The Tour de Romandie takes place from the 23rd to the 28th of April. It is a traditional figure in the World Tour but one where more riders get opportunities to take wins; in what is the first high-level stage-race following the Ardennes classics. We preview the race ahead.
The race begins with a 2.2-kilometer prologue in the town on Payerne. This is going to be quite an interesting day, where big gaps will not happen, but a first leader will be found at the end of the day.
However this may not be a specialist. This is not a prologue that actually fits the time-trialists, and no-one in specific except for good bike handlers. See this prologue features nothing short of 10 90-degree corners.
This means there is a corner on average every... 220 meters. Funnily enough, most of them are actually situated in the final two thirds of the course. It's an extremely corner-dense prologue where the differences should actually be made according to how fast the riders take the corners. High risks will be taken by some, with a high reward however.
The Weather
Cold temperatures and some moderate northeastern wind, but that shouldn't affect the day. What may however is the rain as it begins to fall in the early afternoon. How strong it will is a question, it should be light and may come in showers. However, it is possible that a few early riders may avoid wet roads and if this does happen, certainly they can benefit in such a technical course.
The Favourites
This is a course that will be far from easy to predict. Luck with the weather can be crucial on the day, but even more than that are the risks the riders will be willing to take. Being a TT expert won't matter too much honestly, because there will be no such thing as a constant effort in this effort. Tons of accelerations, anaerobic efforts... Sprinters and those who are excellent bike handlers have a very real chance of dethroning the most notable specialists in the discipline.
In the more classic side of those who are good in the time-trials we've got riders such as Magnus Sheffield, Juan Ayuso, Ethan Hayter, Rémi Cavagna, Brandon McNulty, Benjamin Thomas, Kasper Asgreen, Josef Cerny, Mattia Cattaneo, Luke Plapp, Bruno Armirail and Thibault Guernalec.
It is the first day in the season of Thibau Nys but in such a technical and explosive course he could surprise I don't doubt. Alongside other riders such as Maikel Zijlaard, Ivo Oliveira, Michael Hepburn, Rune Herregodts, Simone Consonni Tim van Dijke, Alex Aranburu, Johan Price-Pejterse, Jan Tratnik and Jan Christen can also quite surprise here, despite being mostly rouleurs or even classics riders. Form will also matter on the day.
Prediction Tour de Romandie 2024 Prologue:
*** Magnus Sheffield, Alex Aranburu
** Juan Ayuso, Maikel Zijlaard
* Ethan Hayter, Rémi Cavagna, Brandon McNulty, Josef Cerny, Mattia Cattaneo, Luke Plapp, Thibau Nys, Ivo Oliveira, Tim van Dijke, Johan Price-Pejtersen, Jan Tratnik
Pick: Alex Aranburu
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