Igor Anton (Euskatel - Euskadi) won today's 197 kilometres long second stage of the Tour de Suisse. The stage started in Langnau and was the first mountain stage of the Suisse
stage race with an uphill finish at the Flumserberg.
After the start of the race there were several attempts to break away
from riders like Marcus Zberg (Gerolsteiner), Steve Morabito (Astana) and German veteran Jens Voigt (CSC). After
40 kilometres Martin Elmiger (AG2R) took off. Rabobank controlled the bunch but because the Dutch team knew that Oscar Freire
would not be able to defend his yellow jersey on the final climb of the day they did not really chase Elmiger. So it
wasn't really a surprise that the Suisse rider managed to build-up a maximum lead of 17 minutes.
With 18 kilometres to go his lead started to get smaller
and smaller. Elmiger did not ride with full gas to save some energy. The winner of a stage in this years Tour
de Picardie knew he wouldn't come through. Astana, High Road, Lampre, Liquigas and CSC - Saxo Bank came to the front
of the bunch and started the stage. With 30 kilometres to go Elmiger's lead dropped to less than 5 minutes.
At the footh of the final climb, the first
category Flumserberg, Elmiger had a lead of 2 minutes. The overall favourites came to the front of the bunch and shortly
after that Elmiger was caught. With 10 kilometres to go CSC - Saxon Bank's Jens Voigt attacked and managed to take off.
After an attack of Voig'ts teammate Andy
Schleck out of a small group with overall favourites the group came closer to Voigt. But Andy Schleck did not get really get
away. Voigt was caught with 4 kilometres to go. More attacks followed, the first one by Fränk Schleck (CSC - Saxo Bank) and
Stijn Devolder (Quickstep).
The group with the overall favourites
was splitted after the attack of Devolder and the oldest of the Schleck brothers. Igor Anton (Euskaltel), Oliver Zaugg
(Gerolsteiner) and Damiano Cunego (Lampre) were in the first chasing group. Kim Kirchen (High Road) and Andy Schleck were part
of a second group.
With 2 kilometres to go the overall
favourites were all together again in a 8 men strong group. With 1000 metres to go Oliver Zaugg (Gerolsteiner) attacked
and soon he was joined by Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas). Kreuziger was dropped again by Zaugg but the Swiss rider was caught
with 400 metres to go.
It was Euskatel's Igor Anton who launched
a furious attack and took the stage. High Road's Kim Kirchen came in second, 6 seconds behind Anton. Damiano Cunego came in
third and Fränk Schleck came in fourth. Cunego and F. Schleck came in with the same time as Kirchen.
Igor Anton took over Vhe overall lead from
Oscar Freire (Rabobank). Kirchen is now second overall, 6 seconds behind the Basque rider and Cunego is third overall, 12
seconds behind Anton. Fränk Schleck is fourth overall, 16 seconds behind the new overall leader.
