Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale) has won the sixth stage of the 2012 Tour de Suisse.
The 22-year-old Czech scored his fourth stage win of the race by powering past some of the world’s best sprinters to take a late win at the end of the 198.5km stage from Wittnau to Bischofszell.
Britain’s Ben Swift (Team Sky) was among those passed by Sagan in his irresistible charge for the line, and finished second.
Sagan said the twisting nature of the finishes at the Tour de Suisse had forced him to “invent” a mode of victory.
“I had to work harder today firstly to get a leading position in the finale, and secondly to launch the sprint. I went flat out into the last corner so I wouldn’t get boxed in and even brushed the barriers. I was blocked in that moment but as soon as Swift kicked, I knew I could come around and I did,” he said.
Sagan dedicated his victory to teammates who had driven the peloton in the closing kilometres to haul back a four man breakaway that included Baden Cooke (Orica-GreenEdge), Vicente Reynes (Lotto Belisol), Matteo Montaguti (AG2R La Mondiale), Troels Ronning Vinther (Saxo Bank)
“I want to dedicate this win to the team who reeled in the breakaway at the end and make me feel important every day.
We’ve now got two demanding stages to wrap up this Tour de Suisse. I want to make the most of them so I can work hard and improve my condition for the Tour de France,” he said.
Spain’s Rui Costa (Movistar) retains the overall lead of the race after another stage that failed to alter the top 10.
That is likely to change tomorrow when the riders will tackle a 34.8km time trial in Gossau that begins with an 11 kilometre climb.
Ben Swift earned himself a second podium finish in two days but will be disappointed to have missed out on the stage victory after seemingly having it won.
In a race without Peter Sagan he would have added another WorldTour victory to his palmares, but the Czech, who chalked up his 12th win of the season today, seems simply unstoppable.
Team Sky directeur sportif, Marcus Ljungqvist, said: “It was a great effort from Swifty and the team.
“They produced a good lead out and we were exactly where we wanted to be but you’ve got to give credit to Sagan; he was even boxed in with 150 metres to go and still managed to get around and take the win. He’s a difficult man to beat in this sort of form.”
Tour de Suisse stage six – result
1) Peter Sagan (SVK) – Liquigas-Cannondale – 4.30.08
2) Ben Swift (GBR) – Team Sky
3) Allan Davis (AUS) – Orica-GreenEdge
4) Michael Albasini (SWI) – Orica-GreenEdge
5) Oscar Freire Gomez (SPA) – Katusha
6) Lloyd Mondory (FRA) – AG2R-La Mondiale
7) Marco Marcato (ITA) – Vacansoleil-DCM
8) Alessandro Bazzana (ITA) – Team Type 1 – Sanofi
9) Matti Breschel (DEN) – Rabobank
10) Francesco Gavazzi (ITA) – Astana
General classification
1) Rui Costa (POR) – Movistar – 25.23.38
2) Frank Schleck (LUX) – RadioShack-Nissan +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 Ituralde (SPA) – Euskaltel-Euskadi +26”
10) Thomas Danielson (USA) – Garmin-Barracuda +29”
