Tour of Romandie win is career-best title for Carlos Rodriguez through rain-slicked final stage
The winner of the Tour de Romandie, Carlos Rodriguez, right, from Spain of team Ineos Grenadier, celebrates on the podium after the fifth and final stage, a 150,8 km race between Vernier and Vernier at the 77th Tour de Romandie UCI World Tour Cycling race, in Vernier near Geneva, Switzerland, Sunday, April 28, 2024. Credit: AP/Jean-Christophe Bott
VERNIER, Switzerland — Carlos Rodriguez protected his yellow jersey through a rain-soaked final stage Sunday to win the six-day Tour of Romandie for the biggest race victory of his career.
Four previous winners in the French-speaking region of Switzerland went on to win that season's Tour de France, including Chris Froome in 2013. Rodriguez placed fifth in cycling's marquee event last year and won a stage.
Rodriguez started Sunday's flat stage that looped round the suburbs of Geneva — won in a sprint finish by Dorian Godon — with a seven-second lead he took by placing third in a mountain stage Saturday.
The 23-year-old Ineos Grenadiers rider kept that winning margin over runner-up Aleksandr Vlasov, the 2022 Romandie winner. Third-placed Florian Lipowitz was third, trailing Rodriquez by nine seconds.
Godon sealed his second stage win this week, edging Simone Consonni with Dion Smith third.
