Top 10 for Astana's Hirt in demanding final, Tour de Romandie. Stage 1

The five categorized climbs during the day made it a hard stage for the peloton. In the demanding final circuit, it was Jan Hirt who was able to make it in the select group of twenty riders. Primoz Roglic took the stage victory and the overall lead, the official website of Astana Pro Team reads.

"It was a pretty hard day, a very tricky stage where we went up and down all the time. We were waiting for what would happen and decided not to attack. In the end, it was a fast race with a lot of attacks, but I made it in the group that could sprint for the stage win. I tried to deliver my best sprint, but I know it's not my best quality so I can be satisfied with this eighth place today. My condition is not bad and I'm looking forward to the upcoming stages, I hope we can show ourselves at the front of the race," said Jan Hirt.

A 168.4 kilometers-long stage 1 after yesterday's prologue in the Tour de Romandie, starting from Neuchatel to finish in La Chaux-de-Fonds after a local lap of over 50 kilometers. The five categorized climbs made it a hard race after a group of thirteen riders was able to go clear. They got caught with 30 kilometers to go, and after many attacks, it was a group of twenty riders that finished 50 seconds in front of the strongly reduced peloton. Primoz Roglic won the sprint, taking the overall lead in the Tour de Romandie. Jan Hirt was the first Astana Pro Team rider to cross the finish line in the eighth position, moving into the twentieth place overall.

Stage 2 will go from Le Locle to Morges, a stage of 174.4 kilometers with only two categorized climbs. The last climb is more than 30 kilometers before the finish line, making it an interesting stage for the sprinters of the peloton.