It’s starting to look like the Tour of California. Victorious in five stages out of eight there last month, Peter Sagan is showing a similar dominance in stages of the Tour de Suisse, and today clocked up his fourth victory in six days in the race.
The Liquigas Cannondale rider powered past Sky Procycling rider Ben Swift close to the line in Bischofszell, with Orica-GreenEdge rider Allan Davis scooping third place.
“The finishes in the Tour de Suisse are never straight so you need to invent something to find some space,” he said, describing a technical, complicated and risky run in to the line. “I had to work harder today, firstly to get a leading position in the finale, and secondly to launch the sprint. I went flat out into the last corner so I wouldn’t get boxed in and even brushed the barriers.”
Things were tight and for a moment it looked like he could be trapped. In fact, he was sitting back in third place with 70 metres to go, leaving it late. “I was blocked in that moment,” he said, “but as soon as Swift kicked, I knew I could come around and I did. I want to dedicate this win to the team who reeled in the breakaway at the end and make me feel important every day. We’ve now got two demanding stages to wrap up this Tour de Suisse. I want to make the most of them so I can work hard and improve my condition for the Tour de France.”
Also hoping for a strong finish is Movistar’s Rui Costa, who once again held on to the leader’s jersey and retained his eight second lead over Frank Schleck (RadioShack Nissan). Astana’s Roman Kreuziger is seven seconds further back in third place.
The stage was a lumpy one, but lacked major climbs; the ascents on the 199 kilometre from Wittnau comprised three third category climbs and two fourth category ascents. It always looked like being a day for a break to battle towards the end, and so it proved.
Approximately thirty kilometres after the start, Matteo Montaguti (AG2R La Mondiale), Troels Ronning Vinther (Saxo Bank), Baden Cooke (Orica-GreenEdge), Vicente Reynes (Lotto Belisol) and Swiss rider Rubens Bertogliati (Team Type 1-Sanofi) clipped away and clocked up a big advantage. Bertogliati’s presence was a threat, though, given that he started the day just one minute 45 seconds back, and with the bunch not willing to give him much space, he eventually agreed to return to the peloton and thus enable the others to build a bigger lead.
The break topped out with an advantage of five minutes, retaining all bar one of that with forty kilometres remaining. Inevitably, the bunch ramped up the pace from there and drew closer and closer.
The fourth category climb of Schocherswil put pressure on the break and only Montaguti and Vinther persisted afterwards. However they were reeled in two kilometres from the line, after which the sprinters’ team did their final work in trying to manoeuvre their riders into position.
Sky’s train did what it could for Swift, but Sagan was lurking nearby and despite being blocked in slightly, had enough oomph to dart past the Briton for yet another win.
Tomorrow’s 34 kilometre Gossau time trial will be a big test for Schleck, who traditionally is not that strong against the clock. Costa and Kreuziger will battle for the race lead, but with 17 riders less than a minute off the yellow jersey, things could be completely reshuffled.