Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) beats Peter Sagan (Cannondale) to the stage win into Leuggern on the Tour de Suisse stage 5 today.
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By Gavin McLoughlin
Dan Martin and Nicolas Roche each moved up one place on general classification on Stage 5 of the Tour de Suisse today, Wednesday. The Irishmen benefited from the misfortune of Giovanni Visconti (Movistar), the Italian who started the day in fourth place overall but crashed out early on.
Garmin-Sharp rider Martin will begin tomorrow in sixth place in the standings, 1:23 off a lead still held by home favourite Mathias Frank (BMC).
The Liège-Bastogne-Liège winner is well placed to challenge for the overall victory as we move into the second half of the race. Roche, who today produced another formidable display in support of Saxo-Tinkoff leader Roman Kreuziger, is in 19th place, 2:44 behind Frank.
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Stage 5 consisted of a lumpy but not especially onerous first 115 kilometres, followed by a 60 kilometre run punctuated with a total of five 4th cat ascents before the finish in Leuggern.
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A bunch finish seemed most likely, but the concluding medley of climbs would provide plenty of scope for speculative attacks. With the finish-line situated atop a short, sharp drag, sprinters and puncheurs alike will have fancied their chances at the start this morning.
The day’s early break was the quartet of Stijn Devolder (Radioshack-Leopard), Serge Pauwels (Omega Pharma- Quick Step), Sébastien Minard (AG2R-La Mondiale) and Cyril Lemoine (Sojasun). This group escaped around the 18-kilometre mark, and before long the ambitions of Slovakia’s Peter Sagan and yesterday’s stage winner Arnaud Démare were revealed as the massed ranks of Cannondale and Francaise Des Jeux took responsibility for the chase.
The gap between escapees and peloton never extended beyond three minutes, and as the race approached the third climb of the day the leaders’ advantage began to shrink inexorably.
At the foot of that slope, Roche’s teammate Michael Morkov propelled himself away in pursuit, but the Dane’s effort was in vain as by the time the penultimate climb arrived the race had nearly come back together again.
It was here that Roche took over, taking a powerful turn on the front and leading the charge up a beautiful tree-lined ascent to which droves of spectators had flocked. Baring his teeth in exertion, the Irishman hoovered up the breakaway and led the bunch down the other side of the hill. And as Cyril Lemoine failed to come through and take a turn, a fired-up Roche eyeballed the tired Frenchman savagely.
Some 20 kilometres remained and the stage looked set for some attacking. Jorge Azanza (Euskaltel-Euskadi) obliged by darting away on the final climb, but the Spaniard’s move was short-lived as IAM Cycling assumed formation on the front of the bunch in an effort to set things up for their Australian speedster Heinrich Haussler.
The pace was ratcheted right up as the competing lead out trains sought to position their men in the perfect spot. The sharp ramp to the finish line arrived with 500 metres remaining and it was here that Sagan and Démare launched themselves desperately toward glory.
But the pair mistimed their efforts and both were usurped by the Norwegian powerhouse Alexander Kristoff; the Katusha rider blazing past to take a comfortable stage victory with Roche and Martin safely in the bunch.
Tomorrow sees the riders tackle a 186 kilometre run from Leuggern to Meilen. The route includes two third-category climbs, but for Roche and Martin the real test should come on Friday when the race finishes atop the hors-categorie climb of La Punt.
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