Race leader Rui Costa (Movistar) came under big pressure on today’s penultimate stage of the Tour de Suisse, losing fifty seconds to rival Frank Schleck (RadioShack Nissan) but managing to hold on by fifteen slender seconds. Costa’s retention of yellow was thanks both to his superior time trial yesterday and also a spirited fight on the final climb, with the Portuguese rider digging deep and benefitting from help from Alejandro Valverde to keep the jersey.
Best on the stage was the Swiss rider Michael Albasini, who went clear with Peter Velits (Omega Pharma-QuickStep), Thomas Dekker (Garmin-Barracuda) and Remi Cusin (Team Type 1-Sanofi) fifteen kilometres into the 148.2 kilometre to Arosa, pushed ahead with Velits 31 kilometres out, then dropped the Slovakian eighteen kilometres from the line.
The battle amongst the general classification riders reduced his gap but he rode strongly enough to finish one minute fifteen seconds clear of Mikel Nieve (Euskaltel Euskadi), Levi Leipheimer (Omega Pharma Quick Step) and Schleck.
Robert Gesink (Rabobank), Thibaut Pinot (FDJ BigMat) and Tom Denielson (Garmin Barracuda) were next, 21 seconds further back.
Roman Kreuziger (Astana), who had started the stage second overall, was ninth, one minute 57 seconds behind, while Costa finished eight seconds later in a group led home by Nicolas Roche (Ag2r la Mondial).
Winner of two stages plus the overall in the Volta a Catalunya and now one in the Tour de Suisse, Albasini appears to have moved to a new level this year. "My first goal today was to get into the breakaway because we rode through the town where I lived," he said. "I have tried to get in a break every day, and today was another day where I made the same attempt. I did a hard attack to get away with four other riders. I'm surprised that I could bring it all the way to the finish. I'm really happy with this win."
The team’s directeur sportif Neil Stephens said that the stage was pinpointed by Albasini on Thursday and, as a result, the rider took things steadily in the time trial to ensure he had as much energy as possible starting today.
He said that there were two points identified early on as possibilities to get a gap. “There were two quite difficult moments at kilometer 12 and kilometer 26," he said. "We thought it was best to wait for the 26 kilometer mark, but Michael saw his chance at 12 kilometers, and he took it."
On paper, Velits was a danger as he is a very strong rider. Second overall in the 2010 Vuelta a España and winner this year of the Tour of Oman, it was surprising that Albasini was able to get rid of him when he did. "Peter looked really good on the first climb, and I actually was scared of him a little bit," the Swiss said. "He did the first part of the climb really hard, but as we came to the false flat, I started to pull. I realized that I was gapping him and that he wasn't as good anymore. I maintained my pace on the stepper parts, and he couldn't go with me. He dropped, and I was alone."
Behind, the general classification raged and the contenders broke up into small groups. When the time differences were calculated, Costa got some welcome news. While his advantage had been greatly reduced, he had done enough to hang on by fourteen seconds. Schleck was up to second, with last year’s race winner Leipheimer third, 21 seconds back.
Gesink, Nieve and Kreuziger complete the top six for now, but tomorrow’s 216 kilometre stage from Näfels-Lintharena to Sörenberg has two hors categorie climbs plus a second category ascent to the line; in other words, it’s tough enough to upend things once more and will keep the final outcome uncertain right until the end. That’s great for the race, but not so much for Costa’s nerves.
Battle for stage and yellow jersey:
Following yesterday’s time trial, the 148.2 kilometre stage from Bischofszell to Arosa was a chance for those contenders who had lost time to fight back and to try to wrest the leader’s yellow jersey from Movistar’s Rui Costa.
The Portuguese competitor had an advantage of fifty seconds on Roman Kreuziger (Astana) and 55 on Robert Gesink (Rabobank), while Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), Frank Schleck (RadioShack Nissan), Tom Danielson (Garmin Barracuda) and Levi Leipheimer (Omega Pharma Quick Step) were all less than one minute 20 seconds back.
The expected breakaway group went early, with Peter Velits (Omega Pharma-QuickStep), Michael Albasini (Orica-GreenEdge), Thomas Dekker (Garmin-Barracuda), and Remi Cusin (Team Type 1-Sanofi) pushing ahead after just 15 kilometres and opening a lead of just over seven minutes 75 kilometres from the line. Albasini was best-placed of those, but had started the day nine minutes ten seconds in arrears.
The peloton responded at that point, with Robert Gesink’s Rabobank team and the RadioShack Nissan squad of Frank Schleck ramping up the pace. While the stage win was a possibility, their main goal was to soften up the other riders prior to the final hors category ascent to the line.
Costa punctured approximately 40 kilometres from the finish, but had little problems in getting back to the other contenders.
Nine kilometres later, Albasini and Velits pushed ahead of Dekker and Cusin on the climb of Castiel. Albasini was particularly active, the Swiss rider realising that the dwindling five minute gap meant that his chances of a home stage win were falling.
With 28 kilometres left, the Rabobank-led bunch was down to 40-odd riders and continuing to thin out. The pace-setting put Costa in discomfort and slashed that group’s number to less than twenty.
Albasini led over the top of the climb, Velits just behind him, then pushed onwards. The gap at the top was two minutes 52 seconds, but they increased it slightly after that. The climbing began again and Albasini pushed on alone eighteen kilometres from the finish. Behind, Gesink picked up third in the intermediate sprint at Peist.
Final battle plays out:
Inside the final nine kilometres, Albasini headed toward the final climb with a slightly bigger lead of three minutes 15 seconds, and knew he had a solid chance of taking the stage win. Linus Gerdemann, Jakob Fuglsang (RadioShack Nissan) and Laurens Ten Dam (Rabobank) pushed the pace behind, but it became increasingly obvious that the Swiss would make it.
With five kilometres to go Costa was finally dropped, his yellow jersey hanging heavily on his shoulders. Out front, Frank Schleck kicked clear, coaxing the pedals around in his smooth style, and was marked by Euskaltel’s Nieve. Leipheimer had been looking strong and was able to get across, while the other riders were several seconds behind.
Schleck wanted the other two to do their share and sat up slightly, forcing Nieve to come through. Behind, Gesink had jumped clear and was trying to get across to the leading trio.
With three kilometres to go, Schleck stretched things out to stretch things out. Gesink was still trying to close but not making much ground up, while Costa was trying to limit his losses. He was helped by Valverde, but it was a tough task.
Albasini came in for the victory, being given a huge welcome by the Swiss fans. Behind, Schleck was doing most of the driving and raced hard to try to open a bigger gap on Costa plus the other contenders. Nieve and Leipheimer remained glued to his wheel, content to let him lead, then came past him at the line.
Gesink led the next riders home, while Costa crossed the line two minutes five seconds back. He had his fingers crossed that he’d done enough to keep the lead and, as things turned out, he had.