Favorites stage 5 Tour de Romandie 2024 | Thibau Nys gets explosive loop tailored, but what does BORA do?

A good 150 kilometers in and around Dardagny sums up the final stage in one catchy sentence. But that would be too simplistic. Riders will tackle the Dardagny climb four times on the local circuit. Observers checking the profile will note that the riders won't dip below 350 meters or climb above 480 meters in altitude. However, it's evident that the terrain undulates throughout the race.

Additionally, each lap includes a few bumps that may not qualify as categorized climbs, but they will certainly test the riders' legs. As a result, this stage appears too challenging for pure sprinters to reach the finish line with fresh legs. This opens up opportunities for surprises or gambling on a power sprint. Alternatively, riders might opt to compete for seconds in the general classification. There are plenty of possible scenarios to unfold!

Climbs
16.5 km: Dardagny (1.3 km a 4.8%)
51.8 km: Dardagny (1.3 km a 4.8%)
86.5 km: Dardagny (1.3 km a 4.8%)
121.2 km: Dardagny (1.3 km a 4.8%)  

Times
Start: 12:20 pm
Finish: 3:50 pm  

This week's changing weather – bright sunshine and sometimes nasty cold and drizzle – reaches its climax with lingering rain on Sunday. At least, that's what the forecasts predict for Vernier on the final day of the weekend. The temperature will hover around 12 degrees. It's certainly not Swiss spring yet, so be cautious of slippery conditions on the local circuit.

The fastest sprinters in the peloton are absent from Switzerland this week, making it intriguing to see who will seize this semi-sprint opportunity. Let's first consider two Italians: Matteo Moschetti and Alberto Dainese, who are regarded as the fastest sprinters in Romandie on paper. They are followed by Belgian Milan Menten and Alex Aranburu of Movistar.

However, those who recall the similar finish of the first stage cannot overlook the Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale duo Dorian Godon and Andrea Vendrame. Godon, a former winner of the Brabantse Pijl, will find the stage five course to his liking, while Vendrame also displayed prowess in the first mountain stage.

After discussing these rappers, let's shift our focus to Simone Consonni of Lidl-Trek and, of course, Thibau Nys. Nys's victory over Vendrame in Salvan was impressive. Can the young Belgian pull off another remarkable performance? Following this duo, we cannot overlook Julian Alaphilippe, the two-time world champion, who has been riding attentively this week.

While Ethan Hayter is theoretically fast, he hasn't yet showcased much of his sprinting prowess this year. Perhaps Sunday will change that. Emils Liepins, representing dsm-firmenich PostNL, poses a threat as well. And how will Tim van Dijke and the experienced Nikias Arndt fare on this selective local circuit?

As for the general classification, does this stage appear too straightforward? Will anyone spring a surprise on the four percent gradients? Nonetheless, BORA-hansgrohe will be eager to shake things up. The German team has Aleksandr Vlasov and Florian Lipowitz, trailing leader Carlos Rodriguez by seven and nine seconds, respectively. So, anticipation brews from the German camp, while INEOS prepares to defend.

Top favorites: Andrea Vendrame (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), Thibau Nys (Lidl-Trek)
Outsiders: Dorian Godon (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), Alberto Dainese (Tudor), Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal Quick-Step), Alex Aranburu (Movistar) and Ethan Hayter (INEOS Grenadiers)
Long shots: Matteo Moschetti (Q36.5 Pro Cycling), Simone Consonni (Lidl-Trek), Emils Liepins (dsm-firmenich PostNL), Tim van Dijke (Visma | Lease a Bike), Nikias Arndt (Bahrain Victorious), Milan Menten (Lotto-Dstny)