Vladimir Efimkin (Caisse d'Epargne) (Image credit: Sirotti)
Stage four of the Tour de Suisse, which finished on top of Malbun (Liechtenstein), produced a new leader and showed Caisse d'Epargne's Russians are on form.
Fränk Schleck, who won the stage solo after he attacked seven kilometres from the line, donned the yellow jersey, 49 seconds ahead of Caisse d'Epargne's Vladimir Efimkin. The Russian finished the stage in second place, which is now also his overall ranking.
The other Vladimir of the Spanish team, Karpets, who took seventh on the finishing line, is now sixth in the general classification.
The bad news for the team are that Sébastien Portal, who crashed yesterday during the third stage, has abandoned the race.
"Today was the first contact with the mountains," explained José Luis Jaimerena, team manager of Caisse d'Epargne in the Tour of Switzerland. "Efimkin and Karpets showed that they are feeling well and it is a fact that we will fight to remain within the first positions of the general classification, but the Tour of Switzerland is a very hard race and we will see day by day how they progress in the high mountain stages."
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