emirates7 - UAE Team Emirates-XRG made a positive start to the 2026 Tour de Romandie, with both Ivo Oliveira and Tadej Pogačar placing inside the top 10 in the opening prologue.
Oliveira was the first off the ramp for the Emirati squad in the French-speaking region of Switzerland, and the Portuguese specialist quickly went into the hot seat. Unfortunately, his time would later be bettered by Jakob Söderqvist (Lidl-Trek) and Dorian Godon (Ineos Grenadiers), with the latter taking the stage victory.
Nevertheless, Oliveira’s average speed of over 52km/h along the 3.2km-long course was enough to see him finish in third place. That performance was followed suit by Oliveira’s teammate, Pogačar, who stopped the clock in three minutes and 42 seconds, just two days on from winning Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
As the last rider off the starting ramp, Pogačar crossed the line in sixth place, setting the world champion up nicely for a tilt at the general classification.
This week is the Slovenian’s debut outing at the Tour de Romandie, with the 27-year-old hoping to claim the title won by his UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammate João Almeida last season.
Reflecting on his short but intense time in the saddle, Oliveira said, “I am happy with the result. I was expecting to do well because I like this kind of prologue. But considering that after Catalunya I had a crash and a fracture in the foot, this put me out of training for 12 days, I never thought that I would be at the start line in Romandie. So to be here and also be in the fight for the win is pretty special."
Oliveira was the first off the ramp for the Emirati squad in the French-speaking region of Switzerland, and the Portuguese specialist quickly went into the hot seat. Unfortunately, his time would later be bettered by Jakob Söderqvist (Lidl-Trek) and Dorian Godon (Ineos Grenadiers), with the latter taking the stage victory.
Nevertheless, Oliveira’s average speed of over 52km/h along the 3.2km-long course was enough to see him finish in third place. That performance was followed suit by Oliveira’s teammate, Pogačar, who stopped the clock in three minutes and 42 seconds, just two days on from winning Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
As the last rider off the starting ramp, Pogačar crossed the line in sixth place, setting the world champion up nicely for a tilt at the general classification.
This week is the Slovenian’s debut outing at the Tour de Romandie, with the 27-year-old hoping to claim the title won by his UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammate João Almeida last season.
Reflecting on his short but intense time in the saddle, Oliveira said, “I am happy with the result. I was expecting to do well because I like this kind of prologue. But considering that after Catalunya I had a crash and a fracture in the foot, this put me out of training for 12 days, I never thought that I would be at the start line in Romandie. So to be here and also be in the fight for the win is pretty special."
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