Damiano Cuneog (Lampre-ISD) attacked in the final two kilometres of the tough climb to the Grosse Scheidegg, the final climb of the short second stage of the Tour de Suisse between Brig-Glis and Grindelwald. The Piccolo Principe managed to close a two-minute gap to the breakaway riders up the road, then drop them before the summit, but he was caught on the descent by Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale), who beat him in the dash for the line.
"It's not a pleasant thing to be in a sprint with Sagan,” said Cunego after the stage, “since he rarely misses the target!
“So, compliments to Peter,” he added.
Starting the day just 16 seconds behind race leader Juan Mauricio Soler (Movistar), who finished in a group more than a minute behind, Cunego moves comfortably into the race lead. For the Italian though, the jersey is merely a consolation for the stage victory that he missed.
“After yesterday’s good stage, I got together with our sport directors and my teammates and I decided to try and win the stage,” he said. “I knew that the last kilometres of the Grosse Scheidegg would be suitable for my characteristics, so I attacked and rode well; then on the descent I tried to increase my advantage, but Sagan managed to follow me.
“The leader’s jersey is very satisfying, but maybe the victory would have been better; so, I'm willing to try to achieve this goal if there is another chance.”
The next two stages will, in all likelihood, go to the sprinters Cunego’s next rendezvous should be with the hors category finish to the top of the Triesenberg on stage six. If the Piccolo Principe has the form to back up his claim that he is aiming at the Tour de France’s yellow jersey, he should be looking to hold on to the Suisse one all the way to Schaffhausen on Sunday.