Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale) has won the third stage of the 2012 Tour de Suisse.
Sagan made it two from three in Switzerland, adding to his opening stage time trial victory in Lugano by sprinting to victory at the end of the 194.7km third stage from Martigny to Aarberg.
The Czech rider pipped Baden Cooke (Orica-GreenEDGE) and Britain’s Ben Swift (Team Sky), passing Cooke by the narrowest of margins.
Sagan said: “I can’t really explain what happened or how I didn’t fall off.”
“I went fast into the bend so I wouldn’t lose second position, but I lost my grip because the tarmac was wet. I instinctively took my foot off the pedal to stop myself slipping and then carried on to catch Cooke who was getting away.
“It worked out well thanks to a bit of luck and of course the team’s incredible hard work.
“Once again my teammates gave their all to shut down the breakaway which seemed to have got away at one point of the race.
“We’ll see how the next stages go one day at a time: if there’s another chance to try and win again, I certainly won’t pass it over.
Still only 22, Sagan’s season has included stage wins at the Tour of Oman and Tirenno-Adriatico, and five victories at last month’s Tour of California.
Ben Swift’s third place will have done his prospects for selection to the Olympic road race team no harm.
The Yorkshireman became world scratch race champion in April, and won a silver in the points race, but with neither discipline on the Olympic programme, and five riders ahead of him for places in the team pursuit squad, the road race looks the more likely outlet for his talents.
Swift’s directeur sportif, Marcus Ljungqvist, said: “Peter Sagan is very strong and so is Baden Cooke.
“It was a good result though from Swifty and it shows he is in good shape. Of course we want to win, so we will try again tomorrow.”
In contrast to the previous day’s ascent into Verbier, the opening kilometres of the fourth stage were largely flat and three riders had a ten minute lead with just over half of the day’s racing completed.
But as Jonas Van Genechten (Lotto-Belisol), Michael Morkov (Saxo Bank), and Guillaume Bonnafond (AG2R-La Mondiale) began the ascent of the third category climb to Frienisberg, the cracks began to show.
Van Genechten was dropped and the leading duo continued alone over the final category four climb before the catch was made within the final kilometre.
Cooke made the first move and while he had done to thwart the challenge of Swift, Sagan proved irresistible and passed Cooke with inches to spare.
Tour de Suisse stage three – result
1) Peter Sagan (SVK) – Liquigas-Cannondale – 4:35:32
2) Baden Cooke (AUS) – Orica-GreenEDGE
3) Ben Swift (GBR) – Team Sky
4) Jacopo Guarnieri (ITA) – Astana + 3”
5) Allan Davis (AUS) – Orica GreenEDGE
6) Yauheni Hutarovich (BLR) – FDJ-Big Mat
7) Lloyd Mondory (FRA) – AG2R-La Mondiale
8) Tyler Farrar (USA) – Garmin-Barracuda
9) Daniele Colli (ITA) – Team Type 1- Sanofi
10) Marcus Burghardt (GER) – BMC Racing
General classification
1) Rui Costa (POR) – Movistar – 11:06:57
2) Frank Schleck (LUX) – RadioShack-Nissan-Trek +8”
3) Roman Kreuziger (CZE) – Astana +15”
4) Thibaut Pinot (FRA) – FDJ-Big Mat +19”
5) Nicolas Roche (IRL) – AG2R-La Mondiale +21”
6) Thomas Löfkvist (SWE) – Team Sky
7) Alejandro Valverde (SPA) – Movistar +23”
8) John Gadret (FRA) – AG2R-La Mondiale +24”
9) Mikel Nieve (SPA) – Euskaltel-Euskadi +26”
10) Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin-Barracuda + 29”
