Geraint Thomas Second On Opening Stage Of Tour De Romania To Eke Out Advantage Over GC Rivals

By Gareth James

Geraint Thomas took time out of most of his General Classifications rivals on the opening stage of the Tour de Romandie.

The 2018 Tour de France champ was second fastest on the short, 4km long prologue in Switzerland as part of an Ineos Grenadiers clean sweep.

Thomas and fellow team-mate and GC contender Richie Porte finished nine seconds down as Australia’s Rohan Dennis clocked the fastest time of 5:26 to take the leader’s jersey.

Wilco Kelderman (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma) were the next best of the likely rivals to Thomas’s victory hopes.

But both finished just outside the top 10 at 16 seconds from Dennis, and seven seconds from Thomas and Porte.

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Owain Doull, also riding for Ineos Grenadiers, was 22nd fastest, 20 secs slower than Dennis, with Stevie Williams clocking the 43rd quickest time for Team Bahrain Victorious, six secs slower than his fellow Welshman.

The six-day race in the hills and mountains of Switzerland will be a key part of Cardiff-born Thomas’s build-up to Le Tour, which starts in June.

This 75th edition of the race has been billed as the toughest yet with 12,500 metres of climbing in less than a week.

Tour of Romandie 2021, prologue: Oron to Oron (4.05km ITT)

1. Rohan Dennis (Aus) Ineos Grenadiers, in 5-26
2. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers, at 9s
3. Richie Porte (Aus) Ineos Grenadiers, at same time
4. Rémi Cavagna (Fra) Deceuninck – Quick-Step, at 11s
5. Stefan Bissegger (Sui) EF Education-Nippo, at same time
6. Jan Tratnik (Slo) Bahrain-Victorious, at 13s
7. Jesús Herrada (Esp) Cofidis, at 14s
8. Marc Hirschi (Sui) UAE Team Emirates, at 15s
9. Mattia Cattaneo (Ita) Deceuninck – Quick-Step
10. Filippo Ganna (Ita) Ineos Grenadiers, all at same time

General classification after stage one

1. Rohan Dennis (Aus) Ineos Grenadiers, in 5-26
2. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers, at 9s
3. Richie Porte (Aus) Ineos Grenadiers, at same time
4. Rémi Cavagna (Fra) Deceuninck – Quick-Step, at 11s
5. Stefan Bissegger (Sui) EF Education-Nippo, at same time
6. Jan Tratnik (Slo) Bahrain-Victorious, at 13s
7. Jesús Herrada (Esp) Cofidis, at 14s
8. Marc Hirschi (Sui) UAE Team Emirates, at 15s
9. Mattia Cattaneo (Ita) Deceuninck – Quick-Step
10. Filippo Ganna (Ita) Ineos Grenadiers, all at same time