Fränk Schleck wins Tour de Suisse

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Fränk Schleck (Saxo Bank) claimed a dramatic overall win in the Tour de Suisse with a strong performance in the final 26.9 kilometre time trial in Liestal. Schleck finished 13th on the stage but it was enough for the Saxo Bank rider to take the lead from Robert Gesink (Rabobank) who had led Schleck by 38 seconds coming into the final day. Lance Armstrong (RadioShack) climbed to second overall and Jakob Fuglsang (Saxo Bank) finished third.

The stage was won by Tony Martin (HTC-Columbia) who beat World Champion Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank) by 17 seconds. Gesink meanwhile dropped to fifth overall after losing 2:18 on the stage.

"I am surprised, of course as I'm not a time trial specialist," Schleck told Cyclingnews. "But I have trained a lot for that and today I didn’t have any stress and was able to do a good time trial. It is a good sign for the Tour de France, that’s for sure."

"I am a bit surprised to have won the Tour de Suisse. I won a stage, I was going well, but this is something…winning the Tour de Suisse is something which was done by maNy legends, many big champions and it is something very special. The race is very good and I won it – I think that will take a few days to fully realise that."

Coming into the time trial Gesink held a 29 second lead over Rigoberto Uran (Caisse d'Epargne) but the big threats would come from Schleck at 38 seconds, Steve Morabito (BMC) at 36 seconds and Lance Armstrong (RadioShack) who was 55 seconds down.

The course, a mini-version of the time trial at the recent Dauphine, was almost all uphill for the first 11.4 kilometres, followed by a long gradual descent before the finish, which unlike its Dauphine counterpart, had a small rise before the line.

With persistent rain throughout, the early pace was set by Thor Hushovd (Cervelo TestTeam) with a time of 33:43, suggesting that bigger, powerful riders would excel.

Local favourite and world time trial champion, Fabian Cancellara, set a blistering time of 32:38. He was well over a minute ahead of the opposition but when Dave Zabriskie (Garmin-Transitions) set the best time at the time check at 11.4 kilometres it looked as though the Swiss time trial machine would have to settle for second place.

And so it proved, but instead of Zabriskie, who faltered in the final kilometres, the challenge came from Martin. The German had decimated Zabriskie, Leipheimer, Armstrong and Cancellara in last month’s Amgen Tour of California time trial and started strongly, saving most of his powder for the second half of the race and coming home 17 seconds better than Cancellara.

"When Fabian goes out with the intention of winning, normally he will win. I am a bit surprised and I am proud to have beaten an athlete as strong as Fabian Cancellara," said Martin. 

Martin had recovered well after losing serious time during the mountain stage.

"It is true I felt very wasted and I had to really dig deep in my heart to resist. This contributes to my surprise today to win the time trial, and it also is a nice sign before the Tour de France."

But this was a side show for the main event and as Gesink set off last the battle ground was set with champions-in-waiting ready to pounce if Gesink faltered.

Armstrong began slowly and was well down at the first time check but rallied after the climb, taking risk after risk on the descent. Schleck, who was seventh at the first time check, continued to gain ground on the leader who came through the time check 1:09 down on Zabriskie.

In fact Gesink looked in control, rising from the saddle whenever the gradient called for it. He was faster than Schleck by 5 seconds, his lead seemingly unbreakable. Gustav Erik Larrson (Saxo Bank), Maxime Monfort (HTC-Columbia), Andreas Klöden (RadioShack) and Levi Leipheimer (Radioshack) all rolled in. Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha), a threat to Gesink but unpredictable, came in well down. Gesink had it in the bag.

But on the descent to the finish Gesink cracked. Second by second he lost ground as up ahead Armstrong came home in 11th and Schleck 13th.

As Gesink reached the final climb to the finish the writing was on the wall and Schleck was able to start celebrating the biggest stage race win of his life.