Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team rider Tony Martin, UCI World TT Champion, was 16th in the 7.45km prologue from Le Chable to Bruson on Tuesday. Martin finished 29" back from winner Chris Froome (Team SkyProcycling) on the Cat. 3 mountain TT.
Gianni Meersman was also 24th for OPQS. Andrew Talansky (Garmin-Sharp) was 2nd, and Robert Kiserlovski (+13) 3rd.
OPQS looks next to Stage 1 on Wednesday, from St. Maurice to Renens. The course features two Category 3 climbs: Chatel-St-Denis at the 50.9km point and Martherenges at the 82.4km point. There is also a Category 2 climb at 41.3km to go (135.5km point). The stage then descends, aside from some slight undulating points and a slight uphill in the final few kilometers, into a flat finish.
"Today the prologue went fine," Sport Director Brian Holm said. "A mountain time trial, and no big excuses for any of the results. We did our best, it wasn't quite good enough, and that's OK. We will try again tomorrow. As for tomorrow's parcour, we're not sure about how it will finish. If it's a bunch sprint, we'll see about Cavendish. But if it is not a bunch sprint we will try with Meersman. He was very strong today, maybe a bit of a surprise with the time he had on a mountain prologue. His condition is good. As for Cav, we will not stress too much about him. For him, he is here more to build his condition for the Giro d'Italia. If there is a chance for him, for sure we will go for it. But it is more important that he finishes and is ready for the Giro."
