Hello and welcome to the live coverage of stage eight of the Tour de Suisse.
Hello and welcome to our blow by blow coverage of stage 8 around Bern, the home of Fabian Cancellara.
The 152km stage covers four laps of 38km circuit south of the Swiss city, with 1900m of climbing and lots of twisting roads.
A breakaway is expected to dominate the early laps of the stage and perhaps even stay away to take the spoils.
12 riders jumped away almost fro the start.
The 12 riders included world champion Michal Kwiatkowski but were quickly caught by the peloton.
#tourdesuisse The riders are in the first of four laps. Four Swiss riders are trying to get away.
@Lotto_Soudal Sat, 20th Jun 2015 13:54:41
Other riders are trying to go away gain, including Matteo Trentin (Etixx-QuickStep).
On Friday Alexander Krisoff (Katusha) used his sprint speed to beat Peter Sagan (Tinkoff-Saxo). Read about the stage and see our photo gallery of all the action by clicking here.
The peloton has split as the attacks continue to be launched off the front.
Michal Kwiatkowski (Etixx-QuickStep) isagain on the attack. He is looking for a stage success as he prepares for the Tour de France.
The pace has taken its toll with Jasper Stuyven (Trek Factory Racing) calling it quits.
120km remaining from 164km
The peloton is still chasing a group of 19 riders. It is perhaps too big to let go and so the gap is at 40 seconds.
The 19 rider attack includes Warren Barguil (Giant-Alpecin), who is best placed overall.
They lead the peloton by 52 seconds now.
Also in the attack are Stijn Devolder (Trek Factory Racing) and Michael Albasini (Orica-GreenEdge) as the riders complete the first 38km lap around Bern.
The break has opened a 1:00 lead. Team Sky has been forced to chase to defend Geraint Thomas' overall chances.
The Cannondale-Garmin team is also helping the chase.
FDJ is also working hard but the gap is up to 1:20.
#tourdesuisse Back problems got the best of @Jasperstuyven and he was forced to abandon the race.
@TrekFactory Sat, 20th Jun 2015 14:37:59
#tourdesuisse Three Belgians are in the breakaway. Amongst them @jurgenroelandts.
@Lotto_Soudal Sat, 20th Jun 2015 14:38:53
The gap has continued to grow and is now close to 2:00.
#tourdesuisse Again no @lampre_merida rider in the group of 19 riders that has broken away from the peloton.
@MeridaProRoad Sat, 20th Jun 2015 15:00:00
#TourdeSuisse: @cammeyercyclist and Michael Albasini both in breakaway group which has a 2 min lead with 95km to go.
@ORICA_GreenEDGE Sat, 20th Jun 2015 15:11:14
We've updated our situation on the right, with the names of the riders in the break away.
Just did a lap on the Bern parcours of Tour de Suisse. Pretty tricky parcours, also very technical! No bunchsprint! #TdS2015
@guyvdl Sat, 20th Jun 2015 15:19:16
Bakelants has won the intermediate sprint but no time bonuses are awarded today.
Barguil is the best placed rider overall but is 4:52 down on Pinot and so no real overall threat.
It will be interesting to see if the sprinters' decide to chase down the 19-rider attack or let them go.
#tourdesuisse @JasperDeBuyst, @Kennydehaes and @vdb_jurgen have abandoned the race.
@Lotto_Soudal Sat, 20th Jun 2015 15:31:12
Much of the circuit is in the Swiss countryside, meaning the riders are also exposed to any side winds.
Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing) is in action on his home roads near Bern.
The Swiss rider is fighting to build his form after missing the cobbled Classics due to a fractured vertebra.
He is a favourite for the time trial stage on Sunday.
The 38km circuit includes several climbs with the Liebewil climb also awarding points in the climber's competition.
Bakelants lead over the climb this time, with world champion Michal Kwiatkowski apparently struggling slightly.
Team Sky continues to lead the peloton.
Geraint Thomas is only 37 seconds behind race leader Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) and is hoping to snatch victory in Sunday's time trial.
Read more about Sunday's face-off here.
No sooner did we mention Fabian Cancellara, and he stops for a quick mechanical service.
Cancellara said he was ready to suffer in this year's race. Read what he said by clicking here.
The Cannondale-Garmin team missed the break and so is helping to bring it under control.
Jakob Fuglsang is off the back Astana teammate Agnoli after an apparent problem.
Fuglsang is struggling to continue. He seems about to quit he race and must surely be ill in some way.
#tourdesuisse With 40km to go the 19 attackers still have a lead of 2min10 on the city circuit through the Swiss capital of Bern.
@MeridaProRoad Sat, 20th Jun 2015 16:09:41
The peloton passes through the finish too, still 2:00 backs.
The race is switching through the centre of Bern, with huge crowds stopping to see the riders.
The peloton is lined out as the speed stays high.
Crash! Maxime Monfort (Lotto Soudal) goes down, losing some skin on his shoulder and back.
Monfort has retired from the race, cutting through the barriers to head to the Lotto Soudal team bus.
Meanwhile, at the Ster ZLM Toer, Moreno Hofland (LottoNL Jumbo) has won stage three of the race.
The peloton seems to have eased slightly, with the gap staying at around 2:00.
Attack! Turgot and Kwiatkowski have upped the speed in the break.
Anaconda accelerates away to reach the summit of the climb first and keeps going.
More attacks will surely follow but riders such as Daniele Bennati (Tinkoff-Saxo) and Matteo Trentin (Etixx-QuickStep) will be hoping for a sprint finish.
18km remaining from 164km
Lutsenko (Astana) also tries to go away but Kwiatkowski again chased him down, riding to help Trentin in an eventual sprint.
Meanwhile Jakob Fuglsang (Astana) has confirmed via Twitter that he quit the Tour de Suisse due to stomach problems.
Up front Lutsenko is slowly opening a gap as the break splits behind him.
Lutsenko and Bakelants are diving down the descent, crouched low over their bikes.
10km remaining from 164km
The duo have 20-second lead. They could stay away unless the eight chasers up their speed.
Trenton attacks with Barguil to try to split the chasers.
They are trying to get ride of Bennati and other fast finishers.
Cameron Meyer and Michael Albasini are working together in the chase group, with the Australian sacrificing his chances for his Swiss teammate.
The race follows the river now before climbing up to the city. The gap is only 11 seconds now.
Lutsenko and Bakelants hit the climb as the chasers close the gap. Can they stay away?
Lutsenko is doing most of the work.
Vyacheslav Kuznetsov (Katusha) kicks off the chase.
He is followed by Trentin and Barguil.
The others also get back up but the duo are still 14 ahead.
1km remaining from 164km
Last kilometre! Lutsenko is still working, with Bakelants tucked on his wheel.
Lutsenko continues to lead it out.
Didi the Devil gives them a cheer. Who will win?
Lutsenko leads it out and wins with ease, as if Bakelants opted not to sprint.
Barguil takes third after jumping away in the final kilometre.
Behind it seems that Pinot has again lost some time. Thomas is in a small group with Sagan and Dumoulin.
They gain perhaps two or three seconds before Sunday's final time trial.
Pinot remains in the race leader's yellow jersey before Sunday's final 38km time trial stage.
That late move sees @GeraintThomas86 chip three more seconds off leader Pinot at #TourDeSuisse. Gap now 34secs heading into final TT #SuperG
@TeamSky Sat, 20th Jun 2015 17:08:54
Thomas is arguably now the favourite to win the 2015 Tour de Suisse, with Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin) also a threat.
Thanks for joining us for our live coverage from the Tour de Suisse.
We will have a full stag report, photo gallery, full results and news on Cyclingnews.com very soon.
Join us on Sunday for live coverage of the decisive time trial stage.
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