Second place Damiano Cunego takes the lead after short sharp day in the mountains
Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale) won the third stage of the Tour de Suisse between Brig-Glis and Grindelwald, after outsprinting Damiano Cunego (Lampre-ISD) in a two-man sprint after the Italian had caught the breakaway group over the second and final big climb of the day. Jakob Fuglsang (Leopard Trek) outsprinted Laurens Ten Dam (Rabobank) to take third place, 21 seconds behind the leading pair.
"I knew that I was feeling good," said Sagan after the stage, "and since the first kilometres I felt that it could be a good day. When I saw the break go I reacted instinctively and I went with it.
“With the invaluable assistance of [teammate Christiano] Salerno, I got over the climbs without wasting too much energy then, when Cunego went I preferred to wait for the descent to catch him up. In the last four kilometres I managed to catch him and join him; just enough time to draw breath and launch my final sprint."
After the previous day’s tough stage to Cras Montana, the peloton had just 107km to cover in stage three. This would by no means be an easy day though, as there would be a total of 3035 metres of climbing, over the Grimselpass and the Grosse Scheidegg, on the way to way to the finish in Grindelwald.
There were a few solo attacks in the opening kilometres, but none was successful; following the intermediate sprint at 14km though, a group of 31 riders detached from the front of the peloton. Included in this group was Andy Schleck (Leopard Trek), who lost time on the final climb at the finish the day before, along with teammates Fuglsang and Jens Voigt, with Sagan, Michael Albasini (HTC-Highroad), Christian Vandevelde (Garmin-Cervélo), José Joaquin Rojas (Movistar), Rubens Bertogliati (Team Type 1) and Jan Bakelants (Omega Pharma-Lotto).
At the foot of the Grimselpass five of the lead group dropped away, including Bertogliati, leaving 26 riders up front. Halfway up the climb they were approximately three minutes ahead and, with most of the strong teams represented up front, nobody was volunteering to do the work to bring it back.
In the lead group Ten Dam was the best placed overall, in 12th at 1’08” behind stage two winner Juan Mauricio Soler (Movistar). Since the Colombian had teammates Rojas and Branislau Samoilau in the lead group, the Spanish team was doing little to defend the jersey.
As the group reached the top of the Grimselpass, after 57.5km, it split into three pieces, with Wouter Poels (Vacansoleil-DCM) leading Ten Dam, Schleck, Fuglsang and Sagan over. Most of the group reformed on the descent though, with the roads a little slippery from rain.
The climb to the Grosse-Scheidegg began as the descent of the Grimselpass ended, and Bakelants attacked straight away. The Belgian, who had been one of the most aggressive riders in the recent Giro d’Italia, taking the Traguardo Volante prize for the intermediate sprints, was allowed to go away and built a lead over his former colleagues.
Behind the break, having missed out, Lampre-ISD was leading the peloton; Movistar took over though, as it made its way up the Gross-Scheidegg.
Up ahead, Schleck was leading the chase of Bakelants, which was steadily shedding riders out of the back of the group. With 25km to go, the Belgian led by almost a minute, with the peloton a further two and a half behind his pursuers; but, shortly after he passed the 20km to go sign, Bakelants was back in the fold.
The group was now down to Schleck and Fuglsang, Bakelants and Francis De Greef (Omega Pharma-Lotto), Sagan and Christiano Salerno (Liquigas-Cannondale), Samoilau (Movistar) and Giampoalo Caruso (Katusha). With Schleck still setting a fierce pace at the front though, some of them were not looking comfortable.
Danilo Di Luca, who began the day in seventh overall, 39 seconds behind Soler, attacked the main peloton; there was still around 7km still to climb though, and Soler responded personally. The resultant acceleration was enough to shed further riders out the back though, with Johan Tschopp (BMC Racing) and World cyclocross champion Zdenek Stybar (Quick Step) among those to be dropped.
Up ahead, the leaders hit a particularly steep section of the climb, and Bakelants, Samoilau lost contact. As the peloton hit that particular section Cunego made his move, and no one in the yellow jersey group was able to respond.
Schleck decided that his long turn on the front was over and Ten Dam took the front. Behind the Dutchman Fuglsang, Sagan and Salerno were still looking cool, but Schleck, Caruso and De Greef were now looking to be in trouble.
Cunego was now away on his own; he was still two minutes behind the leaders but scything his way through the former members of the front group as they were floundering on the mountainside.
The yellow jersey group was now very small; down to just a few riders.
As the leaders, now down to seven, were 2km from the top of the climb, Cunego was within a minute. The “Piccolo Principe” had Bakelants and the other recently dropped riders in sight and made short work of them on the steep narrow road; Samoilau tried to go with the Lampre-ISD rider as he went past, but couldn’t stay on his wheel for long.
Meanwhile, behind in the yellow jersey group, Soler decided that attack was the best form of defence and set off in pursuit of Cunego.
Just over a kilometre from the top, Schleck sat up, having done all he could for Fuglsang. The Tour runner up soon had Cunego for company, as he was now little more than 30 seconds behind; he too was to find the Italian’s wheel to fast to hold though, as the blue and fuchsia rider now had the leaders in his sights.
De Greef and Caruso finally succumbed to the pace as they approached the top, and they soon saw the blur of Cunego flashing past; Soler himself was not far behind, having chased through the stragglers himself, although he was not far ahead of his chasers.
With the banner at the top of the climb in sight Cunego caught the leaders; Ten Dam tried to up the pace as he approached but was unable to stay with the Italian as he shot past. The group, which was now five riders, would surely come together shortly into the descent though, with Soler leading a number of other favourites over the top 45 seconds behind.
Cunego was waiting for no one though and, with Ten Dam a little tentative, Salerno flew past him to take second place on the road. Thankfully the roads were mostly dry by now, although there were some wet patches in the shade, or where the rain had been running across its surface.
Salerno was gaining on Cunego now but, as he passed under the 6km to go banner, he stopped, apparently with a puncture. Sagan was now second on the road, also having overtaken Ten Dam, and he in turn was gaining on the Lampre-ISD rider. With 2.5km to go the Slovakian caught up with the Italian, setting up an interesting contest between two very quick sprinters.
Fuglsang too was to go past Ten Dam, with the Dutchman clearly not enjoying the twisting descent.
Into the final kilometre, Sagan still had not come around Cunego; the Italian looked over his shoulder, but made no gesture for him to some by. Finally though, with 300m to go he went past on Cunego’s right, almost getting trapped against the barriers; once he had opened up his sprint though, Cunego had no answer, and he sat up to celebrate the victory well clear of the Italian.
Fuglsang and Ten Dam arrived together shortly afterwards, with the Dane just edging out the Dutchman to take third.
Tejay Van Garderen led home a small group containing Soler some 1’04”; Cunego, having started the day just 16 seconds behind the Colombian, had taken the yellow jersey from Soler and now leads by almost a minute.