Tour de Suisse 2010 Photos June 12 - June 20

Tour de Suisse 2010 Dashboard

Dave Zabriske didn't like the slick, technical course. Finished 88th (+0:44)	6th Gustav Erik Larsson (Swe) Team Saxo Bank +0:11	5 Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quick Step +0:10
4th Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Doimo +0:03	3rd Tony Martin (Ger) Team HTC - Columbia +0:03	2nd Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas-Doimo +0:01
1st Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank: 7.6 km in 10:21 (44.0579 km/h)	Homeboy Fabian Cancellara gets the race off to a good start	So of course, he's also the first wearer of the Yellow Jersey

Stage 2:  Ascona - Sierre 167.5km  Full Results and Report

Stage 2 started on the picturesque north shores of Lake Maggiore, in Ascona Our Stage 2 Photo Preview of Ascona, Simplon Pass and Sierre	Liquigas teammates Peter Sagan and Roman Kreuziger, 4th and 2nd in the prologue, proudly showing off their new (young rider and kom) jeresys prior to the start in Ascona. Stage 2 Photo Preview of Ascona, Simplon Pass and Sierre	Lance Armstrong getting some cobbles practice prior to the start
I believe this is the start of the uncategorized climb from the start in Ascona that briefly entered Italy.	Race leader Fabian Cancellara and his teammates, the Schleck brothers	The peloton bundled up for the screaming descent down the other side of the category 1 Simplon Pass
Later, we had a break on the circuit around Sierre with BMC's Mathias Frank and Katusha's Pavel Brutt getting some sponsor exposure before getting reeled in	The bike throw photo finish in Sierre...	Cervelo's Heinrich Haussler (left) announces his return to winning form after being sidelined with an injury earlier this year
Race leader, Fabian Cancellara crossed in the same time just behind George Hincapie and retains his leader's jersey	"I'm working towards the Tour [de France] and now I know my form is good"

Stage 3:   Sierre - Schwarzenburg 196.6km  Full Results and Report

No panoramics today from Sirotti, so here's the descent into Chateau d'Oex off of Col des Mosses at km 90 from one of our touring reports (more photos)	After several failed attacks by other riders on the hilly, classic run into Schwarzenburg, Frank Schleck put in the winning move at the top of the 11% hill with 1 km to go	The Irish National Champ, Nicolas Roche, was 2nd man over the top after initiating the move. He finished 9th on the day.
Tony Martin finished one spot behind Roche for 10th (+0:03) good enough to move into the race lead by one second	Robert Gesink (7th, +0:03), and Lance Armstrong (15th, +0:07) topping the hill together with 1 km to go	Frank Schleck held off Caisse d'Epargne's Rigoberto Uran and the remnants of the peloton for the win in Schwarzenburg
A classic type win for Franck Schleck who also won a stage last week at Tour de Luxembourg. "Frank Schleck has been in great shape throughout the spring and now the results really starting to come" said Saxo Bank's director Kim Andersen	Oscar Freire (70th) and Roman Kreuziger (69th) finishing together. Friere was in a failed break in the final 25 km and he was the last of the pure sprinters left at the front before giving up time at the finish. Friere isn't concerned about time, but Kreuziger, who was 2nd in the prologue (stage 1 ITT) lost 2:04 today.	Your stage 3 winner, Franck Schleck
As mentioned, Tony Martin has moved into Yellow by one second. He finished 4s ahead of Cancellara.

Stage 4:  Schwarzenburg - Wettingen 192.2km  Full Results and Report

Crash in the last 100m. It started when Mark Cavendish veered into Heinrich Haussler at the front of the race. Cavendish is now on his back with the peloton coming up behind.	Same photo cropped (zoomed)
Milram's Gerhard Ciolek and Ag2R's Lloyd Mondory were the next to go down	Same photo cropped (zoomed)	Is Oscar Freire about to go down?
... Nope. As Freire skids, it looks like a hole opens up. However, he comes to a grinding halt as several bouncing bikes collect in front him.	Same photo cropped (zoomed)	When the slightest of holes opened up, Sky's Juan Antonio Flecha slipped through the bouncing bodies and bikes to finish 6th
Flecha escapes by the thin of his teeth while Ag2R's Martin Elmiger completes his stop with a somersault	Lampre's Alessandro Petacchi is first across the line but passes on a victory salute	The rest of the peloton making their way through the carnage
Haussler and Ciolek on the deck	Ciolek was up first	Heinrich Haussler was scraped up but otherwise ok. Update: he has a deep wound on his elbow and has dropped out of the race.
Caisse d'Epargne's Arnaud Coyot wasn't so lucky

Stage 5:  Wettingen - Frutigen, 164 km  Full Results and Report

BMC's Marcus Burghardt attacked the three man break at the 1 km marker and soloed the slightly uphill and wet finish into Frutigen	Celebrating his first win since winning a stage at the 2008 Tour de France. That's a dejected Garmin rider, Martijn Maaskant, crossing second.	Liquigas rider Daniel Oss was third
Katusha's Robbie McEwen won the field sprint for 4th (+0:47) just ahead of Lampre's Diego Ulissi	The race leader, Tony Martin, finishing with the pack	Lance Armstrong and George Hincapie looking like they enjoyed a nice day of cycling the Swiss countryside
Your stage 5 winner, Marcus Burghardt. This is BMC Racing's third win of the year.	Tony Martin's third straight Yellow Jersey before tomorrow's big test in the Swiss Alps

Stage 6:  Meiringen - La Punt 213 km  Full Results and Report

No one could stay with Rabobank's Robert Gesink on the upper (7%) slopes of the Albula Pass. He crested the top with an impressive 01:20 lead.	Katusha's Joaquin Rodriguez leading the next group of riders	Just behind them was Frank Schleck and Lance Armstrong
The Yellow Jersey all by his lonesome	A gorgeous afternoon for a ride in the Swiss Alps a few days before the official start of summer	A fish-eye view while passing through the peaks
One final panoramic	Robert Gesink lost 38s as he solo'ed the descent into La Punt. Nonetheless, the big 24 year-old Dutchman gets his biggest win to date, vaulting him into the race lead.	After Lance Armstrong led this group to the line, Caisse d'Epargne's Rigoberto Uran won the hard fought sprint for the second place bonus seconds. Second on the day and now second overall 29s behind Gesink.
Andy Schleck looked good on the lower slopes of the Albula Pass putting in digs and getting in a break, but in the end he finished 12th (+ 1:20)	Tony Martin's day sucked. Isolated and suffering, he not only lost his leader's jersey, he's no longer in the top 10 (14th, +2:19)	A repeat of the victory salute you saw earlier. Your stage 6 winner and new race leader, Robert Gesink.

Stage 7:  Savognin Wetzikon, 202 km  Full Results and Report

With a harmless break up the road, Rabobank was content to ride tempo at the front of the peloton today	Marcus Burghardt (BMC) launched a brazen solo attack 55 km from the finish	Needless to say it was successful. The big German hoists his native flag while rolling into German-speaking Wetzikon
His second win in three days at this year's Tour de Suisse	The race leader, Robert Gesink, rolled in exactly five minutes later	Burghardt congratulated post-race by compatriot Didi the Devil
With two stage wins by Burghardt and with Steve Morabito sitting third on GC, BMC is getting excellent exposure in their home country	Nothing like winning	One day in Yellow down, two more to go for race leader, Robert Gesink

Stage 8:  Wetzikon - Liestal, 172.4km  Full Results and Report

Caisse d'Epargne's Rui Da Costa on the attack on the great bike racing circuit around Liestal	HTC-Columbia's Maxime Monfort chasing Jose Joaquin Rojas's Caisse d'Epargne teammate. Monfort finished third (+ 0:19) while Rojas passed him for 2nd (+ 0:15)	Garmin's Tom Danielson was in the main break which from 30 km formed the finish on the circuits. He finished 7th (+ 0:39).
Rabobank chasing at the front of the peloton for race leader Robert Gesink. With Monfort, the Belgian TT champ, in the break 5 mins down on GC, Rabobank kept the gap at 3 minutes.	Lots of riders bolted off the front of the peloton, leaving Robert Gesink to chase them down followed by Lance Armstrong	Rigoberto Uran not enjoying the acceleration; Levi Leipheimer and Tony Martin at the back of dwindling peloton
Rui Da Costa soloed the final 9 km for the win on the final of two exciting circuits around Liestal	The biggest win for the 23 year-old fourth year pro	Despite some nervous moments, Robert Gesink maintains his 29 second lead heading into the final day 27 km individual time-trial

Stage 9:  Liestal - Liestal, 27 km (ITT)  Full Results and Report

The World Champ Fabian Cancellara posted a time of 32:38 which stood until...	... Tony Martin won the 26.9 km ITT in 32:21 (49.9948 km/h)	Saxo Bank's Jacob Fuglsang's very solid 7th place finish (+ 0:52) vaulted him from 9th to 3rd overall
Lance Armstrong's 11th place finish (+ 1:09) moved him from 7th to 2nd overall	Normally a very poor time trialist, Frank Schleck came up with the TT of his life. He placed 13th (+ 1:14) and moved from 4th to the overall win	Robert Gesink struggled from the outset. He slipped from 1st to 5th with the 40th best time (+ 2:19).
Tony Martin, your stage 9 winner, has a had very good year against the clock	Frank Schleck came through with a persoanl best TT performance to claim the overall prize	The GC podium: 2nd Lance Armstrong (+ 0:12 ), 1st Frank Schleck and 3rd Jacob Fuglsang (+ 0:17)