recent editions will be on the starting line: Chris Froome (Sky, 2013 and 2014), Simon Spilak and Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha, 2010 and 2015). In addition to these recent yellow jerseys, including that of a 2nd Tour de France for Froome last year, Thibaut Pinot will be among the big favourites. The brilliant winner of the international Critérium this year, and 4th in the last TdR, could give France a new victory 17 years after Laurent Jalabert.

A mano a mano between Froome and Pinot is certainly not the only potential scenario, with candidates for final victory such as Nairo Quintana (Movistar), winner of the 2014 Giro and the 2016 Volta a Catalunya, Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale), winner of the ‘Combativity Award’ in the 2015 Tour de France as well as the 18th stage, Geraint Thomas (Sky), winner of Paris-Nice, Simon Gerrans (Orica GreenEdge) winner of the Tour Down Under, Michele Scarponi (Giro 2011), Jan Bakelants (AG2R).

Jon Izagirre (Movistar) put in an impressive win in the 4km opening TT of the 2016 hailing "I intend to keep the yellow jersey for as long as possible"

The Tour de Romandie 2016 at a glance

Prologue Tuesday 26 April Prologue, La Chaux-de-Fonds 3.95 km
1st stage Wednesday 27 April La Chaux-de-Fonds - Moudon 169 km
2nd stage Thursday 28 April Moudon - Morgins 173.9 km
3rd stage Friday 29 April Individual time trial, Sion 15.11 km
4th stage Saturday 30 April Conthey - Villars-sur-Ollon 172.7 km
5th stage Sunday 1 MayOllon - Geneva 177.4 km

Total changes in elevation: 10,140 m Total: 712.06 km

2016 Tour de Romandie TT Stage Results, April 26th

Rank Name Nationality Team Age Result
1 Jon IZAGUIRRE INSAUSTI ESP MOV 27 5:33
2 Tom DUMOULIN NED TGA 26 +6
3 Michal KWIATKOWSKI POL SKY 26 +7
4 Geraint THOMAS GBR SKY 30 +7
5 Gorka IZAGUIRRE INSAUSTI ESP MOV 29 +8
6 Moreno MOSER ITA CPT 26 +9
7 Reto HOLLENSTEIN SUI IAM 31 +11
8 Louis VERVAEKE BEL LTS 23 +11
9 Tejay VAN GARDEREN USA BMC 28 +11
10 Martijn KEIZER NED TLJ 28 +12
11 Thibaut PINOT FRA FDJ 26 +12
12 Daryl IMPEY RSA OGE 32 +13
13 Andrey AMADOR BIKKAZAKOVA CRC MOV 30 +13
14 Alexey LUTSENKO KAZ AST 24 +14
15 Diego ROSA ITA AST 27 +15
16 Jan BAKELANTS BEL ALM 30 +15
17 Enrico GASPAROTTO ITA WGG 34 +15
18 Nairo Alexander QUINTANA ROJAS COL MOV 26 +16
19 Alexandre GENIEZ FRA FDJ 28 +16
20 Davide FORMOLO ITA CPT 24 +16