Spaniard Ion Izagirre was a surprise winner of the opening prologue at the Tour de Romandie Tuesday. The 27-year-old Movistar rider covered the technical 3.95km course in 5min 33sec to beat Dutch time-trial specialist Tom Dumoulin by six seconds. Poland's Michal Kwiatkowski was third at 7sec in the same time as his Welsh Sky teammate Geraint Thomas, but their team leader Chris Froome struggled. The Tour de France champion finished 26sec down in 62nd after his run was hampered by snowfall at La Chaux-de-Fonds. He lost time on other overall favorites including Nairo Quintana (18th at 16sec), Thibaut Pinot (11th at 12sec), Romain Barrdet (27th at 18sec) and 2011 winner Simon Spilak (36th at 22sec). But reigning champion Ilnur Zakarin of Russia struggled even more than Briton Froome and finished 75th at 30sec while Australian Richie Porte was 101st at 37sec, although his BMC team-mate Tejay Van Garderen managed a strong run to come ninth at just 11sec. Wednesday's opening stage proper is 167km from Chaux-de-Fonds to Moudon. Cyclist banned for 6 years for cheating with hidden motor In Switzerland, the International Cycling Union has banned Belgian rider Femke Van Den Driessche for six years for using a hidden motor at the cyclo-cross world championships. It's the UCI's first sanction using its rules on technological fraud. UCI President Brian Cookson calls it "a major victory" to help "keep this form of cheating out of our sport." The UCI banned Van Den Driessche through Oct. 20, 2021, stripped her Under-23 European title and fined her 20,000 Swiss francs ($20,500). The 19-year-old rider had said she would skip her disciplinary hearing and retire from racing. The UCI says inspectors found a motor "concealed along with a battery in the seat-tube" at the world under-23 race in Belgium in January. The motor "was controlled by a Bluetooth switch installed underneath the handlebar tape."
