Schleck shaping?

[Tumbleweed]

CSC rider Frank Schleck of Luxembourg grabbed the overall race lead in the Tour of Switzerland on Tuesday after winning the fourth stage between Nauders, Austria and here.

Russian Vladimir Efimkin finished the hilly 167.2km stage in second position with Spaniard Jose Angel Gomez Marchante crossing in third.

Schleck, whose younger brother Andy finished runner-up in the Tour of Italy earlier this month, claimed a first, timely victory of the season before his bid for glory at next month's Tour de France.

The Luxemburger made his decisive move towards the end of the stage, attacking seven kilometres from the summit finish and keeping his rivals at bay before coming over the line on his own.

It means the race leader's jersey stays in the hands of the CSC team, Fabian Cancellara having held the lead since winning the opening day prologue.

In the general classification Schleck holds a 49-secs advantage on Efimkin, with the more dangerous Kim Kirchen, also of Luxembourg, in third place at the same time.

Schleck's attack could turn out to be the move which eventually wins him the race this Sunday, the likes of Vladimir Karpets, Damiano Cunego and Gilberto Simoni all finishing over a minute behind on the stage.

T-Mobile's Australian all-rounder Michael Rogers, a pre-race favourite, also fell out of virtual contention finishing over two minutes behind.

A former winner of the Amstel Gold Race, Schleck followed up that first major win of his career by winning the Tour de France stage to the legendary Alpe d'Huez in 2006.

Wednesday's fifth stage is another hilly affair, held over 192.8km from Vaduz, the capital of Liechtenstein, to Giubiasco in the south of Switzerland.

[Tumbleweed]

http://www3.turkishpress.com/i-s/SGE.OXC58.190607171350.photo00.quicklook.default-245x162.jpg

 

but he's gonna have to control that spittle!!!

 

http://eur.i1.yimg.com/eur.yimg.com//ng/sp/eurosport/20070619/17/1590930817.jpg

holy roller2007-06-19 23:02:59

[shaunh]

Eeeechhh!!!!!

 

 

[pastapouch]

Shhhwwweeet victory...  Must say, CSCs still going strong. Two weeks ago I didn't receive any newsletters, now they're coming along again. Looks like the loss of Bjarne didn't affect their performance too much!

[widget]

Frank must be one of the main contenders for this years TDF, I dont think Vino is up to scratch and it looks doubtfull Valverde will even start.

 

Although I must say this years TDF route looks so "HO-HUM" boring, Petacchi could probably win it.!!

 

How can a race like the "Tour of Switzerland" have more climbs than the TDF?? - ITS RIDICULOUS - so the race will be won on the TT - Lets all YAWN now.!!

[Tumbleweed]

widget, my brother interviewed bjarne earlier this year, and when he was asked toname the three men who could win the tour this year, he answered: "frank schleck, frank schleck, frank schleck".

 

thought cunego was targetting this one?

[ORCA]

there is not even a TTT

[scotty]

Dont know so much Widget, will be nice to see Barloworld riding in their 1st TDF and with a Safircan as their captain. 

[widget]

widget' date=' my brother interviewed bjarne earlier this year, and when he was asked toname the three men who could win the tour this year, he answered: "frank schleck, frank schleck, frank schleck".

 

thought cunego was targetting this one?

[/quote']

 

No, unfortunately Cunego decided to ride the Tour of Switzerland instead - and he isnt even doing that well there - Simoni dropped him on the climb yesterday as well.

 

Schleck is certainly building up to be a favourite, judging by his present form, but the course is easy this year (by Giro standards anyway) so maybe someone can jump away and get 30 minutes on the peleton and inspire me to get excited - ala Pereiro last year.

 

.............otherwise I must confess, I am not that inspired.

 

Anyway, Denis Menchov is a good option as is Pereiro - both can win, Cadel Evans..........well if he can stay upright maybe, but I dont think he

is a top step finisher.

 

Anyway all this is fairly moot, as we know, the UCI has instituted the name and be counted option, where cyclists need to agree to certain requirements and sign on the dotted line, -  although there are no legal implication yet for not signing, I am fairly sure ASO and the UCI will request / pressure the team managers to EXCLUDE cyclists NOT wanting to sign from the tour line up.

 

So unless ALL of these guys sign, they MAY not even be there anyway.

 

...............UUUUUUM - Paulo - hello - ya gonna need to sign now.!!

 

Anyway - I think the UCI has done the right thing, Cycling has lost a lot of value over the year and they have to be seen to be doing something.

 

  

[Tumbleweed]

sorry widget, bad post. what i meant was "wasn't cunego targetting the tour of swissfan?". he's 1:46 overall back at the moment

[widget]

Yes, he was HR, but theres not many days left for him to take back time, certainly Schleck can match him in the mountains, so I dont know how he expects to win.

[Tumbleweed]

okay, so schleck in yellow for the tour ? mcewen in green?

 

By Stephen Farrand

GENEVA, Switzerland, June 20 (Reuters) - Australia's Robbie McEwen showed he will be a contender in the Tour de France sprints in July by winning the fifth stage of the Tour of Switzerland on Wednesday.

The 35-year-old Predictor rider made it over the 1,940-metre Lukmanierpass midway through the 192.8-km stage from Vaduz in Liechtenstein to Giubiasco then beat Italy's Daniele Bennati and German Erik Zabel with a late acceleration to the line.

Luxembourg's Fraenk Schleck of the CSC team finished in the same time as McEwen and so retained the overall lead. Russia's Vladimir Efimkin is second and Kim Kirchen of Luxembourg third, both 49 seconds behind.

It was McEwen's fifth win in 2007 and the 155th of his 12-year career.

McEwen won three stages and the prestigious points competition in the 2006 Tour de France and is a favourite for the opening six flat stages in this year's race that starts in London on July 7.

"I didn't expect the stage to end in a sprint today so this is a surprise win, but it proves I'm riding well," McEwen told reporters.

"I had a difficult spring because of illness but now I feel I'm ready for the Tour de France.

"It was a really hard stage. The two-rider breakaway meant we raced all day and we went up the long climb in the middle of the stage really fast.

"I have to thank my team mates for this victory. They led the chase in the final hour and then they carefully protected me in the sprint.

"I waited before jumping but then I went hard in the last 150 metres. I was stuffed in the last 100 metres but I kept accelerating and made it to the line."

Thursday's 190.8-km sixth stage is from Giubiasco to Crans Montana and ends with a 10-km climb to the finish.