For the start a short but pretty tough prologue expects the riders. The first half is leading over a steep uphill section before it`s becoming more and more downhill towards the finish.
Some great time trialists will look for their chance today. A totally flat stage would suit them more so it will be interesting how deciding the first half already is.
We start with 3 early time trial experts. None of them is a great puncheur.
First for today, one of Brits best in this discipline: Wiggins
Spaniard Tendero
and Swede Johannson
Wiggins sets a first best time in 12'28. None of the others is able to beat this time. Johanssen (+1) and Tendero (+2) miss him by just a tiny bit.
Now it will become interesting. Two great puncheurs start the race. Here none of them is known for good races against the clock. So we will get an early impression on how the hill influences the stage outcome.
Sinkewitz
Wildcard rider Ginanni
Sinkewitz had a pretty disappointing season so far no bringing the expected results in the Ardennes. Ginanni just won the Tour de Luxembourg and should have a good trust in himself after a not that great first season half.
Sinkewitz comes over the top first beating all previous times by more than 10s but how will it be at the finish line? Good ride by him. 10s faster than Wiggins and new best time for the German.
Italian Ginanni is even 2s faster on the uphill part and although he lost against Sinkewitz on the downhill section he sets a new best by just 1s.
The "bigger" gap to the pure time trialists already shows that this isn`t the best course for the pure chrono men. This will make the fight between the overall favourites even more interesting.
Coming to two more time trialists.
Grabovski
Ford
First one combines decent abilities in both needed skills today. So it`s a small surprise that he is not able to create a bigger gap than 1s to Wiggins but losing 7s to Ford, who is surely a weak uphill rider. Especially the time loss on the first checkpoint couldn`t have been expected.
So Ford takes provisional 3rd as he still misses 3s to Ginanni and 2s to Sinkewitz.
Next some more interesting riders for the overall.
Estonian champion Kangert
Dees
Grivko
Ghisalberti
All of these riders can be counted as out side favourites for good GC results although none of them can match the big favourites.
None of them can beat the best time at the checkpoint although Kangert, Dees and Ghisalberti are just 3s behind Ginanni and 1s behind Sinkewith here. Grivko already lost 4s more.
In the finish however it`s Pearl`s Kangert beating Ginanni`s former best with Dees finishing 2nd within the same time. Ghisalberti lost a few seconds on the descent while Grivko takes provisional 7th even behind Ford.
But their main task might be to help their team leaders in this race except of Ghisalberti, who can be expected to get a free ride.
Provisional ranking before the biggest guns:
1
Tanel Kangert
Pearl Adidas
12'14
2
Tim Dees
Festina - Conec
s.t.
3
Francesco Ginanni
Vespa - Aprilia - De Rosa
+ 3
4
Patrik Sinkewitz
Spyker Cars
+ 4
5
Sergio Ghisalberti
Webeffect
s.t.
6
Michael Ford
Vesuvio-Accumalux
+ 6
7
Andrei Grivko
Team B&O
s.t.
8
Dmitri Grabovski
Bacardi - Ignis
+ 13
9
Bradley Wiggins
Pendleton's Twicer
+ 14
10
Freddy Johansson
Sony Ericsson
+ 15
Finally coming to some riders with chances to finish in the top 10 overall.
Suaza
Ardila
Kohl
Devolder
Velits
None of this quintet can beat the best times on top of the hill but especially Devolder and Velits are not far away while Ardila and Suaza are not that well placed at half time.
Coming into the finish Devolder comes closest to the top time being 3rd with 2s behind Kangert and Dees. Velits is 2s behind same as Ghisalberti or Sinkewitz.
Austrian Kohl is 5s further behind and needs to improve in the mountains. So need Ardila and Suaza who are ~15s behind Kangert today.
Coming to the final 12 for today.
Martin
Keizer
Gomez Marchante
A bit surprising Daniel Martin takes the 2nd within the same time to Ginanni on the top with Keizer and Gomez Marchante both already losing 13s to him.
In the finish Martin also takes the new lead 1s faster than Kangert. The Irish really had a nice day here.
Keizer might be a bit disappointed and needs to improve if he wants another top 10 here in the Tour de Suisse. 10s behind in this short prologue. Also Gomez Marchante must improve as he is another 3s back.
UBS is starting with a double leadership but also Marquez wasn`t riding at his best today losing even 10s more than his team mate.
Denifl
Henao
Denifl riding a good prologue here setting the provisional 6th just 4s to Martin today. Henao on the other side can`t be happy. Losing almost 20s in a short prologue losing a similar amount of time than Marquez today. His strength are the mountains so we should see him offensive there.
Abal
The Spanish ITT Champion has it`s weakest part in the very hilly terrain so the same time than Gomez Marchante 13s behind Martin was the maximum today.
Intxausti
Same counts for Intxausti. Good climber and time trialist but problems in the short and steep sections.
Same time than Abal here.
Pozzovivo
Next to Ginanni he is the best option for a stage win for Wildcard team Vespa. Butthe Italian aims more than a stage win and surely wants a high GC position in the end. Today already looks promising being 2nd same time to Martin gaining on most opponents.
Tenorio
Being a superb helper in the Vuelta for Madrazo and still managing a good result on his own he can ride for himself in this race. Not as strong as his team mate but still a great stage racer with a promising future it`S no surprise to see him beating Ginanni`s time at half time.
But the young Spaniard also sets the new best time in the finish and should be seen as a big race contender for the Tour de Suisse.
13s faster than Martin, which means he gains quite a lot on all earlier starters and up to 30s on some of his rivals.
Popovych
The Ukrainian is a similar kind of rider than Tenorio and must be on everyones list as well. He can`t beat the Spaniard today but he comes the closest so far 7s back.
Fothen
The former Tour de France winner crashed out early in the Giro d`Italia losing all podium hopes. Now he is back to perform well in Switzerland.
He also needs a good run in the hard mountain stages as he didn`t have the best day. 17s to Tenorio being 10th with just one to come.
Pluchkin
Maybe the biggest favourite. Strong climber and time trialist and great stage racer.
He can`t beat the best today due to his small disadvantage on hilly terrain but still being in range as 8th 16s back.
So Tenorio wins the starting prologue and will wear the leader jersey tomorrow.
We got a first impression of the strength here but tomorrow will probably cause bigger time gaps as it`s directly goes into the mountain stages.
