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Watson wins Tour de Romandie prologue, Evenepoel eighth / Photo: Fabrice COFFRINI - AFP
Watson wins Tour de Romandie prologue, Evenepoel eighth
Britain's Samuel Watson won Tuesday's opening time-trial prologue at the Tour of Romandie to pull on the leader's yellow jersey with Belgian favourite Remco Evenepoel finishing eighth.
Ineos rider Watson covered the winding 3.44km course in 4min 33.30sec for his first win of the season ahead of Portugal's Ivo Oliveira and Spaniard Ivan Romeo.
The 2023 British junior road race champion will wear the yellow jersey on Wednesday for the 194.3km first stage which finishes in Fribourg. The race concludes in Geneva on Sunday with another time-trial.
Evenepoel started the time-trial with ambition, attacking hard on the pedals to post an encouraging eighth-place finish in four minutes and 37 seconds.
Lacking racing after spending the winter on the sidelines, the Soudal Quick-Step rider has made the Tour de France his top goal for the season, having finished on the podium in 2024 behind Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard.
On Tuesday, Portugal's Joao Almeida of the UAE team was ninth with defending champion Carlos Rodriguez of Ineos in 56th.
S.Belanger--SMC
