British TT champion just 2" short to beating early best time by Felline (TFS), incredibly near to wearing yellow jersey Movistar Team held in Romandie over the whole 2016 race
After winning over exactly the same distance (6.8km) on a more linear course in the Circuit de la Sarthe earlier this month, Alex Dowsett (Movistar Team) came within a very small margin to claiming his first WorldTour success this season at Tuesday's Tour de Romandie prologue, held under the rain in Aigle.
The British TT champion, final man to roll off the start ramp on a twisty, up-and-down course, was tied in the lead to Italian Fabio Felline (TFS) through the intermediate point, the bends on the last two kilometers adding a decisive 2"05 to his deficit to come in second place over the line (5'59" vs Felline's 5'57"). "Everyone likely screwed things up at at least one corner, mine was the last", was the summary from the Essex rider.
It was a good performance overall for the Movistar riders, leading the team GC in the Swiss stagerace after the prologue, as all Jesús Herrada (14th), Rubén Fernández (17th), Jonathan Castroviejo (18th) and Andrey Amador (26th) finished less than 20" behind the winner. Wednesday's finish atop the Chámpery climb (Cat-1; 14.5km at 4,4% avg.) should continue to transform the overall standings on stage one.
Picture: Photo Gomez Sport