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Monday, May 4, 2026

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Bill & Carol McGann’s book The Story of the 2023 Tour de France, 2023: The Viking Again Conquers the Tour is available in both Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

Upcoming racing:

• May 8 - 31: Giro d'Italia

Latest completed racing:

• April 26 - May 3: Tour of Turkey
• April 28 - May 3: Tour de Romandie
• May 1: Eschborn-Frankfurt
• April 26: Giro dell'Appennino
• April 23 - 26: Vuelta Asturias
• April 26: Liège-Bastogne-Liège
• April 20 - 24: Tour of the Alps
• April 22: La Flèche Wallonne
• April 19: Amstel Gold Race
• April 15 - 19: Tour of Hainan
• April 14 - 18: O Gran Camiño
• April 17: De Brabantse Pijl
• April 19: Tour du Doubs race cancelled
• April 12: Paris-Roubaix
• April 6 - 11: Itzulia Basque Country (Tour of the Basque Country)
• April 7 - 10: Région Pays de la Loire Tour

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Tour de Romandie stage five reports

We posted the report from stage winner & GC winner Tadej Pogacar's UAE Team Emirates-XRG with the results.

Here's the Tour de Romandie stage five report from second-place Florian Lipowitz's Team Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe:

Florian Lipowitz has rounded off his strong spring block with second place in the general classification at the Tour de Romandie, securing another top result.
Already on the second day, Florian Lipowitz moved up to second place overall, a position he held all the way to the finale and underlined impressively on yesterday’s queen stage. There, he was beaten only by the dominant Tadej Pogačar, who won the race in commanding fashion.

Florian Lipowitz finishes second in Tour de Romandie stage five. Sirotti photo

Today’s final stage brought the expected grande finale: the race’s only summit finish, a 14-kilometre final climb to Leysin, decided the outcome. Florian Lipowitz put everything on the line. Three kilometres from the summit, he attacked several times from the group of favourites. Only Tadej Pogačar was able to follow, leaving the two strongest riders of the race to contest the finale once again. On the steep final metres, Lipowitz went again, but Pogačar countered and came past him. It was another second place for Florian Lipowitz in Leysin. Primož Roglič finished third, completing a high-class finale.

Florian said: "I felt really good throughout the stage. When we hit the final five kilometres, I thought I should make a small move to see what the other guys would do. I took a chance, and I ended up together with Tadej. On the finish line, I tried to go all-out from the start of the last kicker, like I did two years ago.
In the end, I can be really happy and proud of how this week went. The team gave me huge support, and I think we raced really well. I was really happy to be there with Tadej and to have the chance to compete against him. Congrats to him for another win. I’m still super proud of how we raced today."

Consistency as the key to success
Two years ago, Florian Lipowitz first came into focus at today’s finishing location of the Tour de Romandie. Back then, he stepped onto a WorldTour podium for the first time.

Since then, he has contested six more one-week WorldTour races. He finished five of those stage races on the podium. In the only exception, just eight seconds separated him from the top three. It is a record that makes him one of the most consistent riders on this terrain.

Strong sixth place for Luke Tuckwell
Alongside Lipowitz’s podium finish, Luke Tuckwell also made a statement. The 21-year-old neo-pro finished the race sixth overall, confirming his considerable talent.

After intense appearances at the Volta a Catalunya and the Tour of the Basque Country, Tuckwell continued his strong development. Just under a year ago, he finished second at the Giro Next Gen. In Romandie, he has now shown his potential in the general classification of a WorldTour stage race. Developing young talents from the Rookies through to the top of the WorldTour is a central part of the

Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe also set the standard as a team. After winning the team classification at Tirreno–Adriatico and the Volta a Catalunya, the team secured this distinction for the first time at the Tour de Romandie as well.
From the first stage, the team led the team classification and was consistently present in the race action. On each of the five stages, a rider from the team finished in the top three. This consistency underlines the unity and strength of the entire squad.

Fifth-place Jørgen Nordhagen's Team Visma | Lease a Bike posted this Tour of Romandie report:

Jørgen Nordhagen fought his way to fifth place in the demanding final stage of the Tour de Romandie. The 21-year-old Norwegian from Team Visma | Lease a Bike impressed throughout the Swiss five-day race and once again made his mark in the final stage. On the steep final climb, he finished eleven seconds behind stage and overall winner Tadej Pogačar.

On the final day of the Tour de Romandie, all eyes were on the decisive climb to Leysin. The fourteen-kilometer ascent was the centerpiece of the Swiss stage race. Nordhagen started the final stage in fourth place overall, just seven seconds behind Lenny Martinez.

Jørgen Nordhagen finishes Tour de Romandie stage five. Sirotti photo

A breakaway group of eight riders began the final climb toward the finish in Leysin with a small advantage. The early attackers were reeled in one by one by the now-reduced peloton. In the select group, Nordhagen once again made a strong impression. With just under three kilometers to go, Florian Lipowitz and Pogačar launched an attack. The duo quickly opened a small gap.

Shortly behind, Nordhagen also accelerated in an attempt to put pressure on Martinez. The Team Visma | Lease a Bike talent gave it everything, but his French rival for the podium did not crack. In the end, Nordhagen finished fifth, securing his fourth place in the overall classification of the WorldTour stage race.

“I did everything I could to put Martinez under pressure in the final kilometers, but it proved impossible,” Nordhagen said afterward. “He was incredibly strong in the finale. The final climb was very irregular: at times the pace was high, while at other moments it dropped off. I perform better in long, steady efforts. The final meters were very steep, and that’s where I just came up short to make a difference.”

Nordhagen can look back on a successful week in Switzerland. The young Norwegian had the opportunity to showcase himself at the highest level. “The past week has given me a lot of confidence for the future. This race has shown that I have what it takes to compete with the very best in the world,” he concluded.

Here's the Tour de Romandie report from GC third-place Lenny Martinez's Team Bahrain Victorious:

Lenny Martinez fought his way to an impressive third place overall at the 2026 Tour de Romandie, while also securing victory in the Best Young Rider classification after six demanding days of racing across Romandie region of Switzerland.

Following five stages and the opening prologue, Lenny Martinez finished on the final podium behind only reigning World Champion Tadej Pogačar of UAE Team Emirates XRG and Florian Lipowitz of Red Bull Bora hansgrohe. It marks another strong WorldTour stage-race result for Bahrain Victorious, who raced aggressively throughout the week.

Lenny Martinez won the Best Young Rider classification. Sirotti photo

The final stage from Lucens to Leysin was always set to decide (or confirm) the podium places, with the decisive summit finish coming after a long day of racing. On the final ascent to Leysin, Bahrain Victorious controlled the pace impressively, with Antonio Tiberi and Damiano Caruso delivering a strong lead-out deep into the climb. Their work reduced the group significantly before Lipowitz launched his attack with around three kilometres remaining, with Pogačar immediately responding.

Behind the leading pair, Martinez faced a direct battle with Jørgen Nordhagen of Team Visma Lease a Bike, as both third place overall and the white jersey were on the line. Martinez matched every move and crossed the line on equal time with the Norwegian, preserving both his podium spot and youth classification.

Martinez’s overall podium was built largely on his superb ride in Stage 1, where he finished third on the day in elite company alongside Pogačar and Lipowitz. That performance established the time gap he defended all the way to Leysin.

Our Sports Director Roman Kreuziger said: “Today’s result reflects the whole week and the progress our riders are making. For many of them, it was the first time racing together in this combination, so I’m very happy with how they managed everything.

"Lenny may be disappointed with third place, but he should not be. Finishing behind Lipowitz, who was third at the last Tour de France, and Tour winner Pogačar is a very strong result. We had some moments without luck during the week, but the team stayed committed until the finish and earned a podium place.

"What is also very important for my collegues and me is that Damiano Caruso leaves Romandie in strong condition ahead of the Giro d’Italia. Antonio, Kamil, Vlad, Robert and Lenny will now recover before the next objectives, while Attila heads to the Tour de Hongrie. This result gives confidence to everyone. Great work from the whole team.”

Lenny Martinez added: “It was a good day. The team positioned me perfectly before the final climb. I waited for the attacks from Pogačar and Lipowitz, but it was too early for me to follow. I also had to watch Nordhagen because he was only seven seconds behind on GC. In the end, I defended my place and the white jersey, but those two riders were stronger for the stage win.”

Junior Lecerf's Team Soudal Quick-Step posted this Tour de Romandie report:

For the second year in a row, Junior Lecerf concluded the Tour de Romandie as the best-placed Belgian rider, signing off the third top ten of his career in a World Tour race. The 23-year-old enjoyed a consistent week in Switzerland, racking up a hat-trick of top ten stage finishes before the last day of racing, which culminated with the only mountain top finish of this edition, on Leysin.

Lecerf benefitted from a great effort of Valentin Paret-Peintre in the closing kilometers of the 178.2km stage 5, when the race came to life after several attacks of the GC men. The Frenchman paced him until inside the last kilometer, which featured a steep kicker to the line, and the Belgian emptied himself there in order to defend his place in the overall standings.

Team Soudal Quick-Step before the start of stage four. Sirotti photo

“The last ascent today didn’t quite suit me, but luckily, I had Valentin to help me there and close a gap one kilometer from the finish. The last part was steep and I lost contact there; it’s a pity this happened, but it is as it is. I came here to fight for a good overall result, and in the end, I think I can be happy with what we achieved. We had some nice results here, we were there in the top five or top ten in a race with a very high level, and we always did our best”, Junior said after taking his first GC top ten of the season.

Soudal Quick-Step was again present on the podium of the 79th Tour de Romandie; after Louis Vervaeke on Saturday, this time it was Gil Gelders who collected the prize for the most combative rider of the stage. The young Belgian spent close to 150 kilometers in the breakaway, winning all three intermediate sprints, before being reeled in by the peloton on the final ascent.

“It was a nice, and at the same time hard stage, and I am happy to have spent it at the front of the race. Romandie has been a demanding race, but I tried to do my best and help the team whenever possible. This combativity award is a nice way to cap off the week”, Gil said.

Dorian Godon’s Team INEOS Grenadiers posted this Tour de Romandie report:

The final stage of the Tour de Romandie saw Carlos Rodriguez lead the Grenadiers home, as Dorian Godon capped off the week with two stage wins.

Dorian Godon wins stage two. Sirotti photo

Going into the fourth stage of the race yesterday, Rodriguez was sitting sixth on GC, but a crash at speed with just nine kilometres remaining saw the Spanish rider finish with skin abrasions.

Bravely starting today’s 178km stage to Leysin, Rodriguez initially looked in control, with Godon working well in the bunch all day and showing his versatility to support his teammate.

However, on the final climb to the finish, Rodriguez began to suffer from the effects of his crash and was distanced from the lead group with four kilometres remaining.

Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates - XRG) went on to win the stage and secure overall victory on the general classification, while Rodriguez fought on to finish 19th on the stage and 12th on GC.

And here's the 2025 Tour de Romandie final report from Team Goupama-FDJ United:

In contention for a top-10 finish on the Tour de Romandie until Saturday, Clément Berthet ultimately couldn’t wrap up his Swiss week as he had hoped. Slightly off the pace during the decisive weekend, the French climber finished 25th overall. The Groupama–FDJ cycling team was nevertheless very active during the final three stages, making sure to be part of every breakaway, but unfortunately, the peloton gave the escapees no chance in this 79th edition.

After stage 2 of the Tour de Romandie on Thursday, everything was still to play for in the general classification. Sitting 11th, Clément Berthet was less than a minute behind the yellow jersey and about fifteen seconds off the top five. On Friday, the Col du Mollendruz (9 km at 6%) had the potential to create gaps, even though its summit was located about thirty kilometres from the finish.

David Gaudu before the start of stage three. Sirotti photo

The breakaway reached the climb first, with no fewer than three riders from Groupama-FDJ United: Josh Kench, Lorenzo Germani, and Rémy Rochas. Having crashed earlier in the day without serious injury, the latter two sacrificed themselves for their New Zealand teammate, who pushed hard on the climb and was only caught by the peloton near the summit. “We said in the briefing that we needed to try to have numbers in the breakaway, as that was our chance to get a good result,” explained Thierry. “The guys did it very well, and it reflects the attitude they had all week. The intention was right, but UAE Team Emirates controlled it closely.” Once caught, Josh Kench descended toward the finish in a group of around thirty riders that also included Clément Berthet. At the line, Dorian Godon won the sprint, while the French climber finished ninth, moving up to tenth overall.

On Saturday, it was Maxime Decomble’s turn to try his luck at the front after a strong battle early in the race. However, the peloton never gave much gap to the young Frenchman and his fellow escapees, and the Groupama-FDJ United rider was caught with forty kilometers to go. “It was a strong breakaway, with riders who have solid credentials,” Thierry emphasized. “It was a good effort from Maxime. He faded a bit at the end, but that’s all part of his development.”

The rest of the team focused on positioning Clément Berthet at the foot of the final climb, the Jaunpass (8 km at 8%), whose summit came seventeen kilometres from the finish. However, the Frenchman couldn’t match the other favorites as he did on previous days. “At the start of the final climb, Clément didn’t have great legs, and that was confirmed on Sunday,” said Thierry. “He had a somewhat difficult final weekend, but that’s not surprising. The competition has been racing at a high level for three months, while he is just starting his season. At some point, the difference shows. Now he needs to recover well, and then he’ll be able to build form.” Seventeenth overall before the final stage, Clément Berthet was unable to defend his top-20 position on Sunday during the final climb to Leysin (14 km at 6%).

At the finish, it was Rémy Rochas, still in the peloton until five kilometres from the summit, who was the first Groupama-FDJ United rider to cross the line (21st), while Lorenzo Germani animated the race at the front all day. “Rémy finished this Tour de Romandie quite well,” Thierry added. “On Saturday, he waited for Clément to help defend a good overall position, and on Sunday he put in a solid climb to enjoy himself and regain confidence. Like Rémi and Josh, he’ll be at the Giro in five days. They’re heading there with a lot of motivation, and they know they’re ready. Overall, given how the race unfolded each day, there wasn’t much room unless you were really fighting for the general classification. Clément was competitive for four days before fading. I’ll remember the overall mindset. The team was motivated to achieve a result, but the race was simply locked down. The team commitment was clearly there, as it showed with all our breakaways, and that remains encouraging.”