While the two biggest Tour favourites and several of their biggest rivals finish off their final preparation race for the world's biggest race at the Dauphiné, most of the remaining GC riders for this year's edition of La Grande Boucle are ready to take on their last challenge prior to the big objective. Formerly known as the world's most prestigious week-long stage race, the Tour de Suisse has lost some of its appeal the world's biggest stars but the 9-day race remains an outstanding event that every rider would love to add to his palmares. Once again the Swiss race has lost out to the Dauphiné in the battle for the most star-studded line-up but a challenging course with a brutal summit finish and a hilly time trial will guarantee a week of perfect Tour preparation and a fascinating battle for the win in the longest WorldTour stage race outside the grand tour category.

 

Switzerland plays a very special role in the anatomy of the international cycling calender. While the Alpine country is way too small to host a grand tour, it has built up a reputation as a formidable place to prepare for a three-week race. Traditionally, the country's two biggest stage races, the Tour de Romandie and the Tour de Suisse, have been preparation races for the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France respectively, as they are both held close to the start of the grand tours and offer the perfect mountainous terrain for the riders to test their legs.

 

However, that position has come under threat in recent years and the Swiss stage races are no longer seen as the best events to warm up for the Giro and the Tour. While the Tour de Romandie has lost the battle against the Giro del Trentino and has changed its role to become the final prestigious stage race in the early season for the Tour riders, the national tour has been involved in a tight fight with the Criterium du Dauphiné for the role as the best preparation for the Tour.

 

The French race appears to have come out triumphant and most of the biggest Tour stars have preferred to head to the French Alps during the month of June. This year hasn't changed the trend. While riders like Chris Froome, Vincenzo Nibali, Joaquim Rodriguez and Alejandro Valverde are riding on French roads, Thibaut Pinot is the only big podium contender for the Tour who will be riding in Switzerland. With riders like Robert Gesink Jakob Fuglsang, Sergio Henao and Rafal Majka all on the start list, the race can definitely boast a solid number of Tour contenders but it is nothing compared to the impressive start list from the Dauphiné.

 

The data makes it evident that the Dauphiné is now the preferred event by most of the biggest stars. The last Tour winner to prepare the world's biggest race in Switzerland was Lance Armstrong who deviated from his usual schedule in 2001 by racing (and winning) the Swiss event. The American only returned to the Swiss event after his comeback in 2010, and since 2001 the Tour winner has always raced the Dauphiné to prepare for July's race. In 2012 Thibaut Pinot finished 10th in the Tour and was the best rider who had prepared his race in Switzerland while Roman Kreuziger in 5th was the highest placed rider to have raced in Switzerland in 2013. Last year the upwards trend continued as Pinot went from a disappointing 15th place in Switzerland to standing on the podium in Paris.

 

However, it is a question of individual preference, and while a few riders always prepare at the same event, most vary their choice from year to year. Alberto Contador and Team Sky always head to France while riders like the Schleck brothers have always the Tour de Suisse. The race even attracts some of the best French riders like Pinot who traditionally wants to escape the media pressure in his home country.

 

Of course the main problem for the Swiss event is its geographical location. It has few chances to test out parts of the Tour route - something the Dauphiné has exploited heavily since ASO took over the event in 2010. On the other hand, the race is held one week closer to the Tour start than the Dauphiné and the riders have different preferences as to the timing of their final big preparation race. This year the Dauphiné organizers have decided to heavily base their route around the Tour de France and so lots of teams have been tempted to send their best riders to France.

 

However, the organizers have also contributed to their fate themselves. The 2009 and 2010 courses were way too easy, offering very few mountain stages for the riders to test their legs, and some criticized the 2009 edition for being designed with the sole purpose of facilitating an overall win by the national star Fabian Cancellara. In recent years, the organizers have again included more mountain stages, and the 2013 route was harder than it has been for years. In 2014 the course was again a bit easier and this year the organizers have only included one big mountain stage which is nothing compared to the four summit finishes that are offered at the Dauphiné.

 

The race still enjoys a very special position on the cycling calendar as it is the longest race on the WorldTour outside the grand tour category. It is one day longer than the Dauphiné and was formerly known as the fourth most prestigious stage race in the world. While that position has now been lost, its role as a national tour adds to its position, and it is still race that all riders would love to add to their palmares.

 

One of the reasons for this prestige is the combination of its history and its difficulty. First held in 1933, it is older than the Dauphiné and as it is held in one of the most mountainous part of Europe, it is no wonder that it is one of the hardest races on the calendar Even though its list of winners is impressive, the honours roll may lack the impressive depth of its French counterpart. Pasquale Fornara tops the list with 4 victories while two of the local heroes Ferdinand Kübler and Hugo Koblet share the honour with three-time defending champion Rui Costa in having won the race thrice.

 

In addition to its role as a preparation race, the race has a formidable ability to attract riders from the Giro. It may be due to the extra week of recovery but while the Dauphiné has only seen a few high-profile - and very successful - Giro-Dauphiné doubles, the Tour de Suisse usually has a number of Giro contenders on their start list. This year is no exception as riders like Jurgen Van Den Broeck, Maxime Monfort, Esteban Chaves, Darwin Atapuma and Sebastien Reichenbach will line up in Switzerland on the back of solid showings in the Italian grand tour.

 

The race still has the upper hand over the Dauphiné in one aspect. While the Dauphiné is held in a region with very few flat roads and so finds it very difficult to attract the sprinters, the Tour de Suisse is obliged to visit all parts of Switzerland which are not all mountainous. That means that the race usually has plenty of opportunities for some of the fast men. The hilly nature of the country and the organizers' preference for difficult finishing circuits mean that the pure sprinters have few chances in the race but the tougher bunch kick experts and classics specialists always find plenty of stages to their likings. It is no wonder that Peter Sagan won two stages in 2011, four in 2012, another two in 2013 and a single one in 2014, and this year's course is simply tailor-made for riders like the versatile Slovakian. However, he will have to contend with an impressive field of sprinters that includes the likes of Mark Cavendish, Alexander Kristoff, John Degenkolb, Arnaud Demare, Andrea Guardini, Michael Mattews, Niccolo Bonifazio, Davide Cimolai, Jempy Drucker, Tom Van Asbroeck, Jose Joaquin Rojas and Jasper De Buyst who will all find stages to their liking.

 

Last year Rui Costa made history by becoming the first rider to win the race thrice in a row but it required a big coup on the final day to make it happen. After a win in the opening prologue, Tony Martin had defended himself surprisingly well in the mountains and he went into the final mountain stage with a comfortable lead. However, he paid the price for a weak team that was unable to support him when Mathias Frank, Bauke Mollema and Costa attacked on the penultimate climb. An isolated Martin didn’t get much help in his attempt to get back and so the three attackers decided the race on the final climb. Costa turned out to be the strongest and won both the stage and the overall while Frank and Mollema completed the podium. Surprisingly, Costa has decided to end his love story with the Swiss race and is currently racing the Dauphiné to prepare for the Tour. Mollema and Frank have also preferred to change their usual schedule by riding in France and as Martin is at the Dauphiné too, the best-placed rider from last year’s race is Tom Dumoulin who ended the race in 5th.

 

The course

As claimed above, the organizers have tried to make the courses a bit tougher after a few years where a lack of difficulty made the races less spectacular. The highlight was the 2013 which included a mountain time trial and three tough mountain stages which made it the most selective edition in recent years. Last year’s course was slightly easier but still provided plenty of challenge for both climbers and time triallist.

 

In 2015, the organizers have gone back to an easier format. As usual, the race will start with a prologue but unlike the hilly, technical openers that have characterized the race, this year’s first test is a much flatter affair. That stage will be one of only three opportunities for the GC riders to make the difference. For the first time since 2010, the race will only include one mountain stage and this means that a big part of the race will be all about survival for the GC riders.

 

However, the climbers have no reason to be disappointed. The mountain stages in the Tour de Suisse have rarely been very hard as the climbs in Switzerland are not very steep. This year the race will venture into Austria where the climbs are usually a lot harder and the crucial stage 4 will finish at the top of the brutal Rettenbachferner climb which is known as one of the hardest in the Alps. That stage will join forces with the time trial in determining the final GC and as usual the race is likely to be won by a complete rider who can both climb and time trial. Very often the TT has come on the final day and after it was held a bit earlier in 2014, it is now back at the end of the race, giving the time triallists the upper hand at the end of the race.

The remaining three stages are for the sprinters but as it is always the case in the Tour de Suisse, many of them feature small climbs near the end that will make it tough for the fast finishers.

 

The rest of the race is made up of opportunities for sprinters and classics specialists who should find plenty of terrain to their liking. There will be a couple of opportunities for the pure sprinters while some of the stages include small climbs close to the finish which should make them more suitable to sprinters like Sagan, Degenkolb and Kristoff.

 

Stage 1:

Since 2000, only four editions of the race haven't started with a short time trial. The last time the race kicked off with a road stage was back in 2008 when Oscar Freire won a sprint from a reduced peloton to take the first leader's jersey. This year the opening stage is again a time trial but the organizers have deviated from their usual pattern of including a pretty difficult climb and a very technical descent in the route. In recent years the race has often started with the same stage in Lugano which mostly consisted of a climb and a descent but in 2013 they had their first traditional prologue for years. Last year the opener was again a challenging affair with a tough climb but in 2015 the specialists will again have the upper hand on the opening day.

 

At just 5.1km, the prologue in Rotkreuz is pretty short and as it is held on a pretty flat course, it won’t create big time differences. The first part is very slightly ascending before a short descent leads to the final kilometre which is completely flat. There are only three sharp turns on the course which is mostly held on long, straight roads which means that there it is not very technical either. The final turn comes 500m from the line and from there the road only bend slightly to the right as the riders make their final sprint to the finish.

 

With a flat course without too many technical challenges, this is a stage for the specialists who will relish the chance to go for a stint in yellow. Due to the short distance, the sprinters will also have a chance even though they would of course have preferred a more technical course where they could profit from their acceleration and bike-handling skills. However, it will be hard for them to take the yellow jersey and stage win as they will be up against two of the best prologue riders in the world. The scene is set for a big battle between Fabian Cancellara and Tom Dumoulin while the GC riders hope to limit their losses. On such a short course, they won’t be too big and at the end of 9 weeks of hard racing, the seconds gained or lost in this stage are unlikely to be important.

 

Rotkreuz has not hosted a Tour de Suisse in recent years.

 

 

 

Stage 2:

The 2015 Tour de Suisse does only include one stage in the high mountains and so the moderately hilly opening road stage suddenly gets the role as the second hardest of the entire race. It’s another stage starting and finishing in Rotkreuz but unlike the opening prologue which was completely flat, the route ventures into the hilly terrain east of the city. This means that the riders will face a total of four pretty tough climbs and 1872m of climbing during their ride in the central part of the country. However, the climbs are all too far from the finish to make a difference between the GC riders and instead the classics specialists will be looking to make their mark right from the beginning of the race.

 

At 161.1km, it is a pretty short stage that both starts and finishes in Rotkreuz. It is made up of two circuits that will both be covered twice and both include a tough climb. The first one is 58.6km long and mostly includes flat roads along the shores of the Zugersee and Agerisee lakes. However, the riders will briefly head into the hills to connect the two lakes as they go up the category 2 Dorfstrasse climb (5.4km, 4.8%). It comes in the early part of the circuit and will last be tackled with 88.1km to go.

 

The riders will cross the finish line for the second time after the end of the second lap and from there only 44.8km remain. They consist of two laps of a 22.4km circuit on the southern outskirts of Rotkreuz. Again it is a mostly flat affair but like the previous circuit it includes a tough climb. The category 1 Michaelskreuz is 4km long and has an average gradient of 8.9% which makes it a very tough challenge. The top comes just 12.7km from the finish and the final part of the stage is made up of a gradual descent before the riders get to the final 5km which are almost completely flat. The riders will turn left with 1.8km to go and then turn left in a roundabout 700m later. The final right-hand turn comes 500m from the finish.

 

The Michaelskreuz climb is a very tough challenge that may would he hard enough to create a difference between the GC riders if it had come closer to the finish. The flat stretch back to the line means that it is unlikely to play any role in determining the overall winner of the race but it would be no surprise to see some of the main contenders testing their legs on the final climb which could be a pretty selective affair. The final climb is definitely too hard for the sprinters but as he seems to have rediscovered his climbing legs, Peter Sagan will have his eyes on this stage. Tinkoff-Saxo and the team of the yellow jersey are likely to control the stage firmly and with only small time gaps in the overall standings, it will be hard for anyone to escape. Hence, the likely outcome is a sprint from a pretty small group whose size will depend on the amount of aggression the GC riders show on the final climb.

 

Rotkreuz has not hosted a stage finish of the race in recent years.

 

 

 

Stage 3:

The first road stage was definitely too hard for the sprinters and they will have to bide their time for another day before they get a chance to stretch their fast legs. The Tour de Suisse often includes stages with a major mountain at the midpoint before the riders descend to a flat or lumpy finale. This year’s third stage is a prime example of such a stage as it includes the fearsome Gotthardpass in the first half but still won’t be a day for the GC riders. Instead, a difficult finale with two smaller climbs and a slightly rising finale should make it another perfect opportunity for the puncheurs and classics riders.

 

The organizers have been forced to shorten the stage which now brings the riders over just 117.3km from Quinto to Olivone as the riders leave the central part of the country on a long southerly run to the hilly southern part. Right from the beginning they will go up the category HC Gotthardpass (18.8km, 5.8%) summits at 2093m above sea level which makes it the highest point of the stage. It is a typical Swiss climb as it is a long, gradual uphill section that is never very steep.

 

After the summit, the riders will be descending for another 40km before they get back onto flat roads. With 35km to go, they gradually start to ascend and from there it is uphill all the way until the riders reach the top of the category 2 Zona Cumiasca climb (4.9km, 7.0%) whose summit is located just 14.4km from the finish at the southernmost point of the race.

 

From here, the riders turn around to head in a northerly direction to the finish and there will be no room for recovery in the final part of the race. After another short uphill section and a descent, the final 9.4km are all uphill. First the riders tackle the category 3 Via Cantonale climb (3.2km, 6.8%) which summits just 6.4km from the finish. The final part of the stage is slightly ascending and follows a long, straight road that leads to the finish in Olivone after a day with 2134m of climbing.

 

The Gotthardpass is a massive challenge and the fact that the stage has been shortened will make it much harder to control. Now the climb comes right from the start and this means that a very strong group of climbers could get clear. The peloton will have less than 100km to bring them back and this will be a tough ask on a day when most of the sprinters know that the finale will be too hard. The final 6.4km may only be very slightly ascending but the final two climbs are pretty tough and will be way too hard for most of them. Like in stage 2, it will be no surprise to see a few GC riders testing their legs on the final climb but it won’t be a stage to make a difference. Instead, it is another stage that is tailor-made for the likes of Peter Sagan and Michael Albasini but an in-form John Degenkolb and Michael Matthews may also be strong enough to make it to the finish with the best in this kind of stage. However, it won’t be easy to bring it back together or control this kind of finale which leaves little room for recovery and it won’t be impossible for a few late or early attackers to make it to the finish.

 

Olivone has not hosted a stage finish in recent years.

 

 

 

Stage 4:

Until now the sprinters have bided their time but as stage 4 brings the riders to the flatter northern part of the country, they can expect to come into play for a single day before the GC riders will battle it out in Wednesday’s queen stage. However, it won’t be easy for the fast finishers to get a chance to stretch their fast legs in stage 4 as it is a very typical Tour de Suisse affair. The race ends with a few laps of a finishing circuit with a small climb which will force them into survival mode before they can potentially get the chance to stretch their legs and battle for the win on the uphill finishing straight.

 

At 193.2km, it is the longest stage in the first four days of the race and brings the riders on a long northerly run from Flims to Schwarzenbach. The first 60km are completely flat but as usual there is no easy day in the Tour de Suisse. The category 2 Wildhaus climb (8.9km, 6.8%) is a pretty tough challenge and could do a lot of damage if it raced at a fast pace.

 

The summit is located with 124.5km to go and leads to a descent and a flat section that brings the riders to the finishing circuit which they will hit with 82km to go. Before they get to the finish line, they will do almost a full lap, covering a part that includes the main challenge. The category 3 Husenstrasse climb is 1.8km long and has an average gradient of 5.7%. After the top, the next 5km are rolling and then the riders descend until the riders again hit flat roads 9km from the line. There’s another uncategorized climb of 1.2km with an average gradient of 8.3% summiting 6.3km from the line and then the road is slightly descending all the way to the flamme rouge. With 900m to go, the riders turn right in a roundabout and from there it is a straight road with an average gradient of 3.4%.

 

The riders get to the finish line for the first time with 58.4km to go and then the riders end the race by doing two full laps of the 29.2km finishing circuit. There’s a small climb right after the passage of the finish line before the riders get to the part they have already covered once.

 

This stage is very typical for the Tour de Suisse and it should be a day for the strong sprinters. The Husenstrasse climb won’t be too much of a challenge for most of the sprinters and it is the late uncategorized ascent that may be the most difficult challenge. Unless they are badly positioned, it won’t be enough to distance the strong sprinters that are gathered in Switzerland but it may take the sting out of their legs before the sprint. The uphill finishing straight won’t make it any easier for the fast riders and it may be a day more for the likes of Peter Sagan, John Degenkolb and Alexander Kristoff than for Mark Cavendish. In any case, the stage should come down to a bunch sprint as there will be lots of riders who target this stage while the GC riders hope for an easy day on the eve of the queen stage.

 

Schwarzenbach has not hosted a stage finish in recent years.

 

 

 

Stage 5:

The climbers only have one chance to make a difference in this year’s Tour de Suisse and they will have to wait until the fifth day to make their mark. While they may be disappointed by the number of mountain stages, they certainly can’t complain about the toughness of the queen stage which is the hardest in recent editions. By heading into Austria for a rare stage finish in the neighbouring country, the organizers get the chance to skip the generally easy Swiss climbs and have a stage finish on the brutally steep Rettenbachferner. Coming at the end of a mammoth 237.3km stage with a total amount of climbing of 4112, the steep roads can do a lot of damage and will make sure that the climbers are favoured in the 2015 edition of the Swiss race.

 

The long stage starts in Unterterzen and brings the riders over the mammoth distance of 237.3km in a predominantly easterly direction to Sölden and the summit finish at the top of Rettenbachferner climb. The first 80km are completely flat and may serve as a warm-up for the first challenge, the category HC Bielerhöhe which starts after a few kilometres of gradually rising roads. It’s a 34.4km climb with an average gradient of 4.0% and only the final 15km are really steep with a gradient of more than 6%.

 

The summit at 2036m of altitude comes at the 109.6km mark and is followed by a very long gradual descent. Then it’s back onto flat roads that gradually start to rise slightly as they get closer to Sölden. However, the remaining climbing all comes at the end when the riders get to the bottom of the category HC Rettenbachferner. The 12.1km ascent has an average gradient of 10.7% and it is the kind of climb that leaves no room for recovery. After an easy first kilometre of 7.1%, the next kilometre averages 11.2 and then the following three kilometres average a brutal 12.8%. Then there’s a chance to recover as the sixth kilometer ‘only’ averages 8% and then there’s another 4km section where the gradient doesn’t drop below 10.5%. The final 2km are slightly easier with gradients of 9.9% and 7.9% respectively.

 

Rettenbachferner is known as one of the hardest climbs in Europe and the numbers clearly show that it can create an enormous difference. On such a steep climb, the best riders don’t have to wait for the finale to make a difference. In fact they can attack already on the lower slopes and so they can gain a lot of time on the time triallists. The differences will only be made greater by the fact that the climb comes at the end of a very long stage with another very tough climb at the midpoint. As the climbers only have one chance to win a stage in this race, they will make sure that it all comes together for a big battle on the final climb and the easy start to the stage will make it possible to control the stage. This stage has the hardest mountaintop finish in any WorldTour race in the 2015 season and will go a very long way in determining the overall winner of the race.

 

The Rettenbachferner was twice used as a summit finish in the now defunct Tour of Germany. In 2005, Levi Leipheimer set himself up for the overall win when he led teammate Georg Totschnig across the line to make it a 1-2 for Gerolsteiner. Two years later David Lopez took the first big win of his career but it was an impressive Jens Voigt who defied all expectations on the steep slopes by finishing second just 12 seconds behind the Spanish climber and ahead of riders like Robert Gesink, Damiano Cunego and Leipheimer. In that way, he defended the overall lead and he went on to take a second consecutive overall victory in the race.

 

 

 

Stage 6:

The first half of the race was not one for the GC riders but there really wasn’t much room for the sprinters either. They will find the second half of the race much more to their liking as the terrain gets a lot flatter. However, stages 7 and 8 have their usual nasty sting in the tails which could make them a bit difficult for the fast guys and so they will all have their eyes on stage 6 which is the easiest stage of the entire race and the only one that suits the pure sprinters.

 

The riders are back in Switzerland for a start in Wil in the northeasterly part of the country and the stage consists of a long 193.1km westerly run to the city of Biel. There are no major climbs in this part of the country but with a total amount of climbing of 1167m, the terrain is not flat either. However, there is just one categorized climb at the midpoint of the stage.

 

The first 80km are very lumpy with at least five smaller climbs but in general the terrain is descending. The hardest challenge is a small 2.9km ascent with an average gradient of 3.7% after 46km of racing. Then there’s a small flat section before the riders get to the category 3 Auensteinstrasse (1km, 8.3%) which summits at the 98.4km mark.

 

From there, the remaining part of the stage is lumpy with four smaller climbs along the way but none of them are very difficult or steep. The final 25km are the flattest of the entire stage and don’t pose any difficulties at all. However, the finale is a bit technical as the riders will turn right 1.2km from the finish and then take a left-hand turn 600m later.

 

This is the only flat finish that doesn’t come shortly after a tough climb and so it is the biggest objective for the sprinters in the race. Mark Cavendish has red-circled this stage as one he really wants to use as a confidence boost for the Tour de France and so Etixx-QuickStep will control everything firmly. The first part may be a bit lumpy but the strong Belgian team should have no trouble bringing this back together for a big bunch sprint in Biel.

 

Biel last hosted a stage finish in 2002 when Tobias Steinhauser won the final time trial in that city while Alex Zülle finished third to secure the overall victory in the race.

 

 

 

Stage 7:

The second half of the race is mostly for the sprinters and the classics riders and after the easy stage 6, the terrain will be very similar on day 7. The stage is almost a reversed copy of the previous one as a flat start gives way for a lumpier finale. None of the climbs should be too hard for the sprinters but the stage has a small sting in its tail as the final 500m are uphill at an average gradient of 4%, meaning that the stage is more suited to puncheurs and strong sprinters than the ones who rely on pure speed.

 

The 164.6km stage starts in Biel and ends in Düdingen after a long southwesterly run close to the shores of the Bielersee and the Lac de Neuchatel, a short easterly journey to the finishing city and two laps of a lumpy finishing circuit. The first 60km are completely flat and leads to a slightly lumpier section albeit with no major climbs.

 

After 91km of racing, the riders will cross the finish line for the first time to start their first lap of the 36.8km circuit that will be covered twice. It’s a rolling affair with a few smaller climbs of which two are categorized. The road is slightly uphill for the first three kilometres after the passage of the line and then descends to the bottom of the category 3 Freiburgstrasse (1.1km, 6.3%). It is followed by a short descent before the category 3 Hauptstrasse (4.1km, 1.6%) (there are no official data on the climb which is probably shorter and steeper than our numbers show – the final 300m average 8%) looms as the next challenge. The summit is located 19.3km from the finish and from there the road is mostly descending until 7.5km remain. From there, the road is slightly uphill until the riders get to a short descent with 2km to go. The final 800m are uphill with an average gradient of 3.75% and there are no less than four roundabouts inside the final 2km. The riders will turn left with 1700m to go, pass straight through 400m later, take another left-hand turn with 800m to go before they turn left onto the 500m finishing straight.

 

The finishing circuit is by no means flat but the climbs are all pretty easy and should be no big challenge for the sprinters who will be keen to take their chance in what is probably the final stage for them. At this late point in a long race, there is always a chance that a breakaway will make it but with several sprint teams and a flat start, the most likely outcome is another bunch sprint. However, the uphill finishing straight will make things tough and should be more suited to the likes of Sagan, Kristoff and Degenkolb than the pure sprinters.

 

Düdingen hasn’t hosted a stage finish in recent years.

 

 

 

Stage 8:

Most national tours visit the nation’s capital at some point of the race. However, that has not always been the case for the Tour de Suisse which has not visited Bern since 2009. This year the capital is back on the course and will host the finish of the race like it did in 6 years ago. In fact, the final two stages will take place on the same 38.4km circuit around the capital as stage 8 will be a circuit race on the course for the stage 9 time trial. With its lumpy profile and category 3 climb close to the finish, it is a perfect race for aggressive riders and strong sprinters who will love to take one final chance in a race that suits them down to the ground.

 

The stage is made up of four laps of the 38.7km circuit (it is slightly longer than the TT course as the start and finish aren’t located at the same place in the final stage) and as the first part of the first lap will be neutralized, the overall distance is 152.5km. After a short descent, the first part of the circuit is almost completely flat and brings the riders into the hilly terrain on the southwestern part of the country. After 6km of racing, the road gradually starts to rise before the riders hit the bottom of the category 3 Liebewill (800m, 9.25%).

 

The summit is located 22.6km from the finish and leads to another short uphill section that culminates at the highest point of the course with15.9km to go. From there, the road is mainly descending but there’s a small climb (1.1km, 5.2%) to break the legs with 10km to go. The descent ends 3.7km from the finish and then the riders go up the category 3 Aargauerstalden climb (400m, 4.25%) whose summit is located with 2.5km from the finish. From there, the road is almost completely flat. The finale is very technical as there will be a left-hand turn with 1.1km to go and right-hand turns just 800m and 200m from the finish line.

 

This is the kind of short, lumpy course that can be hard to control for the sprint teams at the end of what is likely to have been a hard and demanding race. However, the climbs are not very hard and should be manageable for most of the sprinters. Of course the final climb may take the sting of the legs of some of the fast men but for the stronger sprinters, this is a great course. If they commit to the challenge, they should be able to bring it back together for another bunch sprint but the GC riders will hope for an easier day with a non-dangerous breakaway as they want to be ready for the final time trial

 

In 2009, Fabian Cancellara beat Tony Martin in a lumpy time trial in Bern on the final day of the race to seal his overall victory. One year earlier he surprised the sprinters in a road stage on the final day when he beat Philippe Gilbert in a 2-rider sprint. In 2007, the Swiss won the time trial on the final day while it was Jan Ullrich who ended his professional career by winning the time trial and the overall in Bern in 2006.

 

 

 

Stage 9:

The Tour de Suisse always includes a long time trial of 30-40km and as the climbs in Switzerland are not very steep, it always plays a huge role in determining the overall winner. Mostly it has been held in rolling terrain in the flatter part of the country but in certain editions, the race has been decided in a mountain time trial – most recently in 2013. Most often it has been held on the final day and after last year’s unusually early position, it is back at the end of the race for the 2015 edition. With the race returning to Bern for the first time since 2009, it is the typical rolling affair that has often characterized the stages around the capital.

 

The stage is 38.4km long and is held on the same circuit around Bern that was used for the circuit race on the previous day. After a short descent, the first part of the circuit is almost completely flat and brings the riders into the hilly terrain on the southwestern part of the country. After 6km of racing, the road gradually starts to rise before the riders hit the bottom of the category 3 Liebewill (800m, 9.25%).

 

The summit is located 22.6km from the finish and leads to another short uphill section that culminates at the highest point of the course with15.9km to go. From there, the road is mainly descending but there’s a small climb (1.1km, 5.2%) to break the legs with 10km to go. The descent ends 3.7km from the finish and then the riders go up the category 3 Aargauerstalden climb (400m, 4.25%) whose summit is located with 2.5km from the finish. From there, the road is almost completely flat. The finale is very technical as there will be a left-hand turn with 1.1km to go and right-hand turns just 800m and 200m from the finish line.

 

The course includes a bit of climbing at the midpoint and in the finale but most of the terrain is flat. As the first climb is pretty steep, it may not be a stage for the heaviest specialists but it should be well-suited to versatile rouleurs like Tom Dumoulin and Fabian Cancellara who are the major favourites. If he has survived the Rettenbachferner, Dumoulin may still be in GC contention but the top of the GC is likely to be dominated by climbers. They will try to limit their losses on a course that doesn’t do them too many favours. In this kind of time trial, significant time gaps can be made but with to the damage that has been done on the Rettenbachferner, it is unlikely to be as decisive as it has been in previous editions.

 

In 2009, Fabian Cancellara beat Tony Martin in a lumpy time trial in Bern on the final day of the race to seal his overall victory. One year earlier he surprised the sprinters in a road stage on the final day when he beat Philippe Gilbert in a 2-rider sprint. In 2007, the Swiss won the time trial on the final day while it was Jan Ullrich who ended his professional career by winning the time trial and the overall in Bern in 2006.

 

 

 

The favourites

Having traditionally been regarded as the fourth biggest stage race in the world, the Tour de Suisse is a kind of mini grand tour that has a bit of everything. With a number of big mountain stages and two time trials, it usually suits the grand tour specialists that can both climb and time trial and that recover sufficiently to handle 9 days of racing. From year to year, the balance changes a bit, with some years suiting time triallists and others being more for climbers, but it is usually won by one of the biggest stage race riders.

 

Last year’s course had a long, rolling time trial and two summit finishes that were not too difficult. That made it possible for time triallists like Tony Martin and Tom Dumoulin who can both limit their losses in the mountains, to finish in the top 5. This year there may only be one summit finish but it will be a completely different race. The Rettenbachferner is simply a brutal climb – one of the hardest in Europe – and big guys like Dumoulin (Martin is not present this year) will simply lose too much time to have any chance of success. To win this year’s race, one has to be an outstanding climber that can handle the steep gradients of the feared Austrian mountain.

 

That doesn’t mean that the time trials won’t be important. Of course the time gaps in the prologue will be minimal but a 38.4km time trial in rolling terrain can create pretty big differences. The pure climbers will suffer a pretty big time loss on the final day and they will have to be at their very best on the Rettenbachferner to build an advantage that will allow them to defend their lead on the final day. Again the race will be won by a versatile rider but there is no doubt that the balance is tipped towards the climbers in the 2015 edition of the Swiss race.

 

At the same time, picking favourites for the Tour de Suisse is made more complicated by the fact that it is some kind of a clash between two worlds. Several riders return to competition after a long period of training and no one really knows how they are going and how they will adapt to the higher intensity after their break. For the Giro riders, it is always a big question whether they will be able to maintain their condition all the way to the end of the race three weeks after the conclusion of their grand tour.

 

This year the main difficulties all come pretty late in the race which should clearly favour the Tour riders over the Giro riders. The former will have time to find their rhythm before things get serious while the latter will start to feel the fatigue towards the end of the 9-day race. History proves that the Tour riders usually have the upper hand and it will be a big surprise if it is any different in 2015.

 

This year the race has gathered a field loaded with strong climbers but there aren’t many excellent time triallists among the main contenders. Many of the biggest favourites share the same characteristics Furthermore, the biggest Tour de France favourites are mostly racing at the Dauphiné or at the Route du Sud, and this makes this year’s a very open and unpredictable race.

 

Surprisingly, Thibaut Pinot has always preferred to prepare himself for the Tour de France in the Tour de Suisse, probably to avoid the media pressure at the Criterium du Dauphiné. Since he made his debut in La Grande Boucle in 2012, he has been riding in Switzerland. In 2013, he abandoned the race while he was a strong fourth one year later. In 2014, he had a poor race as he could only manage 15th.

 

This year Pinot is back in the Swiss race and he will be keen to test his condition for the Tour de France. Last year he proved that he has developed into one of the best climbers in the world as he was the only rider who managed to put Vincenzo Nibali into difficulty in the Tour de France. This year he is likely to have taken another step up and he will be keen to show his progress in this race.

 

On paper, Pinot is probably the best climber in this race and he should find the steep, regular Rettenbachferner to his liking. Furthermore, he has improved a lot in the time trials and among the best climbers in this race, he is probably the best time triallist. He still suffers a bit on flatter courses but in hilly TTs he is able to defend himself well. In fact he finished in the top 10 in most of the time trials he did in 2014. This year he confirmed his progress in flat TTs in the Criterium International and Tirreno-Adriatico and even though he delivered below-par performances in Pais Vasco and Romandie, the TT is now an asset for Pinot.

 

The main issue is what kind of condition he has at the moment. Last year he missed the edge on the climbs and it will be important for him not to be too good too early. However, he is not the kind of rider who uses these races as mere preparation and last year he was pretty disappointed with his performance. There is no doubt that Pinot is targeting the overall victory in Switzerland and if he is close to his best, he will be the man to beat.

 

Sky are going into the race without their two GC captains Chris Froome and Richie Porte but they still have a formidable roster that should be able to challenge for the victory. Their best card is probably Sergio Henao who will be keen to show that he deserves a spot on the Tour de France roster. Last year the Colombian made his comeback in this race and was looking strong until he was involved in a horrific crash during the warm-up for the time trial.

 

Henao made his return to racing in March and he has had a remarkable return. He nearly won the Vuelta al Pais Vasco overall despite the Spanish event just being his second race. In fact, he seemed to be the strongest climber in that race and only lost out in the final time trial. That created big expectations for his performance in the Ardennes classics but he came up slightly short in the longer races where he still lacked a bit due to his limited amount of racing.

 

Surprisingly, Henao failed to win the Tour of California as he came up short against Julian Alaphilippe in the queen stage but he should have improved since that race. He has been building condition for the second part of the season and on paper the course in Switzerland suits him well. It is no wonder that Sky believe in him as their next big GC rider as he is simply a formidable climber and he should find the steep Rettenbachferner to his liking. He is a decent time triallists and seems to have improved a lot with his good performances in Pais Vasco and California. He will probably lose a bit of time to Pinot but if he can win the queen stage, he may win the race overall too.

 

The 2015 season has been a bad one for Rafal Majka who has been far from his best level throughout most of the year. He finally showed signs of progress in the Tour de Romandie before he started his build-up for the Tour de France where he will be a key domestique for Alberto Contador. This race is a chance for him to aim at a personal result and he will be very motivated to make up for the many disappointments in the Swiss race.

 

At his best, Majka is a formidable climber who should find the steep slopes of the Rettenbachferner to his liking and if he is close to the level he had in last year’s Tour, he will be hard to follow. Furthermore, he is actually a decent time triallist, especially if the course is hilly. The TT in this race is not completely flat and if he can come up with a performance like in Romandie or last year’s Giro he won’t lose much time to the best. Compared to Pinot who will always keep the Tour in mind, Majka may be that slightly bit more motivated as this is his chance to ride for himself and this could see him enter the race in a better condition than the Frenchman.

 

One of the big question marks in this race is Domenico Pozzovivo. The Italian looked impressively strong until he crashed in stage 3 of the Giro d’Italia and we never got the chance to see what he could have achieved in that race. Now he is already back in action and as he has been training for almost a month he should be in a pretty good condition. In fact, he claims to be feeling really good and is pleased that his good sensations from the Giro returned almost immediately.

 

However, the injury of course casts some doubts over his performance. Furthermore, the Tour de Suisse is not his main goal as he will now focus on the Vuelta and it will be only one of two races he will do before he takes and break and turns his attention to the Spanish race. As he will be up against riders who have prepared for the Tour, he may come up a little bit short. On the other hand, the course with the very steep Rettenbachferner and a hilly time trial suits him really well. Remember how he crushed the opposition on the Punta Veleno climb in the 2012 Giro del Trentino and that climb is not too different from the Rettenbachferner. If he can do a time trial like he did in the 2013 Vuelta, he will be hard to beat on this course.

 

Astana have gathered their A team for the Dauphiné but one name is missing from the start list. Jakob Fuglsang is expected to be a key support rider for Vincenzo Nibali in the Tour de France but unlike the rest of the support crew, he has been given the chance to ride for himself in the build-up. This means that he will be the Astana leader in this race and we are curious to see how he will do in Switzerland. The Dane is reportedly flying at the moment and has lost no less than 5kg compared to last year. In general, he has improved his climbing a lot and this year he has been among the best on the ascents. He has clearly lost the edge in the time trial and he will probably lose time to Pinot in the individual tests. On this course, that may not be too much of an advantage and if the reports are true, he may continue the Astana dominance by winning this race.

 

Simon Spilak is always flying in the spring season but by the time we get to the summer he always suffers. The Slovenian is very strong in cold conditions but simply hates the heat. Last year the hot weather took him out of GC contention in the Dauphiné but he managed to bounce back with a stage win. This year he will do the Tour de Suisse and his performance will depend a lot on the weather. If he can avoid the worst heat, he could very well end up as the winner of this race. He has been climbing excellently this year. He might have won the Vuelta al Pais Vasco if he had not had a mechanical in the time trial and he was second in Romandie. He won’t go for GC in the Tour de France and so he will be fired up for this race. Compared to the GC rivals, he is an excellent time triallist but the Rettenbachferner may be a bit too steep for him. If he can limit his losses there, he will be hard to beat.

 

Robert Gesink was once regarded as a future grand tour star but the last few years have been hard for the Dutchman. Last year he had to put his career on hold due to a heart issue but when he returned to grand tour racing at the Vuelta, he looked like his former self. He was on track for a top 10 result until personal problems forced him to leave the race. This year he has been dealing with knee problems but he was already riding at a reasonable level when he returned to racing in the Ardennes. He still missed the edge in the Tour of California but since then he must have improved a lot as he has been building for the Tour. He is always very strong in the preparation races and he has proved that he can return to his former level. He should find the regular Rettenbachferner to his liking but he still needs to prove that he can find back to his best in the time trials. If he can do so, this race should suit him well.

 

One year ago we would never have mentioned Geraint Thomas as a possible winner of such a hard race but now things have changed. The Welshman has improved his climbing a lot and in Paris-Nice, only his teammate Richie Porte was stronger than him. At that point, he was even building for the classics and now he will be a lot lighter than he was back then. We still think that the Rettenbachferner will be a bit too steep for him and this could take him out of contention. However, if he can limit his losses, his good time trial may see him stand on the top step of the podium in Bern.

 

Spilak is not the only Katusha card in this race. Daniel Moreno will get a rare chance to ride for himself before he slots into his usual domestique role for Joaquim Rodriguez in the Tour. However, the Spaniard has not been at his best for the past two seasons and he has been unable to find the amazing legs he had in the 2013 Vuelta. Furthermore, he usually suffers a bit on the longer climbs and the Rettenbachferner may be a bit too much for him. On the other hand, he should find the steep gradients to his liking and if he can finally rediscover those 2013 legs, he will be a contender.

 

Among the riders coming from the Giro, Jurgen Van Den Broeck will be the biggest threat. The Belgian was actually poised to do a very good race until he was struck by illness in the final week. That prevented him from finishing in the top 10 but he seemed to have the condition for more. He has obviously improved a lot in the time trials and should gain time in the final stage. On the other hand, the Rettenbachferner may prove to be a bit too steep for a big guy like Van Den Broeck. However, the biggest question is probably about motivation for a rider who has been heavily criticized by his team and will be riding in new colours in 2016.

 

World champion Michal Kwiatkowski has decided to change his usual preparation and will be doing the Tour de Suisse instead of the Dauphiné. Among the GC riders, he is clearly the best time triallist and he should be able to gain a lot of time in the TTs. However, he has always had a hard time against the real climbers on the long climbs and we would be pretty surprised if he can keep up with the best on the Rettenbachferner. Furthermore, he has not been at his usual level in 2015 and he still needs to show that he can find those excellent legs he had in 2014.

 

Warren Barguil will finally make his Tour de France debut and he will prepare for the race away from the pressure of the Dauphiné. In last year’s Vuelta, he proved that he has the climbing legs to match the best but he usually gets better after a bit of racing. This race may come a bit too early for him to really shine and he hasn’t really been at his best in 2015. Furthermore, he will lose too much time to be a real contender.

 

Movistar always have cards to play in every WorldTour stage race. In Switzerland, they will be relying on Eros Capecchi and Winner Anacona who are building for the Tour de France, and Igor Anton and Ion Izagirre who arrived in Switzerland on the back of a disappointing Giro. The latter never found his best legs in Italy but in Pais Vasco he proved his huge potential. He is an excellent time triallist and if he has recovered from the Giro, his post grand tour condition could take him far in this race. Anton is hugely inconsistent and it would be a bit of a surprise if he is able to ride strongly throughout the entire race. However, he was stronger in the final week of the Italian and this could indicate that he will be ready to strike. Capecchi and Anacona are both solid climbers and they will be keen to shine to earn selection for La Grande Boucle.

 

Another rider coming from the Giro is Esteban Chaves. The Colombian never planned to go for GC in the Italian race and he was clearly tired in the final week. That was also the case in last year’s Vuelta but back then he came out of the grand tour in excellent condition. If he can repeat that scenario, he will be flying on the Rettenbachferner which suits him down to the ground. Unfortunately, he will probably lose too much time in the time trial to win the race overall.

 

In the Giro, Sebastien Reichenbach was climbing better than ever and there is no doubt that he has a huge potential. Unfortunately, illness took him out of the race but now he is back in action as team leader in his home race. It remains to be seen how well he has recovered but if he has the legs from the Giro, he will be very strong in the queen stage. Like Chaves, he will lose too much time in the time trial to win the race but he should be able to deliver a good performance.

 

Finally, Frank Schleck deserves a mention. The Luxembourger has been unable to return to his best level since he came back from suspension but in last year’s Tour de France he was actually riding really well until he was set back by illness. This year he has again had some health issues and so he has never reached his best level. Now he has prepared for the Tour de France and he has often been strong in this race. If he has the legs from last year’s Tour he should do well here and even though the TT will prevent him from winning the race, he could deliver a small surprise.

 

***** Thibaut Pinot

**** Sergio Henao, Rafal Majka

*** Domenico Pozzovivo, Jakob Fuglsang, Simon Spilak, Robert Gesink, Geraint Thomas

** Daniel Moreno, Jurgen Van Den Broeck, Michal Kwiatkowski, Warren Barguil, Ion Izagirre, Igor Anton, Esteban Chaves, Sebastien Reichenbach, Frank Schleck, Eros Capecchi, Winner Anacona

* Julian Arredondo, Darwin Atapuma, Przemyslaw Niemiec, Steve Morabito, Maxime Monfort, Ben Hermans, Tom Danielson, Laurens Ten Dam, David Lopez, Javier Moreno, Stefan Denifl, Joe Dombrowski, Gianluca Brambilla, Sylwester Szmyd, Jerome Coppel, Miguel Angel Lopez, Kristijan Durasek, Tom Dumoulin, Bob Jungels, Moreno Moser