The second-year pro was part of the reduced group which contested the sprint, at the end of a stage animated by a large breakaway containing Eros Capecchi.
Five classified climbs (Fontanazier, Mauborget, Le Haut-de-la-Cote, Côte de la Vue Des Alpes, and Col de la Tourne), 3000 vertical meters and, unlike previous Tour de Romandie editions, beautiful weather – that was on the menu of stage 1, which took the peloton to La Chaux-de-Fonds, a regular finish at the Swiss race in the last couple of years.
After several skirmishes, a breakaway formed at the bottom of the Fontanezier, twelve men going clear and building a four-minute maximum gap. Among the leaders was also Deceuninck – Quick-Step’s Eros Capecchi, whose work rate at the front was hugely impressive, helping the group remain clear until midway up the final climb, where the peloton reabsorbed them.
Immediately after Eros – who is racing his fourth World Tour of the season this week – and his companions were brought back, several riders powered away and gained a small batch of time on a peloton from where also 23-year-old James Knox tested the waters. Eventually, despite several other late attacks, it all came together on the flat run-in to the finish, where Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) took the win.
Knox was part of the small bunch that arrived in La Chaux-de-Fonds a minute clear of the first chasers and sprinted to 13th place, a result that catapulted him into the top 10, more precisely to eighth overall, just a few seconds off the podium and the best young rider jersey, a morale-boosting result ahead of the next stages which will shape the general classification.
Photo credit: ©David Ramos/ Getty Images
©Luc Claessen/ Getty Images
