Suisse Miss

The Tour de Suisse’s beauty hides the fact the race is suffering from an identity crisis

 

The Tour de Suisse, with its backdrop of lush green, meadows, spectacular mountains and pristine roads, may be cycling’s most beautiful and telegenic race, writes Richard Moore. But like so many recent editions, the 2017 edition was not a reliable form indicator for the Tour de France. Suisse could be seen as the cycling equivalent of Paris Hilton. Or, indeed, Filippo Pozzato. They look fabulous but what are they actually for? Beyond looking fabulous, what is their purpose?

The race predates the Vuelta by two years, and some still refer to it as the fourth Grand Tour, but that is a claim that seems difficult to justify these days. It does look amazing, and for a bike race, looking amazing matters a lot. Plus, it’s very well organised. Many riders love it.

And yet, gradually over the years the top GC riders have been turning their backs on it. Only one rider in the top 10 this year, Bahrain-Merida’s Jon Izagirre, will lead his team at the Tour. The winner, Simon pilak, has only ridden in one Grand Tour in six years, let alone been a contender.

What’s the problem? One is that the nine-day race falls between two stools: not quite important enough to attract a cast of A-listers who want to win it and too close to the Tour to attract those same riders trying to hone their form.