We start with a 7,9km prologue in Yverdon-les-Bains. It`s completely flat and so the climbers must already try to reduce their loss.
The real difficulties are on the last 4 days but akready today you might lose the GC.
Sestili is one of the first time trialists on the road. With a time of 10'36 he will be somewhere in the first third obviously, but also far from the win today.
Siutsou is the first GC rider here. He is an outside bet but as Pendleton`s don`t really have a top quality GC rider here he might get some freedom. Todays time could have been better. 12s slower than Sestili.
Rolland is a great time trialist. The French won`t stay with the best on the hard mountains so his focus is probably on todays stage. New best time and 6s faster.
Vaugrenard is another French chrono man. But he can`t beat his country man and finishes 1s behind.
Schwab is surely no rider for today. But he is one of 2-3 Swiss riders, who probably want to shine here.
We almost missed Malori. One of the stage favourites today. And the Italian sets the new best time. 10'28 for him.
Kreuziger is pretty similar to him. But the Czech misses the time by 1s. 10'29 for him.
Bonnet is yet another prologue specialist. And yet another French actually. He comes the closest as he is within the same time but just 2nd behind Malori, who keeps the lead.
We slowly come to the GC riders and start with one of the weakest against the clock.
Alarcon might be one of the best climbers but this doesn`t count for his abilities against the clock. Horrible start for him. A 10'57. So he is losing ~40s to the winner today. Tiem he needs to gain again in the mountains.
Not in the camera but we have a new leader. Festina`s Bernaudeu with a very strong ride takes the lead by 1s.
Lloret is the probable leader of the Lotto squad. Not the best in comparison to the best but a top15 is possible. Solid start today as he is just losing 4s to Bernaudeu.
Denifl is not riding far from his home here. The Austrian is a great climber. Decent time for him: 10'36.
Spilak is one of the top favourites here as he already proved his skills on all terrains. So far the best time of the favourites and just 2s behind. Good start for him.
Braijkovic as former winner obviously belongs to the best bets. He beats Spilak`s time and takes the best GC rider at the moment but even though he equals the leader`s time he is set to the 2nd.
Machado was named as top favourite by some and he definitely is able to do so. Todays effort could have been better to be honest. 10'37.
Amador has high pressure by his team as they want to win here. Losing just 2s to Braijkovic is a good start I guess.
Uran with a very good day. He also beats the Malori time and takes the actual 3rd within the same time as Braijkovic and Bernaudeu.
Contador won Catalunya in a great way by dominating the mountain stage. Will we see this here again? A decent result for him but not more. 10'35.
Gesink is almost a perfect rider. Being great on all uphill terrain and time trials. So he is the top favourite today and for the Romandie GC.
At least today he is delivering. Incredible time and 11s faster than the previous best: 10'16.
Schleck is the best climber here and also a decent time trialist. As 34th at the moment and +22s to Gesink he definitely needs to improve in the harder terrain.
Pluchkin as last today. He doesn`t beat Gesink but all the others. As 2nd of the stage all chances are good for him for a top result. He is 4s slower than the Dutch but also 7s faster than Braijkovic and Uran as best GC riders behind them.
Most favourites are within 20s and it`s wide open. Only a few like Alarcon need to attack in the mountains, so we can be looking forward to the harder stages.
Result
1
Robert Gesink
Project 1t4i
10'16
2
Aleksandr Pluchkin
Team B&O
+ 4
3
Mathieu Bernaudeau
Festina-Canal+
+ 11
4
Janez Brajkovic
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
5
Rigoberto Úran
Milka - AVG
s.t.
6
Adrian Malori
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
+ 12
7
William Bonnet
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
8
Roman Kreuziger
Milka - AVG
+ 13
9
Simon Spilak
Aker - MOT
s.t.
10
Andrei Amador
UBS - BMC
s.t.
11
Pierre Rolland
Festina-Canal+
+ 14
12
Jakub Danacik
Koenigsegg
s.t.
13
Javier Aramendía
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
14
Benoît Vaugrenard
Project 1t4i
+ 15
15
Maciej Bodnar
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
s.t.
16
Manuel Lloret
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
17
Brian Vandborg
Team B&O
+ 16
18
Casper Jørgensen
Team B&O
+ 17
19
Andrei Grivko
Team B&O
s.t.
20
Jack Bobridge
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
21
Florian Morizot
Pearl Adidas
+ 18
22
Dan Craven
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
s.t.
23
Thomas Faiers
Pendleton's
s.t.
24
Jurgen Van den Broeck
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
25
Jack Bauer
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
+ 19
26
Alberto Contador
Festina-Canal+
s.t.
27
Luigi Sestili
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 20
28
Piotr Mazur
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
29
Gustavo Veloso
Santander
s.t.
30
Stefan Denifl
Wikipedia
s.t.
31
Tiago Machado
Pearl Adidas
+ 21
32
Cornelius Van Ooijen
Team Bintang
+ 22
33
Richie Porte
Vesuvio - Accumalux
s.t.
34
Tim Dees
Festina-Canal+
s.t.
35
Andy Schleck
Vesuvio - Accumalux
s.t.
36
Yoann Offredo
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
37
Stelly Robert
Wikipedia
+ 23
38
Mario Gonzalez Salas
Santander
s.t.
39
José Rujano
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
40
Branislav Samoilev
Pearl Adidas
+ 25
41
Jelle Vanendert
Project 1t4i
s.t.
42
Saul Raisin
Team Bintang
s.t.
43
Mattia Cattaneo
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
44
David Claerebout
Vesuvio - Accumalux
s.t.
45
Alfredo Balloni
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
46
Tom Dumoulin
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
47
Mikayil Krasnoperov
Team Bintang
s.t.
48
Alejandro Valverde
Koenigsegg
+ 26
49
Matthieu Sprick
Wikipedia
+ 27
50
Martin Mortensen
Koenigsegg
s.t.
51
Steven Kruijswijk
Team B&O
s.t.
52
Vegard Stake Laengen
Aker - MOT
s.t.
53
Wout Poels
Project 1t4i
+ 28
54
Sergio Pardilla
Team Bacardi
s.t.
55
Thomas Frei
UBS - BMC
s.t.
56
Tyler Butterfield
Team Bacardi
s.t.
57
Philippe Gilbert
Pendleton's
s.t.
58
Leopold König
Milka - AVG
s.t.
59
Dominique Nerz
Team Puma - SAP
+ 29
60
Tyler Brandt
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
61
Matthias Frank
UBS - BMC
s.t.
62
Tom Stubbe
Simply Red Bull
+ 30
63
Martijn Maaskant
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
64
Jakub Novak
Milka - AVG
+ 31
65
Jure Kocjan
Team Bacardi
s.t.
66
Maxim Belkov
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
67
Konstantin Siutsou
Pendleton's
+ 32
68
Erick Rowsell
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
69
Tim Kennaugh
Pendleton's
s.t.
70
Jonathan Castroviejo
Project 1t4i
s.t.
71
Teodoro Costagli
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
72
Rasmus Quaade
Team B&O
+ 33
73
Christophe Riblon
UBS - BMC
s.t.
74
Andrew Talansky
Wikipedia
s.t.
75
Peter Sagan
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 34
76
Mathieu Perget
Team Bacardi
s.t.
77
Wilco Kelderman
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
78
Juan Pablo Forero
Milka - AVG
s.t.
79
José Joaquin Rojas Gil
Aker - MOT
+ 35
80
Jakub Kratochvila
Milka - AVG
s.t.
81
Emanuele Sella
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
82
Tom Thill
Team Bacardi
s.t.
83
Marco Brus
Festina-Canal+
+ 36
84
Gianluca Brambilla
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
s.t.
85
Meron Russom
Pendleton's
+ 37
86
Petar Panayotov
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
87
Thurakit Boonratanathanakorn
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
88
Nebojsa Jovanovic
Pendleton's
+ 38
89
Coen Vermeltfoort
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
90
Tom Leezer
Pearl Adidas
+ 39
91
Arnold Jeannesson
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
92
Sebastien Reichenbach
UBS - BMC
+ 40
93
David De la Fuente
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
94
Alex Kirsch
Vesuvio - Accumalux
s.t.
95
Fabio Montenegro
Team Bintang
s.t.
96
Ethan Weiss
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
+ 41
97
Ole Hirschlein
Lotto - Cervelo
s.t.
98
Johannes Frohlinger
Project 1t4i
s.t.
99
Jose Alarcon
Team Bintang
s.t.
100
Artem Topchanyuk
Aker - MOT
s.t.
101
Jon Ander Insausti
Santander
+ 42
102
Magno Nazaret
Team Bintang
s.t.
103
Michael Albasini
UBS - BMC
s.t.
104
Cedric Lebris
Festina-Canal+
s.t.
105
Matteo Rabottini
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
+ 43
106
José Antonio Redondo
Koenigsegg
s.t.
107
Christophe Kern
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
108
Rafel Majka
Project 1t4i
s.t.
109
Jose Goncalves
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
110
Simon Zahner
UBS - BMC
+ 45
111
Evgeni Sokolov
Team Bacardi
s.t.
112
Steele Von Hoff
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
113
Didac Ortega
Santander
s.t.
114
Abolfazl Gilanipoor
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
s.t.
115
Mohammad Saufi Mat Senan
Project 1t4i
s.t.
116
Remberto Jaramillo
Aker - MOT
s.t.
117
Laurent Pichon
Festina-Canal+
+ 46
118
Dmitri Medvedev
Vesuvio - Accumalux
s.t.
119
Philip Deignan
Pendleton's
s.t.
120
Cesare Di Maggio
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
s.t.
121
Paolo Scarponi
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
122
Hector Duenas Nevado
Aker - MOT
+ 47
123
David Rosch
Pendleton's
s.t.
124
Mario Vogt
Team Puma - SAP
+ 48
125
Matej Vysna
Milka - AVG
s.t.
126
Juan Abenhamar Gallego Martin
Santander
s.t.
127
Christoph Mai
Wikipedia
+ 49
128
Piter Campero
Festina-Canal+
s.t.
129
Johannes Heider
Team Puma - SAP
s.t.
130
Maciej Paterski
Vesuvio - Accumalux
+ 50
131
Hubert Schwab
Team Puma - SAP
+ 51
132
Ran Margaliot
Simply Red Bull
s.t.
133
Jaroslav Kulhavy
Milka - AVG
s.t.
134
Víctor Hugo Orozco
Team Bintang
+ 52
135
Salvatore Mancuso
Team Bacardi
s.t.
136
Max Öste-Macdonald
Koenigsegg
s.t.
137
Pedro Pablo Pereyra
Lotto - Cervelo
+ 54
138
Kenny Elissonde
Wikipedia
s.t.
139
Timothy Dupont
Pokerstars.com
+ 55
140
Bert-Jan Lindeman
Koenigsegg
+ 56
141
Jocelin Maillet
Pearl Adidas
s.t.
142
Pello Bilbao
Team Bacardi
s.t.
143
Santo Anza
Koenigsegg
s.t.
144
Benedetto Monterastelli
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 57
145
Andrey Zeits
Team Bintang
s.t.
146
Klaas Vantornout
Aker - MOT
+ 58
147
Rob Partridge
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
s.t.
148
Aitor Hernández Gutierrez
Santander
s.t.
149
Johann Tschopp
UBS - BMC
+ 59
150
Kobe Vanoverschelde
Aker - MOT
+ 1'00
151
Paride Grillo
Koenigsegg
s.t.
152
Johim Ariesen
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
153
Mattia Pozzo
Team Puma - SAP
+ 1'02
154
Mikel Landa
Wikipedia
s.t.
155
Samuel Dumoulin
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
156
Anthony Geslin
Pokerstars.com
+ 1'03
157
Wladimir Gustov
Control Team
s.t.
158
Pieter Ghyllebert
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
+ 1'04
159
Toms Skujins
Vesuvio - Accumalux
+ 1'05
160
Nikias Arndt
Team B&O
s.t.
161
Nikola Aistrup
Team B&O
s.t.
162
Andzs Flaksis
Wikipedia
+ 1'06
163
Alexander Krieger
Simply Red Bull
+ 1'07
164
Steven Caethoven
Vesuvio - Accumalux
s.t.
165
Juan Carlos Rienda Segura
Santander
s.t.
166
Chris Opie
Simply Red Bull
+ 1'08
167
Rinaldo Nocentini
Control Team
+ 1'09
168
Luca Paolini
Control Team
+ 1'10
169
George Atkins
Pokerstars.com
s.t.
170
Tadej Valjavec
Control Team
+ 1'11
171
Vicente Reynès
Santander
+ 1'16
172
Sylwester Szmyd
Control Team
s.t.
173
Andreas Klier
Control Team
+ 1'17
174
Antonio Santoro
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 1'18
P:
1
Robert Gesink
Project 1t4i
25
2
Aleksandr Pluchkin
Team B&O
20
3
Mathieu Bernaudeau
Festina-Canal+
16
4
Janez Brajkovic
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
14
5
Rigoberto Úran
Milka - AVG
12
6
Adrian Malori
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
10
7
William Bonnet
Lotto - Cervelo
9
8
Roman Kreuziger
Milka - AVG
8
9
Simon Spilak
Aker - MOT
7
10
Andrei Amador
UBS - BMC
6
U25:
1
Mathieu Bernaudeau
Festina-Canal+
10'27 (1)
2
Adrian Malori
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
+ 1 (2)
3
Jakub Danacik
Koenigsegg
+ 3 (3)
4
Jack Bobridge
Simply Red Bull
+ 6 (4)
5
Tim Dees
Festina-Canal+
+ 11 (5)
6
Stelly Robert
Wikipedia
+ 12 (6)
7
Mario Gonzalez Salas
Santander
+ 12 (7)
8
Mattia Cattaneo
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
+ 14 (8)
9
Alfredo Balloni
Wiggle Professional Cycling Team
+ 14 (9)
10
Tom Dumoulin
Team Puma - SAP
+ 14 (10)
Team:
1
Team B&O
31'25 (1)
2
Project 1t4i
+ 3 (2)
3
Lotto - Cervelo
+ 4 (3)
4
Festina-Canal+
+ 7 (4)
5
Milka - AVG
+ 15 (5)
6
Pro Team Venchi - Sugoi
+ 16 (6)
7
Heineken presented by California Giant Berry Farms
