Tour de Romandie – Dries Devenyns – Shortening the stage was a wise decision –

THE FACT OF THE DAY

The return of winter in the Jura changed the situation for what was to be the start of the stage in La Chaux-de-Fonds. The race organizers, in agreement with the jury of commissioners, decided to transfer the riders from the original starting point to Mathod, thereby avoiding the snowy sections and shortening the course for this first stage by about 60 kilometers.

THE QUOTE

“The choice to shorten the stage was a wise decision,” commented Dries Devenyns while he was recuperating from his day’s efforts. “The cold and snow had already disrupted the prologue. The forecasts were very bad for the first kilometers of today’s stage. And even at the finish, the conditions were changing every five minutes.”

THE EXPLANATION

“We didn’t really bring a sprinter to the Tour of Romandie, at least not one able to compete realistically in a field of a hundred other riders,” Rik Verbrugghe, IAM Cycling’s sports manager, explained at the finish line. “Jarlinson Pantano has a good kick, but needs a much harder stage that will shell many more riders in order to have the sort of sized group he would need to be able to shine.”

THE NUMBER

1 – The number of places Reto Hollenstein moved up in the overall standings. He is the best placed member of the Swiss professional team at this World Tour event. The impressively tall rider from the Thurgau region in Switzerland is in 6th place after two days of racing.

THE MENU FOR THE DAY

The stage between Moudon and Morgins will give several IAM Cycling racers a chance to excel. Mathias Frank in particular will be looking to prove himself on the 20 kilometer final climb to the resort in the Valais.

Pictures – IAM Cycling