High Flyer Sagan: Fourth Stage Win, 14. June 2012

Slovakian rider Peter Sagan wins today?s flat stage (stage 6 from Wittnau to Bischofszell) and celebrates his 4th Tour de Suisse stage win this year. During the final sprint of the day, he first got stuck in the peloton and then almost got pushed into the safety fences by Albasini.

Slovakian rider Peter Sagan wins today?s flat stage (stage 6 from Wittnau to Bischofszell) and celebrates his 4th Tour de Suisse stage win this year. During the final sprint of the day, he first got stuck in the peloton and then almost got pushed into the safety fences by Albasini.

During the sprint for today?s stage win, Sagan first got stuck in the peloton and then almost got pushed into the safety fences by Swiss rider Michael Albasini ? but in the end, it was again the Slovak who crossed the finish line as the winner. After winning the time trial in Lugano and triumphing in the two massed sprints in Aarberg and Trimbach, the sprint specialist made it to the top of the podium for the 4th time during this year?s Tour de Suisse.

Swift and Davis on the Podium

Behind dominator Peter Sagan, Ben Swift (GB) and Allan Davis (AUS) came in second and third. Other strong sprinters like Alessandro Petacchi or Tom Boonen again were not able to join in the fight for victory.

Albasini, the best Swiss rider of the day, finished the stage in fourth place and missed the podium narrowly. On the last few meters, he just didn?t have the strength to keep up with Sagan and sprint for the stage win against him. In the last bend 150m before the finish line, Albasini had been at the head of the peloton and in a very good position for the final sprint ? but it wasn?t to be.

Breakaway Group in the Lead for Most of the Stage

Today?s stage through Northern Switzerland saw the breakaway of five riders just 35km into the race. Rubens Bertogliatti was also among these five riders at first; however, he was not able to keep up the pace and had to let his escape companions pull away. If Bertogliatti had remained at the head of the race, the peloton would probably have launched an attack to catch up with the breakaway group as Bertogliatti?s deficit in the overall rankings was quite small. The last two surviving breakaway riders, Matteo Montagutti (ITA) and Troels Rönning Vinther (DEN), were only caught up with 2km before the finish in Bischofszell.

As expected, Rui Costa (POR) managed to defend the yellow jersey of the overall leader during the last flat stage of this year?s Tour de Suisse without any problems. Friday?s stage will be a time trial competition in Gossau - it?s possible that Costa will be wearing the yellow jersey for the last time during the 34.3km tomorrow. Fabian Cancellara is also one of the favorites for the stage win in tomorrow?s race against the clock. The Swiss rider was trying to preserve his strength today and reached the finish line with a deficit of almost 5 minutes.