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Zakarin outsprints Quintana but relegated in Tour de Romandie’s first mountain stage

In a surprise move 20-minutes after the conclusion of Thursday’s first mountain stage of the Tour de Romandie, the race jury relegated champion Ilnur Zakarin (Russia/Katusha), first over the line, and gave the win to Nairo Quintana (Colombia/Movistar). The two had contested the stage in a sprint. Quintana took the yellow leader’s jersey from teammate Jon Izagirre, who was 6th on the day.


Soon after the gun in Moudon, six fugitives including serial escapee Thomas De Gendt (Belgium/Lotto-Soudal) tore loose. After 75-km and situated at the foot of the first climb of the day, the Cat. 2 Sorens, the gap was 4:30. Marcel Wyss (Switzerland/IAM Cycling) topped the Sorens first.

The gap to the sextet dropped on a long downhill and flat leading to the stage’s conclusion. The final two climbs of the day, a Cat. 2 and Cat. 1, were squeezed into the final 23-km with only a short descent between them. After Movistar’s early work in the peloton, Sky drew the bunch closer to the breakaway. By the start of the Cat. 2 Les Champs, the lead was just under 2:00.

A steep clamber, the Les Champs made the escape fragment, with a trio continuing on in front. Meanwhile, FDJ took over the pace-making in the field. Chris Froome (Great Britain/Sky) flatted and had to chase back on.

Frenchman Pierre Rolland and a Cannondale teammate lit out after the breakaway with 18-km to go, carrying on with the men up the road as a quintet. Froome had just latched on when the pace went up and he fell off again. Rolland and South African Daryl Impey (Orica-GreenEdge) crested and plunged down the other side in the lead. The duo then found company in the form of a Movistar and BMC rider before the final climb to Morgines.

FDJ’s work absorbed the foursome with 8.5-km remaining. Quintana attacked with 6.5-km to go and at first nobody could follow.


Then Zakarin bridged over. A high-powered chase containing Thibaut Pinot (France/FDJ), Rigobergo Uran (Colombia/Cannondale) and Rui Costa (Portugal/Lampre) could make no inroads into the gap.

In the last 2-km the Colombian-Russian move increased its lead. The road flattened in the final kilometre. Quintana attacked with 300-km to go but Zakarin nabbed him and flew around the Movistar man for the victory. The Colombian gestured like he didn’t like Zakarin’s line.

About 20-minutes later, the jury relegated Zakarin to second for his irregular sprint. The decision changed the GC gap from 10-seconds between Quintana and Zakarin to 18-seconds.


https://twitter.com/ProCyclingStats/status/725710655295217665

Ryder Hesjedal (Trek-Segafredo) was top Canadian in 39th.

Friday’s stage is a 15.1-km time trial with a profile similar to that of the prologue–a Cat. 3 hill sits right in the middle of the course.

2016 Tour de Romandie Stage 2
1) Nairo Quintana (Colombia/Movistar) 4:28:40
2) Ilnur Zakarin (Russia/Katusha) s.t.
3) Rui Costa (Portugal/Lampre) +0:26
39) Ryder Hesjedal (Canada/Trek-Segafredo) +4:27
53) Christian Meier (Canada/Orica-GreenEdge) +7:12

2016 Tour de Romandie GC
1) Nairo Quintana (Colombia/Movistar) 7:02:09
2) Ilnur Zakarin (Russia/Katusha) +0:18
3) Jon Izagirre (Spain/Movistar) +0:20
41) Ryder Hesjedal (Canada/Trek-Segafredo) +4:48
56) Christian Meier (Canada/Orica-GreenEdge) +7:25

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