Tour de Suisse

The race is decided in the mountains and against the clock, with at least two or three summit finishes or high-altitude stages where climbers can gain meaningful time. One individual time trial typically separates the all-rounders from the specialists, and the opening days often include rolling or flat stages that favor sprinters or breakaway riders before the GC battle begins in earnest. Descending skill matters as much as climbing power: Swiss roads are narrow, technical, and unforgiving, and time gaps open on the way down as often as on the way up. The race rewards riders who can sustain form across a full week without cracking, making it a proving ground for Tour readiness rather than a warm-up formality.