Volksbank celebrates

Team Volksbank, the Austrian Professional Continental Team which is riding in the Tour de Suisse on a wildcard invitation, had multiple grounds to celebrate Friday. After Gerrit Glomser's second place finish on Thursday, he finished 11th on the Queen stage, moving up to ninth place overall. "At least I have reached my minimum goal, the top 10. I don't know whether I can defend this placing in the time trial, but it has made the trip to Switzerland worthwhile. I can finally start to smile again," he said.

The team also had three birthdays to celebrate Friday, oddly enough, three 35th birthdays. Team manager Thomas Kofler, his twin brother Johannes who is a mechanic for the team, and rider Harald Morscher all celebrated with the team. "This is crazy, I couldn't have imagined a better present," Thomas Kofler said. "But I have to praise the whole team, which together brought Gerrit to the last mountain. They really sacrificed themselves and put their own interests on ice. It makes an unbelievable amount of fun, every day there is a new joy."