DISCUSSION | Tour de Romandie stage 1 - Was Lipowitz hindered by Roglic? Did the wind change Pogacar’s plans?

Tadej Pogacar delivered exactly what many expected on Wednesday, winning the first road stage of the Tour de Romandie and moving into the overall lead after a demanding day around Martigny.

The Slovenian star from UAE Team Emirates - XRG proved strongest in a select four-man sprint after the decisive climb to Ovronnaz, finishing ahead of Lenny Martinez, Florian Lipowitz and Jorgen Nordhagen.

The 171,2 kilometre stage started and finished in Martigny and featured repeated climbs before the major test of the day, the steep ascent to Ovronnaz. With nearly nine kilometres climbing at close to ten percent, it was always expected to be the key moment of the stage.

An early breakaway of seven riders animated the race, including Sam Oomen and Louis Vervaeke. They built a useful advantage, but the bunch never allowed the gap to grow too far as UAE Team Emirates - XRG controlled proceedings throughout the afternoon.

The pace increased sharply on the lower slopes of Ovronnaz and Pogacar eventually made his move. When the world champion accelerated, only Lenny Martinez and FlorianLipowitz were able to respond. It was a rare sight to see Pogacar unable to distance his rivals immediately, but both climbers showed impressive composure and strength to remain on his wheel.

Over the summit, the trio held only a narrow advantage. Jorgen Nordhagen, still within striking distance, used the descent to bridge across and made it four leaders entering the final flat kilometres.

Behind them, the chasing group, containing Primoz Roglic among others, organised a determined pursuit and almost brought the front quartet back. Inside the final two kilometres, the gap had fallen dramatically, but the leaders managed to hold on.

Nordhagen launched first into the final corner, hoping to catch the others by surprise, yet Pogacar reacted instantly. Once he opened his sprint, the result was never in doubt. The World Champion powered clear to take the stage win with authority, Lipowitz crossed second, while Martinez completed the podium.

Thanks to the time bonuses and his victory, Pogacar also claimed the race lead. Lipowitz now sits seven seconds behind in second place, while Martinez is third at sixteen seconds.

With more climbing days still to come, the Tour de Romandie remains far from settled. But after the first major mountain test, Tadej Pogacar has already placed himself firmly in command.

The opening road stage of the Tour de Romandie delivered a finale few truly expected. Rather than the familiar script of Tadej Pogacar launching clear on the final climb and riding away to another trademark solo win, the Slovenian reached the line in select company alongside Florian Lipowitz, Lenny Martinez and Jorgen Nordhagen.

The biggest surprise of the day was undoubtedly Lipowitz. Once Pogacar accelerated on the slopes of Ovronnaz, it looked like the move that would decide the stage. Yet the Team Visma | Lease a Bike rider managed to bridge across to the front group, something that seemed highly unlikely in the moment. It was an impressive display of climbing strength and composure under pressure.

Still, if we are being honest, Pogacar only failed to drop the others because he chose not to. We did not see the savage accelerations that usually leave rivals instantly in reverse. Instead, he set a hard but controlled tempo, one that allowed Martinez to hold the wheel and Lipowitz to suffer his way back into contention. It felt more like measured race management than an all-out bid to win alone.

Further back, Primoz Roglic once again could not stay with the very best when the race exploded. There is still respect for everything he has achieved, but the pattern is becoming difficult to ignore. At this stage of his career, targeting smaller stage races and building a programme around realistic winning opportunities may make more sense than continuing to chase the biggest names on the toughest terrain.

No one doubts Roglic’s class. He remains a top rider. But there is an increasing risk that he finishes another major race outside the podium, perhaps even outside the top five. For a rider on his salary and with his status, the return in pure results should arguably be stronger. Right now, there are shades of decline that invite uncomfortable comparisons with a fading champion trying to hold back time.

Which brings the real intrigue for Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe. Will management have the courage to pivot fully toward Lipowitz, once he proves to be the strongest GC option? And if that moment comes, would Roglic accept a supporting role?

Florian Lipowitz was Roglic’s victim on today’s stage. Why else would the Red Bull rider be the only man in that group who never took a turn on the front? He must have been told by his sports director not to contribute, hoping the riders behind would close the gap to the leading group. There is only one way to read that situation: Lipowitz is not the team leader. The next chapter in the Roglic storyline arrives tomorrow.

It was also with great sadness for the race to see Oscar Onley abandon. He came into Romandie as INEOS’ leader, and I was looking forward to seeing him in action and measuring himself against his rivals. Tao Geoghegan Hart also left the race, which means Lidl-Trek are now without their leader as well and they should now place his bet on the young Albert Philipsen, who today finished the race in an excellent 5th place. They were two riders I really wanted to watch this week.

My disappointments today were Valentin Paret-Peintre and Nairo Quintana. Especially the Colombian from Movistar, who was coming off a victory at the Vuelta a Asturias and should have had his confidence high.

But that is cycling. It does not go the way we want, it goes the way the road decides. We have to look ahead, and tomorrow is another day

It was a stage that brought... Novelty. With it being a 'single effort' stage and the climb being quite steep, everyone was free to pretty much time trial up the main climb of the day and team tactics weren't really going to be at play there. But they could after the climb.

UAE did what they had the responsibility to, controlling early on, but there was nothing impressive about how they launched Tadej Pogacar.The Slovenian didn't look to go all-out when he attacked, but I did expect him to accelerate afterwards. That was not the case.

After the stage he explained there was a headwind in the valley and that's what led to his decision not to go all-out on the climb. I think it makes sense, I do believe he would've won solo anyway, as the gaps would be bigger and there wouldn't be a big united group right behind him, but at the same time he would actually have to lose the race in the end for this conservative performance to be considered a mistake, and that's unlikely to happen.

Pogacar rode the climb at the pace he wanted and just wanted riders alongside him for the long, flat and windy valley run. Since he had two men to help him, the sprint was always his to win. Jorgen Nordhagen rode great, perhaps the best climbing performance of his career so far, and it is not by chance he's nicknamed the 'mini Vingegaard', the physical similarity is big and he has also been steadily evolving into a great climber.

Lenny Martínez also climbed really well, like he did last year as well in Romandie. However with the consistency he's shown this spring, the Frenchman has taken a step, and he can certainly finish second in this race.

Pogacar's words in the post-race interview showed quite a notable side eye to Florian Lipowitz, who he singled out as not working whilst complementing the other two. If he really does have a figurative 'blacklist' then I would expect the German to have entered it today.

But at the same time I don't blame Lipowitz, who doesn't have a sprint (as we also saw), had teammates behind in Roglic and Tuckwell, and also has nothing to gain from distancing the rest since his fight is with Pogacar and Martínez. The three are likely to complete the podium at the end of the week, but it will take the final two mountain stages to open up the gaps it seems.

What happened in Martigny goes beyond the simple reading of a victory: it was a lesson in hierarchy. Tadej Pogacar didn’t just win - he imposed a natural order on the race, the kind that separates the truly great champions from those still searching for answers.

Because what stood out was not his attack - expected, feared - but the sense of inevitability that accompanied it from the moment he lifted the pace on Ovronnaz. Pogacar doesn’t race against his rivals; he races against the limits of modern cycling.

His way of selecting a race - without theatrics, without repeated accelerations - reflects a superiority that no longer surprises, yet still commands awe. Every time he raises the tempo, the peloton enters a different reality, one where survival replaces ambition.

And that is where his stature grows: he doesn’t win by capitalizing on others’ mistakes, but through an authority that forces them into making those mistakes.And yet, what Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe did goes beyond mere defeat. It is, quite simply, a case study.

With Florian Lipowitz up the road, just seconds off the overall lead, and Primoz Roglic behind, the logical choice was clear: either commit fully to the German or sacrifice his chances in favor of the Slovenian. What unfolded instead was a tactical limbo that is hard to justify.

Lipowitz refused to contribute in a group where every turn could have brought him closer to the virtual lead. The reasoning - protecting Roglic - collapses under scrutiny: the team leader was already distanced, with no immediate prospect of bridging back, and every second gifted to Pogacar was a strategic concession.

The outcome was the worst possible scenario: neither Roglic’s chances were preserved, nor Lipowitz’s opportunity was maximized. In cycling, hesitation is costly. Against a rider like Pogacar, it is doubly so. Because he does not speculate. Where others calculate, he executes. Where others hesitate, he delivers.

And while Red Bull became entangled in its own contradictions, the Slovenian was building yet another victory that reinforces an unavoidable narrative: that of a rider who not only dominates his era, but defines it.What should concern his rivals most is not the defeat itself, but the sense of helplessness it leaves behind.

Because even in a scenario where every tactical decision had been flawless, the feeling remains that Pogačar would still have found a way to win. That is the true measure of his legend: he renders others’ mistakes irrelevant and turns every performance into an undeniable display of authority.