Stage 5 Tour de Romandie Preview: Swiss finale could be ripe for a surprise

One day left in Romandie, and the climbing isn't over yet. Sunday's finale is another tough mountain stage — tailor-made for Tadej Pogačar, surely? But the final climb is not particularly steep, which could actually work against him. Add a strong Florian Lipowitz to the mix, and you might just have the ingredients for something special. IDL Pro Cycling looks ahead.

The stage starts in Lucens, and the road rises almost immediately. Not steeply, but it sets the tone. There is barely a flat kilometre in the entire final stage. The first proper climb takes a while to arrive, though: after a hilly opening loop around the start town of Lucens, the race heads south towards Moudon. A local circuit there serves up two climbs.

Neither is particularly difficult. From there it's further south, where the shores of Lake Geneva come into view. There is an intermediate sprint in Chardonne, and after one final hill it's a descent and a push through to Aigle. That valley contains almost the only flat kilometres of the day, along with another intermediate sprint in the city that is home to UCI headquarters.

Then the climbing begins in earnest — though the col to Leysin is not the hardest around. It is unpredictable in its rhythm, but at 14.3 kilometres at 4.5% it doesn't inspire much fear. It functions as a kind of two-stage rocket, with the turning point at Le Sepey. From there it's another 4.5 kilometres, including a stretch of nearly 8% over just over three kilometres. That is where the real differences could be made.

Times
Start: 11:50 a.m.
Finish: around 3:58 p.m.

Perfectly fine conditions for the final day. Not too warm, with temperatures between 19 and 22 degrees. A brief shower is possible, but it should stay largely dry in western Switzerland. The wind blows from the northwest, meaning it will mostly be at the riders' backs.

A finale like this would normally mean Tadej Pogačar takes his fourth win of the week — if he wants it. The Slovenian has already won three times and is the strongest climber in the race, but Florian Lipowitz stayed impressively close on Saturday. Can the German keep the race interesting? He needs to claw back around half a minute on the Slovenian.

The gap to the rest was enormous. Lenny Martinez couldn't follow on Saturday, but if he finds the same legs he had earlier in the week, he could spring a surprise. The same goes for Visma | Lease a Bike's Jørgen Nordhagen. The pair now sit well back from the yellow jersey, but that could also mean Pogačar lets them ride if they can put a plan together.

Beyond those four names, there are plenty of outsiders who could do something interesting. Luke Plapp (Jayco AlUla) is getting stronger by the day, while his compatriot Luke Tuckwell (Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe) has taken over Primož Roglič's role as shadow leader in support of Lipowitz. At Movistar, they will be hoping Jefferson Alveiro Cepeda rediscovers his best climbing legs. Pablo Castrillo, third on Saturday, may also have something to offer.

Junior Lecerf will carry Soudal Quick-Step's hopes, though they also have Valentin Paret-Peintre in the ranks. Lorenzo Fortunato is best placed at XDS Astana, but Sergio Higuita is also climbing well. Albert Withen Philipsen (Lidl-Trek) lost some time on Saturday, but Sunday's climb may suit him a little better. Jefferson Alexander Cepeda (EF Education-EasyPost), Yannis Voisard (Tudor) and Nairo Quintana (Movistar) are also worth noting.

Top favorite: Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates-XRG)
Outsiders: Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe), Lenny martinez (Bahrain Victorious) and Jørgen Nordhagen (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Long shots:Sergio Higuita, Lorenzo Fortunato (both Astana), Valentin Paret-Peintre, Junior Lecerf (both Soudal Quick-Step), Luke Plapp (Jayco AlUla),Pablo Castrillo, Jefferson Alveiro Cepeda, Nairo Quintana (all Movistar), Jefferson Alexander Cepeda (EF Education - EasyPost), Albert Withen Philipsen (Lidl-Trek), Yannis Voisard (Tudor), Primoz Roglic and Luke Tuckwell (both Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe)