# 2014 Tour de Romandie

The 2014 Tour de Romandie was the 68th running of the Tour de Romandie cycling stage race. The race consisted of six stages, beginning with a prologue stage in Ascona on 29 April and concluding with another individual time trial, in Neuchâtel, on 4 May. It was the fourteenth race of the 2014 UCI World Tour season.
In exactly the same podium positions as the 2013 edition, Great Britain's Chris Froome of Team Sky won the race for a second successive year, after winning the final time trial stage in Neuchâtel. Having trailed Team Katusha rider Simon Špilak by a single second going into the stage, Froome turned the deficit into a 28-second race-winning margin over the 18.5 km (11.5 mi) stage. Špilak finished second, having won the race's third stage – the queen stage into Aigle – by beating Froome in a two-up sprint, after the pair had attacked towards the end of the stage. The podium was completed again by Rui Costa, now riding for Lampre–Merida, who finished third for the third year in a row. Costa finished 64 seconds behind Špilak, and one minute 32 seconds behind Froome.
In the race's other classifications, the Movistar Team's Jesús Herrada was the winner of the white jersey for the young rider classification as he was the highest placed rider born in 1989 or later, finishing in ninth place overall, 16 seconds ahead of nearest rival, FDJ.fr's Thibaut Pinot. Martin Kohler of the BMC Racing Team won the green jersey for the most points gained in intermediate sprints, while the pink jersey for the King of the Mountains classification went to Johann Tschopp of IAM Cycling. The teams classification was won by the Movistar Team, after the squad placed three riders – Beñat Intxausti (sixth), Jon Izagirre (eighth) and Herrada – inside the top ten overall.

## Teams

As the Tour de Romandie was a UCI World Tour event, all 18 UCI ProTeams were invited automatically and obligated to send a squad. Only IAM Cycling were awarded a wildcard place into the race, thus completing the 19-team peloton. Pre-race favourites were Chris Froome, Tejay van Garderen, Michał Kwiatkowski, Simon Špilak, Vincenzo Nibali and Rui Costa.
The 19 teams that competed in the race were:
| Ag2r–La Mondiale Astana Belkin Pro Cycling BMC Racing Team Cannondale Team Europcar FDJ.fr Garmin–Sharp Giant–Shimano IAM Cycling | Team Katusha Lampre–Merida Lotto–Belisol Movistar Team Omega Pharma–Quick-Step Orica–GreenEDGE Team Sky Tinkoff–Saxo Trek Factory Racing |

## Schedule

List of stages :
| Stage | Date | Course | Distance | Type | Winner |
| P | 29 April | Ascona to Ascona | 5.57 km (3 mi) | Individual time trial | Michał Kwiatkowski (POL) |
| 1 | 30 April | Brigerbad to Sion | 88.6 km (55 mi) | Mountain stage | Michael Albasini (SUI) |
| 2 | 1 May | Sion to Montreux | 166.5 km (103 mi) | Intermediate stage | Michael Albasini (SUI) |
| 3 | 2 May | Le Bouveret to Aigle | 180.2 km (112 mi) | Mountain stage | Simon Špilak (SLO) |
| 4 | 3 May | Fribourg to Fribourg | 173.1 km (108 mi) | Flat stage | Michael Albasini (SUI) |
| 5 | 4 May | Neuchâtel to Neuchâtel | 18.5 km (11 mi) | Individual time trial | Chris Froome (GBR) |

## Stages
### Prologue
#### 29 April 2014 — Ascona, 5.57 km (3.5 mi), individual time trial (ITT)

Prologue Result and General Classification after Prologue
| | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Michał Kwiatkowski (POL) | Omega Pharma–Quick-Step | 6' 22" |
| 2 | Rohan Dennis (AUS) | Garmin–Sharp | + 4" |
| 3 | Marcel Kittel (GER) | Giant–Shimano | + 4" |
| 4 | Giacomo Nizzolo (ITA) | Trek Factory Racing | + 4" |
| 5 | Tony Martin (GER) | Omega Pharma–Quick-Step | + 5" |
| 6 | Brett Lancaster (AUS) | Orica–GreenEDGE | + 6" |
| 7 | Matthias Brändle (AUT) | IAM Cycling | + 7" |
| 8 | Jesse Sergent (NZL) | Trek Factory Racing | + 8" |
| 9 | Ramūnas Navardauskas (LIT) | Garmin–Sharp | + 9" |
| 10 | Martijn Keizer (NED) | Belkin Pro Cycling | + 9" |

### Stage 1
#### 30 April 2014 — Brigerbad to Sion, 88.6 km (55.1 mi)

The stage was originally scheduled to be held over 203 km (126.1 mi), but was significantly shortened due to snow.
| | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Michael Albasini (SUI) | Orica–GreenEDGE | 2h 11' 11" |
| 2 | Jesús Herrada (ESP) | Movistar Team | s.t. |
| 3 | Ramūnas Navardauskas (LIT) | Garmin–Sharp | s.t. |
| 4 | Maxim Iglinsky (KAZ) | Astana | s.t. |
| 5 | Andrew Talansky (USA) | Garmin–Sharp | s.t. |
| 6 | Matthias Brändle (AUT) | IAM Cycling | s.t. |
| 7 | Rui Costa (POR) | Lampre–Merida | s.t. |
| 8 | Jonathan Hivert (FRA) | Belkin Pro Cycling | s.t. |
| 9 | Björn Thurau (GER) | Team Europcar | s.t. |
| 10 | Thomas Voeckler (FRA) | Team Europcar | s.t. |
| | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Michał Kwiatkowski (POL) | Omega Pharma–Quick-Step | 2h 17' 33" |
| 2 | Michael Albasini (SUI) | Orica–GreenEDGE | + 5" |
| 3 | Ramūnas Navardauskas (LIT) | Garmin–Sharp | + 5" |
| 4 | Jesús Herrada (ESP) | Movistar Team | + 6" |
| 5 | Matthias Brändle (AUT) | IAM Cycling | + 7" |
| 6 | Rohan Dennis (AUS) | Garmin–Sharp | + 8" |
| 7 | Tony Martin (GER) | Omega Pharma–Quick-Step | + 9" |
| 8 | Martijn Keizer (NED) | Belkin Pro Cycling | + 13" |
| 9 | Alexandre Geniez (FRA) | FDJ.fr | + 13" |
| 10 | Chris Froome (GBR) | Team Sky | + 14" |

### Stage 2
#### 1 May 2014 — Sion to Montreux, 166.5 km (103.5 mi)

| | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Michael Albasini (SUI) | Orica–GreenEDGE | 4h 12' 22" |
| 2 | Tony Hurel (FRA) | Team Europcar | s.t. |
| 3 | Giacomo Nizzolo (ITA) | Trek Factory Racing | s.t. |
| 4 | Alexey Tsatevich (RUS) | Team Katusha | s.t. |
| 5 | Michał Kwiatkowski (POL) | Omega Pharma–Quick-Step | s.t. |
| 6 | Maxim Iglinsky (KAZ) | Astana | s.t. |
| 7 | Tosh Van der Sande (BEL) | Lotto–Belisol | s.t. |
| 8 | Ramūnas Navardauskas (LIT) | Garmin–Sharp | s.t. |
| 9 | Danilo Wyss (SUI) | BMC Racing Team | s.t. |
| 10 | Chris Froome (GBR) | Team Sky | s.t. |
| | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Michael Albasini (SUI) | Orica–GreenEDGE | 6h 29' 50" |
| 2 | Michał Kwiatkowski (POL) | Omega Pharma–Quick-Step | + 5" |
| 3 | Ramūnas Navardauskas (LIT) | Garmin–Sharp | + 10" |
| 4 | Jesús Herrada (ESP) | Movistar Team | + 11" |
| 5 | Matthias Brändle (AUT) | IAM Cycling | + 12" |
| 6 | Rohan Dennis (AUS) | Garmin–Sharp | + 13" |
| 7 | Tony Martin (GER) | Omega Pharma–Quick-Step | + 14" |
| 8 | Martijn Keizer (NED) | Belkin Pro Cycling | + 18" |
| 9 | Chris Froome (GBR) | Team Sky | + 19" |
| 10 | Jon Izagirre (ESP) | Movistar Team | + 19" |

### Stage 3
#### 2 May 2014 — Le Bouveret to Aigle, 180.5 km (112.2 mi)

| | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Simon Špilak (SLO) | Team Katusha | 5h 09' 23" |
| 2 | Chris Froome (GBR) | Team Sky | s.t. |
| 3 | Rui Costa (POR) | Lampre–Merida | + 57" |
| 4 | Jakob Fuglsang (DEN) | Astana | + 57" |
| 5 | Beñat Intxausti (ESP) | Movistar Team | + 57" |
| 6 | Mathias Frank (SUI) | IAM Cycling | + 57" |
| 7 | Vincenzo Nibali (ITA) | Astana | + 57" |
| 8 | Jesús Herrada (ESP) | Movistar Team | + 1' 41" |
| 9 | Thibaut Pinot (FRA) | FDJ.fr | + 1' 41" |
| 10 | Andrew Talansky (USA) | Garmin–Sharp | + 1' 41" |
| | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Simon Špilak (SLO) | Team Katusha | 11h 39' 25" |
| 2 | Chris Froome (GBR) | Team Sky | + 1" |
| 3 | Rui Costa (POR) | Lampre–Merida | + 1' 02" |
| 4 | Vincenzo Nibali (ITA) | Astana | + 1' 06" |
| 5 | Mathias Frank (SUI) | IAM Cycling | + 1' 10" |
| 6 | Beñat Intxausti (ESP) | Movistar Team | + 1' 13" |
| 7 | Jakob Fuglsang (DEN) | Astana | + 1' 14" |
| 8 | Jesús Herrada (ESP) | Movistar Team | + 1' 40" |
| 9 | Jon Izagirre (ESP) | Movistar Team | + 1' 48" |
| 10 | Andrew Talansky (USA) | Garmin–Sharp | + 1' 50" |

### Stage 4
#### 3 May 2014 — Fribourg to Fribourg, 173.1 km (107.6 mi)

| | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Michael Albasini (SUI) | Orica–GreenEDGE | 4h 14' 21" |
| 2 | Thomas Voeckler (FRA) | Team Europcar | s.t. |
| 3 | Jan Bakelants (BEL) | Omega Pharma–Quick-Step | s.t. |
| 4 | Davide Appollonio (ITA) | Ag2r–La Mondiale | + 9" |
| 5 | Anthony Roux (FRA) | FDJ.fr | + 9" |
| 6 | Oscar Gatto (ITA) | Cannondale | + 9" |
| 7 | Ramūnas Navardauskas (LTU) | Garmin–Sharp | + 9" |
| 8 | Luka Mezgec (SLO) | Giant–Shimano | + 9" |
| 9 | Roberto Ferrari (ITA) | Lampre–Merida | + 9" |
| 10 | Tony Hurel (FRA) | Team Europcar | + 9" |
| | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Simon Špilak (SLO) | Team Katusha | 15h 53' 55" |
| 2 | Chris Froome (GBR) | Team Sky | + 1" |
| 3 | Rui Costa (POR) | Lampre–Merida | + 1' 02" |
| 4 | Vincenzo Nibali (ITA) | Astana | + 1' 06" |
| 5 | Mathias Frank (SUI) | IAM Cycling | + 1' 10" |
| 6 | Beñat Intxausti (ESP) | Movistar Team | + 1' 13" |
| 7 | Jakob Fuglsang (DEN) | Astana | + 1' 14" |
| 8 | Jesús Herrada (ESP) | Movistar Team | + 1' 40" |
| 9 | Jon Izagirre (ESP) | Movistar Team | + 1' 48" |
| 10 | Andrew Talansky (USA) | Garmin–Sharp | + 1' 50" |

### Stage 5
#### 4 May 2014 — Neuchâtel, 18.5 km (11.5 mi), individual time trial (ITT)

| | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Chris Froome (GBR) | Team Sky | 24' 50" |
| 2 | Tony Martin (GER) | Omega Pharma–Quick-Step | + 1" |
| 3 | Jesse Sergent (NZL) | Trek Factory Racing | + 8" |
| 4 | Rigoberto Urán (COL) | Omega Pharma–Quick-Step | + 15" |
| 5 | Jon Izagirre (ESP) | Movistar Team | + 20" |
| 6 | Riccardo Zoidl (AUT) | Trek Factory Racing | + 29" |
| 7 | Simon Špilak (SLO) | Team Katusha | + 29" |
| 8 | Rui Costa (POR) | Lampre–Merida | + 31" |
| 9 | Thibaut Pinot (FRA) | FDJ.fr | + 35" |
| 10 | Mathias Frank (SUI) | IAM Cycling | + 35" |
| | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Chris Froome (GBR) | Team Sky | 16h 18' 46" |
| 2 | Simon Špilak (SLO) | Team Katusha | + 28" |
| 3 | Rui Costa (POR) | Lampre–Merida | + 1' 32" |
| 4 | Mathias Frank (SUI) | IAM Cycling | + 1' 44" |
| 5 | Vincenzo Nibali (ITA) | Astana | + 1' 48" |
| 6 | Beñat Intxausti (ESP) | Movistar Team | + 1' 52" |
| 7 | Jakob Fuglsang (DEN) | Astana | + 1' 56" |
| 8 | Jon Izagirre (ESP) | Movistar Team | + 2' 07" |
| 9 | Jesús Herrada (ESP) | Movistar Team | + 2' 15" |
| 10 | Thibaut Pinot (FRA) | FDJ.fr | + 2' 31" |

## Classification leadership table

In the 2014 Tour de Romandie, four different jerseys were awarded. For the general classification, calculated by adding each cyclist's finishing times on each stage, and allowing time bonuses in mass-start stages – on a basis of ten seconds to the stage winner, six seconds for second place and four seconds for third place – the leader received a yellow jersey. This classification was considered the most important of the 2014 Tour de Romandie, and the winner of the classification was considered the winner of the race.
Additionally, there was a young rider classification, which awarded a white jersey. This was decided in the same way as the general classification, but only riders born after 1 January 1989 were eligible to be ranked in the classification. There was also a mountains classification, the leadership of which was marked by a pink jersey. In the mountains classification, points were won by reaching the top of a climb before other cyclists, with more points available for the higher-categorised climbs; there were fourteen categorised climbs in the race, split into three distinctive categories.
The fourth jersey represented the sprints classification, marked by a green jersey. In the sprints classification, cyclists received points for finishing in the top 3 at intermediate sprint points during each stage, with the exception of the individual time trial stages. There was also a classification for teams, in which the times of the best three cyclists per team on each stage were added together; the leading team at the end of the race was the team with the lowest total time.
| Stage | Winner | General classification | Mountains classification | Sprints classification | Young rider classification | Team classification |
| P | Michał Kwiatkowski | Michał Kwiatkowski | not awarded | not awarded | Michał Kwiatkowski | Omega Pharma–Quick-Step |
| 1 | Michael Albasini | Michał Kwiatkowski | Johann Tschopp | Vincenzo Nibali | Michał Kwiatkowski | Omega Pharma–Quick-Step |
| 2 | Michael Albasini | Michael Albasini | Johann Tschopp | Martin Kohler | Michał Kwiatkowski | Omega Pharma–Quick-Step |
| 3 | Simon Špilak | Simon Špilak | Johann Tschopp | Martin Kohler | Jesús Herrada | Movistar Team |
| 4 | Michael Albasini | Simon Špilak | Johann Tschopp | Martin Kohler | Jesús Herrada | Movistar Team |
| 5 | Chris Froome | Chris Froome | Johann Tschopp | Martin Kohler | Jesús Herrada | Movistar Team |
| Final | Final | Chris Froome | Johann Tschopp | Martin Kohler | Jesús Herrada | Movistar Team |