The British Ethan Vernon (Soudal Quick Step) has prevailed in a powerful sprint in the first online stage of the Tour de Romandie disputed between Crissier and Vallée de Joux, of 170.9 km, in which he inherited the yellow jersey from his Czech teammate Josef Cerny, winner of the prologue.
Vernon, a cyclist coming from the track, where he was the team pursuit World champion in 2022, had no rival in the sprint, where well launched by the leader Josef Cerny, he finished off his fourth victory of the season without opposition. He before him raised his arms in the Palma Trophy and in 2 stages of the Tour of Rwanda.
In 2022 he successfully made himself known in the Volta a Catalunya. The 1.90 meter young Briton entered the finish line euphoric, seeing himself as the winner with a time of 4:05.33, at an average of 41.8 km/hour, beating the Belgians Thibau Nys (Trek Segafredo) and Milen Menten (Lotto Dstny). .
Second victory on the World Tour for Vernon, a rider of the future, who went up to don the yellow jersey that he will defend in the second stage with a minimum difference of 1 second over his teammate Cerny and the Norwegian from Jumbo Visma and world time trial champion Tobias Foss.
This was the stage of the Tour of Romandie
The race started without the Kazakh Alexey Lutsenko, with Covid, and Mark Cavendish withdrew, far from his best moment. Five men immediately stood out, Tobias Bayer, Julien Bernard, Michael Schar, Dario Lillo, and Jan Stockli. The adventure was not far, as the peloton led by Ineos annulled it far from the finish line, 74 km away.
Going up the Col Mont D’Orzeires the configuration of the stage changed. A large escape was formed, leaving a good number of sprinters trapped behind. There was no longer any truce and the front squad was unreachable. The pursuers, among them the Colombian from Movistar Fernando Gaviria, carried out a curious event, which was getting lost at a crossroads, which forced them to stop until they found the right road.
The sprint was sung. Soudal worked for the victory even putting the pitcher leader. Then Remi Cavagna took over, coming out to an attack by Oscar Onley (DSM). Finally the huge figure of Ethan Vernon emerged to take the lead, raising his arms with great authority. victory of the fastest in a batch in which Egan Bernal and Sergio Higuita, the two best-placed Colombians in the general, entered without problems.
This Thursday the second stage will be held between Morteau and La Chaux-de-Fonds, of 162.7 km, an undulating day, especially in the last third, where two second-class climbs will be overcome, the Col de la Vue des Alpes (5.2 km at 4.7 percent) and the Col de la Tourne (4.4 km at 7.1). At 10 from the finish line there is a non-scoring, but dangerous slope, Le Communal, 1.5 km to 8).
Tour of Romandie standings
Classification of the 1st stage:
1. Ethan Vernon (GBR/QST) the 170.9km in 4h05:34. (average: 41.9 km/h) (10 bonus seconds)
2. Thibau Nys (BEL/TRE) (-6.)
3. Milan Menten (BEL/LOT) (-4.)
4. Romain Bardet (FRA/DSM)
5. Jacopo Mosca (ITA/TRE)
6. Nicholas Schultz (AUS/ISR)
7. Lilian Calmejane (FRA/INT)
8. Clement Venturini (FRA/AG2)
9. Ivo Oliveira (POR/UAE)
10. Quinten Hermans (BEL/ALP) all with the same time…
General ranking:
1. Ethan Vernon (GBR/Quick Step) 4:12:59.
2. Josef Cerny (CZE/QST) to 0.
3. Tobias Foss (NOR/JUM) 1.
4. Remi Cavagna (FRA/QST) 1.
5. Nico Denz (GER/BOR) 4.
6. Joel Suter (SUI/TUD) 5.
7. Ethan Hayter (GBR/INE) mt
8. Mikkel Bjerg (DEN/UAE) 9.
9. Matteo Sobrero (ITA/BIK) mt
10. Ivo Oliveira (POR/UAE) mt
55. Sergio Higuita (COL/BOR) 26.
56. Egan Bernal (COL/INE) mt
SPORTS
with AFP
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