The first stage of next year's Tour de Romandie will use much of the course of the UCI Road World Championship men's road race from Aigle to Martigny, organizers of the six-day Swiss stage race have announced.

Following a prologue time trial around Oron on April 28, the riders will start the first stage the following day in Aigle, which is also the starting point for the World Championship men's road race on September 27. According to a press release, the riders will travel south to Martigny and complete "several laps" of the 20-km finish lap course.

At the World Championships, the elite men will ride this circuit seven times, plus an additional section northeast of Martigny toward Sion.

Following the World Championship dress rehearsal on April 29, the second stage will be from La Neuveville to Saint-Imier, while the third stage will be a circuit around Estavier.

Stage 4 will be the "queen stage" of the World Tour race, starting in Sion and finishing at the summit of the Tion 2000 ski resort. On May 3, with a race record elevation gain of 13,080 meters, the race will finish with an individual time trial in Fribourg.

Jumbo Visma's Primoz Roglic, winner of the last two editions, will also represent Slovenia on the tough course of the World Championships in September.