143 riders started today's 188 kilometres long sixth stage after Milram's Marc Velo decided not to start. Right after the start the riders had to climb the Nufenenpass (Horse Category) and after a long descending
they had to climb the first category climb with an uphill finish in Verbier.
After 27 kilometres Kazakh national champion Maxim Iglinsky (Astana) took off on the Nufenenpass. Swiss rider
David Loosli (Lampre) started a counter attack. Eight riders managed to bridge - up to Loosli: Jens Voigt (CSC), Jose Guillen
Rujano (Caisse d'Epargne), Steve Zampieri (Cofidis), Philip Deignan (AG2R), Giovanni Visconti (Quick Step), Mathias Frank
(Gerolsteiner), Johan Schopp (Bouygues Telecom) und Andreas Dietziker (Volksbank). Iglinsky was caught by the group and a
little later Maarten Tjallingii (Silence Lotto) joined the breakaway group.
With 100 kilometres to go their lead was 10 minutes. The maximum lead of the group was even bigger: almost 11 minutes.
It was the signal for High Road and Euskatel-Euskadi to start the chase. But from there their lead started to drop: less
than 6 minutes with 60 kilometres to go.
The bunch started to play cat and mouse with the race leaders, the lead pending between four and five minutes. With 18
kilometres to go Quicksteps Giovanni Visconto attacked out of the breakaway group. Visconti was joined by Philip Deignan (AG2R),
Maarten Tjallingii (Silence-Lotto) and Mathias Frank (Gerolsteiner). The breakaway group fall apart at the final climb.
Fränk Schleck (CSC - Saxo Bank) attacked out of the chasing group and soon he caught Visconti. But Schleck couldn't enjoy
his solo at the front for long. Stijn Devolder (Quickstep) attacked as well and the winner of this years Tour of Flanders
reached Fränk Schleck and the latter couldn't follow the pace of the Belgian National Champion.
Igor Anton was in a group with Fränk and Andy Schleck, Andreas Klöden (Astana), Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) and Kim Kirchen
(High Road). Anton had no teammates to help defend his overall lead. With two kilometres to go Devolder was still leading
the race but after Anton, Fränk Schleck and others were dropped by the high pace of Kirchen the group caught Devolder.
With 500 metres to go Devolders was dropped as well and only Andreas Klöden managed to stay in Kirchen's wheel. Kirchen
took the stage, Klöden came in second and Kreuziger finished third. The Czech rider lost 6 seconds on Kirchen.
Kirchen also took over the yellow jersey from Anton. Kreuziger is now second overall, 27 seconds behind Kirchen. Anton
dropped to third place, 33 seconds behind Team Columbia's captain.
The Tour de Suisse will continue tomorrow with the 171 kilometres long seventh stage from Gruyères to Lyss.
The hilly stage has three fourth category climbs, the last one with only five kiloetres to go. It will be difficult for the
sprinter teams to prevent attacks on the last hill. The overall favouriTes will defend their positions but will wait
for Saturday's mountain time trial were the battle for the overall win probebly will be decided. Click here to see the profile of stage 7.
