Tour of Switzerland

Tour de Suisse
Stage 9: Individual Time Trial - Liestal (ITT) 26.9km

The day began with Fränk Schleck needing to recover 00:38 on yellow jersey holder Robert Gesink (Rabobank), while Lance Armstrong (Team RadioShack) needed 00:55, nearly 2 seconds per kilmoter to take over the lead. Both Schleck and Armstrong’s performances promised a dramatic day of cycling as the general classification shuffled significantly. Schleck’s 13th place finish on the stage was enough for the Saxo Bank rider to take the lead from Gesink, while Armstrong’s time of 33:30 securing his 2nd place finish atop the podium.

“Finishing second in the fourth largest race in the world, I must be on track. If you look at the field that was here on all levels, the climbers, the sprinters, the rouleurs, you look at the courses, the speeds in the mountains and you compare that to the alternative race, this was what we will see in the Tour,” said Lance Armstrong.

Check out the photos from Stage 7 of the Tour de Suisse.

Tour de Suisse
Stage 7: Savognin - Wetzikon 204.1km

Hats off to Marcus Burghardt (BMC) for winning his second stage of the Tour de Suisse. Entering the final five kilometers with a 1:05 lead, the 26-year-old German impressively shed fellow riders in an impressive breakaway. Team RadioShack rode attentively and stayed safe alongside Rabo Bank throughout the 204.2-kilometer stage from Savognin to Wetzikon that offered no threat to the general classification. Rabo Bank worked to set the peleton’s pace in yet another unpleasant, rain-drenched day of cycling. 

"Everything went fine. It was just a cold, stressful day for everybody. Nothing really to report. It took some time for the breakaway to go and it started to rain more and more. It was chilly for a while, ten-twelve degrees. When you are wet, I can assure you, you feel that," said Lance Armstrong.

Check out the photos from Stage 6 of the Tour de Suisse.

Tour de Suisse
Stage 6: Meiringen - La Punt 213.3km

Tour de Suisse’s Stage 6, nicknamed the Queen’s Stage, brought a glimpse of the excitement to come in the Alps and Pyrennes of this year’s Tour de France. Team RadioShack’s Lance Armstrong put his legs to the test...and passed. He passed right through the two Hors Catégorie and Category One climbs that characterized the Tour de Suisse’s longest stage. Armstrong finishing a strong 5th on the stage and moved into 7th overall in the general classification ( 0:55).

"I have to be happy. I’m 39 years old. I've been doing this for 17 years and I'm still at the front. So despite the things that I read in newspapers and on the internet every day of people talking about me....The record speaks for itself.”

Check out the video as Lance talks about prepping for the Tour de Suisse and riding for Aldo Sassi.

Tour de Suisse
Stage 5: Wettingen to Frutigen, 172.5km/107mi
By Cathy Mehl
 
Rain fell on the peloton of 153 in stage 5 of the Tour de Suisse on Wednesday, making for another dangerous day on Swiss roads.  After yesterday’s horrific crash on the sprint line, riders were more than eager to be careful on the slick country roads for today’s stage.   Emerging from a successful breakaway,  Marcus Burghardt (BMC) attacked with just over 1km to go and never looked back, celebrating his first win since 2008, and a feather in the cap of his Swiss sponsor.  Team RadioShack riders spent time on the front near the end of the race, keeping everyone safe and upright on the Swiss roads.  There was no change on the overall with German Tony Martin (HTC-Columbia) still holding one-second over former race leader Fabian Cancellara of Saxo Bank.

Tour de Suisse
Stage 4:  Schwarzenburg to Wettingen, 192.2km/119mi
By Cathy Mehl

A crash in the closing sprint brought down many of the top fast men, leaving the chaotic win to Italy’s Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre-Farnese Vini) for Tuesday’s stage 4 of the Tour de Suisse.  With many twists, turns and a headwind facing the 157 riders as they approached the finish in Wettingen, Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia) and Sunday’s stage winner Heinrich Haussler (Cervelo Test Team) both went for the same line in the middle of the course, touched wheels and down they went, taking just about everyone else with them, including Milram’s Gerald Ciolek with Tom Boonen (Quick Step) unable to avoid driving over the top of Cavendish.  It was total carnage on course with riders and bikes bouncing and flying up in the air, although it appeared that everyone was eventually able to get up while an ambulance stood by to provide medical aid. 

Lance talks about riding for Dennis Hopper at the Tour de Suisse.

Tour de Suisse
Stage 3:  Sierre to Schwarzenburg, 196.6km/122mi
By Cathy Mehl

At the start of the day race leader Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank) held only one second over HTC-Columbia’s Tony Martin.  By the end of the day their positions were reversed, with Martin in yellow and the world time trial champion Cancellara looking at a one-second deficit.  But Cancellara still had plenty to celebrate with teammate Frank Schleck taking the stage win from a strong late-race attack.