An individual time trial of 18.5 kilometers in Neuchâtel, which finished in the local football stadium, decided about the overall win in the Tour de Romandie. Chris Froome set the fastest time and was the best in GC. Simon Spilak, who was one second ahead of the British rider in GC before the start, eventually got second.

 

At the beginning of yesterday's stage Maxime Monfort was 17th in GC at 3'40" of leader Simon Spilak. On the way to Fribourg he got mechanical problems at ten kilometers from the finish. That way he lost his spot in top 20.

 

Tosh Van der Sande took his chance in the chaotic bunch sprint on Thursday and seventh. Neo-pro Boris Vallée showed himself twice by joining a breakaway in the first and third stage..

 

"The Giro is the main goal of Maxime Monfort, this race was part of the preparation," sports director Mario Aerts says. "We wanted to wait until after Friday's mountain stage to see if top ten was possible here in Switzerland. Yesterday he was 17th before the start, but a mechanical problem made him lose much time. In the time trial he didn't go à bloc.

 

"Maxime is definitely ready for the Giro. This race only had one mountain stage and he gets better when there are more. That's positive for the third Giro week, because Maxime performs very constantly and that way he can move up in GC.

 

"Five guys from this selection go to the Giro, which starts in five days. They held back sometimes, but are ready. Tosh sprinted to the seventh place in stage two, the only day we had a bunch sprint. He missed a man for the lead-out, on top of that it was a hectic sprint. Our neo-pros did well. Boris Vallée joined a breakaway twice. Sean De Bie rode a solid time trial and did good work for the team."