On the road to the Tour de Romandie – rts.ch

Merckx feeling

In May 1968, when a student revolution set fire to Paris, Eddie Merckx was at the start of the Tour de Romande. A few hours before the team’s opening time was up, journalist Jean-Jacques Tillmann spoke with him in Geneva. A year ago, the 23-year-old Belgian, the world road champion, won his first match at the Paris-Roubaix in April. The form exists. Eddie Merckx will be the big winner in this 22nd edition. The champion will confirm his victory in the Tour of Italy in a few weeks.

Henault phenomenon

In 1980 Breton, already a two-time winner of the Tour de France, invited himself to the Tour de Romandie. He will show his indomitable will by portraying himself in particular while climbing the Alpe des Chaux in the third stage of the anthology.

Stephen Roach Trilogy

The Tour de Romandie allowed the rising values ​​in cycling to be highlighted. Such was the case for Stephen Roach. After turning professional in 1981, he joined the Peugeot team. He won three stage races, but had a rather poor year in 1982. In 1983, his young talent blossomed on the roads of French-speaking Switzerland. He leads the podium, while teammate Phil Anderson is second.

A year later, the Irishman had to face tough competition: that of Laurent Fignon, the 1983 Tour de France winner, but above all that of Neuchâtel-based Jean-Marie Grizzie, who was close to that feat.

In 1987, the Irish returned to the top again. With his three victories, he was and remains to this day the record holder in this event. After winning in 1987, Stephen Roach went on to win the Giro, the Tour de France and the Road World Championship one by one.