Tour de Suisse Stage 1 data: World champion Rohan Dennis wins

Rohan Dennis (Team Bahrain Merida) edged out Maciej Bodnar (BORA-hansgrohe) by under a second to win the individual time trial in Langnau on Tour de Suisse Stage 1.

The Australian covered the 9.5km course in 10’50” to record his first victory of the 2019 season, and his first wearing the rainbow stripes of individual time trial world champion.

A fast, flattish course saw the best times clocked early on - Patrick Bevin (CCC Team) posted a strong early marker of 10’58”, before being superseded by Bodnar in 10’50”.

But it wasn’t long before Dennis, who started 31 minutes after the first rider down the ramp, was in the hot seat after going fractionally faster than Polishman Bodnar.

Maciej Bodnar (BORA-hansgrohe) was edged out by fractions of a second (Getty Images)

Maciej Bodnar (BORA-hansgrohe) was edged out by fractions of a second (Getty Images)

Starting just two minutes after Dennis, Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb) turned in a seriously impressive ride, clocking 10’51” to claim third place at the end of the day.

Heavy rain showers rolled in for some of the later starters, but the most likely candidates for stage victory had already rolled down the ramp by that point.

In the post-race press conference Dennis succinctly summed up his strategy: "My theory is go out fast, come back faster.”

VelonLive data demonstrated some of the efforts of the key riders as follows:

Rohan Dennis (Team Bahrain Merida) – an amazing 2.3km effort after halfway point

Time: 2:34min
Avg Speed: 53.8km/h
Max Speed: 58.2km/h
Avg Power: 520W
Max Power: 770W
Avg Cadence: 96rpm

Maciej Bodnar (BORA-hansgrohe) – Last 2.5km effort to set best time

Time: 2:51min
Avg Speed: 51.5km/h
Max Speed: 58.9km/h
Avg Power: 485W
Max Power: 650W
Avg Cadence: 100rpm

Egal Bernal (Team INEOS) – first 2.5km

Time: 2:46min
Avg Speed: 54.7km/h
Max Speed: 65.6km/h
Avg Power: 410W
Max Power: 730W
Avg Cadence: 91rpm

Matteo Trentin (Mitchelton-SCOTT) – first 2.5km

Time: 2:37min
Avg Speed: 57.7km/h
Max Speed: 67.7km/h
Avg Power: 470W
Max Power: 1120W
Avg Cadence: 106rpm

Sunday’s Stage 2 is a 159km circuit starting and finishing in Langnau. Join us then for more.