The opening day of the 2006 Tour de Suisse looks to be very much one for the sprinters. After starting in the Northern Switzerland town of Baden, close to Zurich, the riders head west towards the third category climb of Staffelegg. The road then kinks northwards to Bad Säckinggen before veering back east and taking the riders over the fourth category climb of Baldingen/Rüti, through the feedzone and the bonus sprint at Untersiggenthal (104 km) and then back to Baden for the first passage over the start/finish line.
The peloton will then complete two laps of a 23.2 kilometre finishing circuit, traversing the fourth category Hertenstein climb twice and disputing another bunch sprint at Endingen (119.8 km). A bunch gallop is the most likely outcome, with world champion Tom Boonen, Olympic champion Paolo Bettini, plus former Tour de France maillot vert winners Robbie McEwen and Erik Zabel all likely to be involved.
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'I just wasn't at my best' - Wout van Aert's hopes for a cyclo-cross victory in Dendermonde dashed by lightning fast conditions
World Championship organisers' hopes of tempting Van Aert fade as dry weather puts Belgian at a disadvantage -
'I really felt like I was in the mix again' - Puck Pieterse finds form in fast Dendermonde 'cross World Cup
Dutch champion lands second place behind Lucinda Brand -
UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup: Thibau Nys wins in Dendermonde as Wout van Aert takes sixth
Brutally fast race in absence of Mathieu van der Poel sees Del Grosso and Sweeck on podium -
UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup: Lucinda Brand indomitable in Dendermonde
Pieterse, Fouquenet round out podium in round eight
