Tour de Suisse 2018 Route stage 9: ITT Bellinzona

In 2014, the Tour de Suisse started with a 9.4 kilometres ITT in Bellinzona and Tony Martin took the win ahead of Tom Dumoulin and Rohan Dennis.

This year’s Tour de Suisse comes to a halt in Bellinzona, which is not the only difference. The route almost is four times as long as in the 2014 opener. The first 20 kilometres are familiar from yesterday’s criterium-race. The route is gently undulating, which really doesn’t change that much in the rest of the race. Hardly any bends either, so the specialists can push big gear.

The last 2 kilometres feature a minor hurdle – 400 metres at 4% – before a drop down to the line. A 90 degree left-hander and a 90 degree right-hander with 300 metres to go and the riders are home.

The first riders leaves the start ramp at 13:17, while the arrival of the GC leader is expected at 16:20 – both local times.