The Tour de Romandie will be the final stage-race of the spring period, and the last before the Giro d'Italia. The Swiss race every year attracts some of the best stage-racers in the world for it's climbing and time-trial tests, and this year will be no exception. We take a look at it's profiles.
As is usual, the six-day race both starts and finished with time-trials - albeit short, and not exactly pan-flat. Inbetween, the four days that remain are entirely on hilly terrain where there can be some tactical racing, and of course the penultimate stage which is a pure high mountain day with a brutal summit finish.
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Prologue: Saint-Imier - Saint-Imier, 3.4 kilometers
The race opens up with a short and explosive prologue in Saint-Imier. It's not so usual nowadays to have such a small time-trial at World Tour level, but the Swiss race retains it's tradition and it will open up some gaps into the coming days.
With 7 tricky corners, a rather uphill start and downhill finish, this is an effort that riders can't really afford to pace - it's virtually an all-out effort from start to finish.
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Stage 1: Münchenstein - Fribourg, 194.6 kilometers
Stage 1 is just about one of the most unusual days in the World Tour calendar this year, but it could make for very exciting racing. The stage starts with a 1.7-kilometer climb at 10%, and in it's first two thirds there are several short and steep climbs (the final one being 3 kilometers at 12%).
In this phase of the stage, which ends with 75 kilometers to go, there could potentially be some big attacks, because the terrain is favourable for it. However the distance to the finish does pose a big question on who will dare.
The final kilometers will then be rolling, with a few small climbs, two intermediate sprints, and lastly a 9% uphill rise to the final kilometer in Fribourg - an explosive and difficult finale to control.
Stage 2: Bevaix - Saint-Aubin-Sauges, 156.9 kilometers
Stage 2 is another very hard day in it's start with two quite steep climbs, these ones longer however and better suited to the climbers. They will be 7 kilometers at 7.7% and then 9.8 kilometers at 5.4% (although it gets much steeper than that), both concluded with only 42 kilometers of racing.
It will be appetizing terrain for a strong breakaway to be formed. But later in the day there will be more climbs. one of them being 5.8 kilometers at 5.9% with a descent included, and the second a familiar one for the riders.
The peloton will face the ascent to Chaumont once again where the overall classification can be split to bits not too far from the flat finish in Saint-Aubin Sauges. 3.2 kilometers at 11.4%, it ends with only 48 kilometers to go this time around, and most of the way to the finish is either downhill or flat.
Stage 3: Cossonay - Cossonay, 183 kilometers
Stage 3 is perhaps the easiest non time-trial stage of the race, but it will still be a potential day for differences. All day long the riders go up and down, but without a meaningful ascent. An ideal day for a breakaway almost, it will be hard to organize a strong chase on such terrain.
With 40 kilometers to go will end the Col de Mollendruz which is over 14 kilometers at 3.5%, a rolling climb but one where attacks can come both in breakaway or peloton, but it can also do quite a lot of damage.
But then they climb up to the line in Cossonay which will be 2.2 kilometers at 5.7%, not a very tough climb, but one that will see a mix of the "sprinters", puncheurs and climbers come together for a likely sprint finish.
Stage 4: Sion - Thyon 2000, 128.3 kilometers
The queen stage, without a doubt. There will be 4100 meters of climbing packed in a mere 128 kilometers. It's a day in the valley and climbs around Sion where the stage starts. Right off the start 14.5 kilometers at 7%, followed by 3.8Km at 5.8%.
Then after some riding on flat roads the riders will find a second combination of climbs that will further fatigue the riders in the race: 11.5Km at 6.8% and 5.8Km at 5.1%, the last of which ending with 44 kilometers to go. There will be a downhill run-in to the final climb, which means fighting for positioning will definitely take place.
The four categorized climbs will warm things up, but without a doubt it's in the mythical ascent to Thyon 2000 (20.2 kilometers at 7%) that the stage (and race perhaps) will be decided. The climb is long, it is steep, it features altitude and it is quite consistent. There is simply nowhere to hide, and it will be one of the major climbing tests of the season.
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Stage 5 (ITT): Genève - Genève, 16.9 kilometers
The same way it's started, the race ends with a time-trial. This one is 16.9 kilometers in length and has true potential to make meaningful differences. However, it's certainly not a flat one, featuring a very technical and uphill start in Genève and a 3-kilometer long climb at 4% during the course. All-in-all, a difficult effort to measure, and a time-trial that can have interesting results.
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CONFÉRENCE DE PRESSE LEVER DE RIDEAU : la liste des équipes et des coureurs au départ pic.twitter.com/lVdkJy3J7R
— Tour de Romandie (@TourDeRomandie) April 23, 2025
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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- It would be great if the World Champion's jersey could be rotated among McNulty, Simmons, and Jorgenson. They threaded the needle perfectly. If each hadn't done exactly what he did, exactly when he did it, the race would have gone to one of the more heralded superstars. That said, how nice that this humble and hardworking guy gets his moment in the sun.
MarkFour07-11-2026 - This is a really interesting idea, which, if well prepared could even be very successful. Very little money needs to be involved for a first season and any success could lead to rapid interest from sponsors.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Hmmm, you seem to have a very convenient black and white view of things. Perhaps you haven’t been around much to discover how complex problems can become over time with people who know how to control, manipulate (or worse) others so gradually or subtly that you arrive at an irresolvable situation before you realise. This is how many inconveniences get introduced to the young, naïve, passionate or “desperate”, knowing they are not armed, protected or strong enough to defend themselves once it’s too late. Why do you think omerta culture is so widespread, why do you think so many people continue to go through so many awful things in life that others can’t understand anyone getting into? Life may be far more jolly for you but you would do well to understand (or reflect more on) the real world to refrain from being so quick to criticise those in a hard spot that may have genuine reason for speaking out.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Seriously do you think when somebody gets into a serious accident, the ambulance is called by the hurt person?🤦 there is always a buddy system in place for a risky job. police , firefighters etc so that if someone gets hurt, the other call that in.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I get the point totally. We live in the snowflake society where some riders forget they are getting paid to ride and get results. When they have a few issues they try to look outside of the real issue instead of themselves. It odd so many of the team are making no complaints and getting on with their job. If you do not like what you do find another job simples. Tough love as my mum would say.paultryan200207-11-2026
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
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