"They'll definitely try to make up time on me" - Romain Grégoire downshifts into a defensive mode for stage 4

Romain Grégoire successfully defended his provisional lead at the Tour de Suisse, but there's still a bit of regret for the Frenchman as the peloton let one man ride away with a stage victory.

"It was a difficult day all the same. We really tried to control it with the team, to aim for the stage. I'm a little disappointed not to be able to thank them and reward them with a victory... but hey, I'm not second, so no regrets," the Frenchman refers to his growing list of second places.

Today was ultimately not an ideal day for the Groupama - FDJ puncheur anyways with a sprint of a group that was a bit too large for his liking. "It was a sprint. The last three kilometers were really tough. I was beaten by two stronger riders in the peloton, and in front, there was a rider [Quinn Simmons] who put on a real show... There are really no regrets."

Thus Grégoire continues to carry on with his 25-second lead over compatriot Kévin Vauquelin and two more seconds separate him from Bart Lemmen and another Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe. Tommorow, the Tour de Suisse continues to shift to a higher gear with a long, 35-kilometer Splüngenpass where the legs of everyone are bound to be tested.

While it's unlikely Wednesday will turn out to be a key GC day, some riders who gained time through stage 1 breakaway are bound to step back from the standings there.

For Grégoire, the day's main goal will be to fend off attacks and keep the yellow jersey. "Tomorrow is clearly a change of pace. We'll see how it goes, I'm expecting to have a complicated day. I think they'll try to make up time on me tomorrow, and that's normal... Even if there are these last 40 kilometers downhill, I think I'll have to be solid," he concludes.