Today's fifth stage of the Tour de Suisse was won by Gerlosteiner's Markus Fothen. Fothen was part of a two men breakaway
but his fellow escapee Fränk Schleck (CSC - Saxo Bank) crashed during the descent of the final climb. Fothen continued the
attack solo and took the stage.
The 190 kilometres long stage started in Domat-Ems and finished in Caslano. 144 riders started and had to climb 2 third category
climb, one first category climb and short before the finish a climb of the second category.
After the official start there were many attacks, one of the more prominent names who tried to break away was
Stijn Devolder (Quickstep). At the first climb a 14 men strong breakaway group managed to break away, Maxime
Iglinsky (Astana) took the points at the top of the third category climb (after 13 kilometres). But the riders in the break
didn't work together very well.
During the first second climb, the Lukmanierpass (1st category) Sylvain Chavanel (Cofidis), Giovanni Visconti (Quick Step),
Maxim Iglinsky (Astana), Mauro Marzano (Lampre), Pieter Jacobs (Silence-Lotto), José Rujano (Caisse d'Epargne), Pietro Caucchioli
(Crédit Agricole) und Benoit Vaugrenard (Fdjeux) attacked out of the breakaway group.
Caisse d'Epargne's Mathieu Perget started a counter attack out of the first chasing group and managed to bridge-up
to the race leaders. Iglinsky also took the points at the top of the second climb of the day. Behind him the breakaway group
fall apart as more and more riders were dropped.
After the break reached the flat part of the stage their lead was getting smaller and smaller. At first the break stepped
up the speed just as the bunch had done before and Perget und Rujano could not follow the pace of their fellow escapees.
A little later Sylvain Chavanel was dropped as well while Jens Voigt (CSC - Saxo Bank) managed to bridge-up to the race leaders.
With 35 kilometres to go the lead of the break was around 3 minutes but Gerolsteiner, Columbia (High Road) and Euskatel
- Euskadi were working hard to reel in the escapees. Only three kilometres further in the race the lead dropped to 2:14.
Iglinsky attacked out of the breakaway group and as his former breakaway companions were caught by the chasing bunch the
Astana rider still had a lead of around 1 minute.
As Iglinsky reached the final climb of the day CSC - Saxo Bank was leading the chase. Finally Iglinsky was caught but the
next Astana rider took off: Sergey Ivanov. Stijn Devolder (Quickstep) jumped with him. Devolder is doing the work, the winner
of this years Tour of Flanders is a serious thread for overall leader Igor Anton.
Fränk Schleck (CSC - Saxo Bank) attacked out of what is left of the bunch but the winner of the 2006 Amstel Gold Race was
caught again, Devolder who had given up his attempt was caught as well.
But Fränk Schleck attaked again and this time he managed to het away. He first bridged - up to Ivanov. With 18 kilometres
to go Ivanov was dropped and Schleck had a lead of 15 seconds on a chasing group with about 30 riders.
With 17 kilometres to go there wasn't much left of the chasing group. About 10 riders were chasing the older Schleck brother,
who now had a lead of 38 seconds. Markus Fothen (Gerolsteiner) attacked out of the chasing group and passed the summit of
the final climb solo. Fothen was now 14 seconds behind Schleck. The group followed at 35 seconds.
14 kilometres before the line Fothen reached Schleck and both riders worked together well.
With 12 kilometres to go Michael Albasini (Liquigas) and Sergey Ivanov attacked out of the chasing group. But the group
reacted and soon both riders were caught again. The acceleration was bad news for Fothen and Schleck: their lead
was down to only 16 seconds now.
But the race leaders were descending really fast and their lead grew to 24 seconds with 8 kilometres to go. Overall leader
Igor Anton (Euskatel - Euskadi) was sitting in the wheel of Michael Albasini who was pulling the chasing group.
With 4 kilometres to go Schleck lost control in a sharp turn and went flying over the side of the road. Fothen was on his
way to the line solo now, his lead was 27 seconds. Schleck had no serious injuries and was able to continue the race but the
chasing group had already passed him before he was back on his bike.
Fothen passed the 'Flamme Rouge' with a lead of 45 seconds and took the stage. Ivanov attacked out of the chasing group
and came in second. Swiss veteran Markus Zberg (Gerolsteiner) finished third.
Igor Anton defended his overall lead. Anton came in 15th today, 57 seconds behind stage winner Fothen. Damiano Cunego (Lampre)
came in 27th today, the winner of the 2004 Giro d'Italia lost 1:54 on Fothen and is now 15th overall, 1:09 behind Anton. Astana's
Andreas Klöden lost 20 seconds on Anton at today, Klöden is stil 10th overall, 1 minute behind Anton.
The Tour de Suisse will continue tomorrow with the 187 kilometres long sixth stage from Ambri to Verbier.
Right after the start the riders have to climb the Nufenenpass (Horse Category) and after a long descending
they will finish at the top of the first category clim in Verbier. Click here to see the profile of stage 6.
