Tour de Suisse

Slovak wins his fourth stage in six tries in Switzerland

1. Peter SAGAN, Liquigas-Cannondale, in 4:30:08 2. Ben SWIFT, Sky, at 0 3. Allan DAVIS, Orica-GreenEdge, at 0 4. Michael ALBASINI, Orica-GreenEdge, at 0 5. Oscar FREIRE GOMEZ, Katusha, at 0

Team boss says Swiss tour start was criteria for Tour selection from the start of the year

Sagan within one of German sprinter's lead in the wins tally for top-level pros

Images from stage 4 of the 2012 Tour de Suisse

Liquigas man wins another sprint in Tour de France build-up

Slovak wins his second stage of the Tour de Suisse, three days into the race

Movistar rider dashes Schleck's hopes for stage win, yellow jersey

Liquigas-Cannondale strongman out-speeds resurgent Fabian Cancellara in stage-1 time trial

Defending champ hoping to regain top form for Tour, talks about the human condition and the sweetness of victory through struggle

Gesink and Valverde are among the Tour hopefuls taking aim at top form in Switzerland starting Saturday

In a look at our archives, Wiggins and Leipheimer revive 2011 Tour hopes with strategic stage race victories

Startlist for the 2012 Tour de Suisse

Previous winners of the Tour de Suisse

Bauer returns to Switzerland as Canadian squad pulls biggest race invite to date

Mauricio Soler, the Colombian climber who suffered traumatic head injuries in a crash during this summer's Tour de Suisse, returned home this week after a long recovery that leaves his cycling future in serious doubt.

Swiss doctors say Mauricio Soler is healing, but remains unconscious two weeks after his crash at the Tour de Suisee, The Associated Press is reporting.

"Christian Vande Velde came in and said to me, 'You can bet that worse things will happen during your career, but you have to let this go. If you don’t, I promise you more bad things will happen, it will eat you up inside.' ”

Maurico Soler's life is no longer in danger; that's according to Movistar team doctors attending the injured Colombian, who remains in a hospital following his horrific crash last week at the Tour de Suisse.

The stage race riders continued to climb the UCI WorldTour rankings after the Tour de Suisse, with overall winner Levi Leipheimer (RadioShack) and second placed Damiano Cunego (Lampre-ISD) both now in the top twenty.

Levi Leipheimer didn't start the 2011 Tour de Suisse expecting to win what many call Europe's "fourth grand tour."

Stage 9

• 1. Fabian Cancellara (SUI), Leopard-Trek , 41:01
• 2. Andreas Klöden (GER), Team RadioShack, at 0:09
• 3. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Team RadioShack, at 0:13
• 4. Nelson Oliveira (POR), Team RadioShack, at 0:25
• 5. Thomas Danielson (USA), Garmin-Cervelo, at 0:38

GC

• 1. Levi Leipheimer (United States), Team RadioShack , 31:45:02
• 2. Damiano Cunego (Italy), Lampre-Isd, at 0:04
• 3. Steven Kruijswijk (Netherlands), Rabobank Cycling Team, at 1:02
• 4. Jakob Fuglsang (Denmark), Leopard-Trek, at 1:10
• 5. Bauke Mollema (Netherlands), Rabobank Cycling Team, at 2:05

American Levi Leipheimer snatched overall victory from Damiano Cunego in the Tour of Switzerland Sunday to leave the Italian in second place by only four seconds.

Quick Results

• 1. Peter Sagan, (SVK) Liquigas-Cannondale, 3:52:00
• 2. Matthew Harley Goss, (AUS) HTC-Highroad, s.t.
• 3. Ben Swift, (GBR) Team Sky, s.t.
• 4. Koldo Fernandez, (ESP) Euskaltel-Euskadi, s.t.

GC

• 1. Damiano Cunego, (Italy) Lampre-Isd, 31:01:49
• 2. Steven Kruijswijk, (Netherlands) Rabobank Cycling Team, at 1:36
• 3. Frank Schleck, (Luxembourg) Leopard-Trek, at 1:41
• 4. Levi Leipheimer, (United States) Team RadioShack, at 1:59
• 5. Bauke Mollema, (Netherlands) Rabobank Cycling Team, at 2:11

Giant's new prototype road frame is being used by several Rabobank riders

SERFAUS, Austria (AFP) - HTC-Highroad is looking for Mark Cavendish to step up and contend the final sprint stage of the Tour of Switzerland after two no-shows in the race so far.

Quick results

• 1. Thomas De Gendt (BEL) Vacansoleil-Dcm, 5:38:42
• 2. Andy Schleck (LUX) Leopard-Trek, at 0:35
• 3. Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (ESP) Movistar, at 0:48
• 4. Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin-Cervelo, at 0:51
• 5. Alberto Losada Alguacil (ESP) Team Katusha, at 0:54

GC

• 1. Damiano Cunego (Italy) Lampre-Isd, 27:09:49
• 2. Bauke Mollema (Netherlands) Rabobank Cycling Team, at 1:23
• 3. Steven Kruijswijk (Netherlands) Rabobank Cycling Team, at 1:36
• 4. Frank Schleck (Luxembourg) Leopard-Trek, at 1:41
• 5. Levi Leipheimer (United States) Team RadioShack, at 1:59

TRIESENBERG-MALBUN, Liechtenstein (AFP) - Colombian rider Juan Mauricio Soler was reported to be in a stable condition after suffering head injuries in a crash on the Tour of Switzerland, an official for his Movistar team told AFP Friday.

Quick Results stage 6

• 1. Steven Kruijswijk (NED), Rabobank Cycling Team, 4:12:03
• 2. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Team RadioShack, at 0:09
• 3. Damiano Cunego (ITA), Lampre-Isd, at 0:18
• 4. Bauke Mollema (NED), Rabobank Cycling Team, at 0:21
• 5. Giampaolo Caruso (ITA), Team Katusha, at 0:21

GC

• 1. Damiano Cunego (Italy), Lampre-Isd, 21:26:28
• 2. Bauke Mollema (Netherlands), Rabobank Cycling Team, at 1:23
• 3. Steven Kruijswijk (Netherlands), Rabobank Cycling Team, at 1:36
• 4. Frank Schleck (Luxembourg), Leopard-Trek, at 1:41
• 5. Levi Leipheimer (United States), Team RadioShack, at 1:59

TRIESENBERG-MALBUN, Liechtenstein (AFP) - Dutchman Steven Kruijswijk of the Rabobank team won the sixth stage of the Tour of Switzerland Thursday, held over 157.7 km between Tobel-Tagerschen and here.

TRIESENBERG-MALBUN, Liechtenstein, (AFP) - Former race leader Mauricio Soler was left with head injuries and a broken ankle following a crash in the Tour of Switzerland sixth stage on Thursday.

Quick Results Stage 3

• 1. Borut Bozic (SLO), Vacansoleil-Dcm , at
• 2. Oscar Freire Gomez (ESP), Rabobank Cycling Team , 4:44:48
• 3. Peter Sagan (SVK), Liquigas-Cannondale, s.t.
• 4. Tejay Van Garderen (USA), HTC-Highroad, s.t.
• 5. Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (ESP), Movistar, s.t.

GC

• 1. Damiano Cunego (Italy), Lampre-Isd , 17:14:11
• 2. Juan Mauricio Soler Hernandez (Colombia), Movistar, at 0:54
• 3. Bauke Mollema (Netherlands), Rabobank Cycling Team, at 1:16
• 4. Laurens Ten Dam (Netherlands), Rabobank Cycling Team, at 1:19
• 5. Tejay Van Garderen (United States), HTC-Highroad, at 1:21

TOBEL-TAGERSCHEN, Switzerland (AFP) — Slovenian Borut Bozic, of the Vacansoleil team, won the fifth stage of the Tour de Suisse, a 204.2 km ride between Huttwil and Tobel-Tagerschen on Wednesday.

TOBEL-TAGERSCHEN, Switzerland (AFP) - Yellow jersey contender Andy Schleck of Luxembourg believes he will have more than Spain's Alberto Contador to worry about in this year's Tour de France.

HUTTWIL, Switzerland (AFP) - Norwegian Thor Hushovd admitted his focus will now be firmly on the Tour de France after ending his long wait to claim a first victory in the world champion's rainbow jersey.

• 1. Thor HUSHOVD, (NOR) Garmin-Cervelo, in 4:46:05
• 2. Peter SAGAN, (SVK) Liquigas-Cannondale, at s.t.
• 3. Marco MARCATO, (ITA) Vacansoleil-Dcm, at 2
• 4. Jose Joaquin ROJAS GIL, (ESP) Movistar, at 2
• 5. Oscar FREIRE GOMEZ, (ESP) Rabobank Cycling Team, at 2

GC

• 1. Damiano CUNEGO, (Italy) Lampre-Isd, at 12:29:23
• 2. Juan Mauricio SOLER HERNANDEZ, (Colombia) Movistar, at 54
• 3. Bauke MOLLEMA, (Netherlands) Rabobank Cycling Team, at 1:16
• 4. Laurens TEN DAM, (Netherlands) Rabobank Cycling Team, at 1:19
• 5. Tejay VAN GARDEREN, (United States) HTC-Highroad, at 1:21

HUTTWIL, Switzerland (AFP) - Norway's world champion Thor Hushovd claimed his first victory of the season when the Garmin-Cervelo rider won the fourth stage of the Tour of Switzerland on Tuesday, a 198.4km ride from Grindelwald.

GRINDELWALD, Switzerland (AFP) - Britain's Chris Froome admitted he experienced one of his toughest days as a bike racer as the Tour of Switzerland peloton fought rain, cold and poor visibility on stage 3 Monday.

GRINDELWALD, Switzerland (AFP) - Italian Christiano Salerno suffered a suspected broken collarbone following a crash on the third stage of the Tour of Switzerland, organizers said Monday.

Stage 3

• 1. Peter SAGAN, (SVK) Liquigas-Cannondale, at 3:09:47
• 2. Damiano CUNEGO, (ITA) Lampre-Isd, at 0
• 3. Jakob FUGLSANG, (DEN) Leopard-Trek, at 21
• 4. Laurens TEN DAM, (NED) Rabobank Cycling Team, at 21
• 5. Giampaolo CARUSO, (ITA) Team Katusha, at 48

GC

• 1. Damiano CUNEGO, (Italy) Lampre-Isd, at 7:43:16
• 2. Juan Mauricio SOLER HERNANDEZ, (Colombia) Movistar, at 54
• 3. Bauke MOLLEMA, (Netherlands) Rabobank Cycling Team, at 1:16
• 4. Laurens TEN DAM, (Netherlands) Rabobank Cycling Team, at 1:19
• 5. Tejay VAN GARDEREN, (United States) HTC-Highroad, at 1:21

GRINDELWALD, Switzerland (AFP) - Garmin-Cervelo is rallying behind teammate Thor Hushovd as the Norwegian seeks to honro his status as world champion by ending his victory famine at the Tour of Switzerland Tuesday.

GRINDELWALD, Switzerland (AFP) - Australian Allan Davis's hopes for a place on Astana's Tour de France squad suffered a setback when he pulled out of the Tour of Switzerland prior to the race's third stage Monday.

GRINDELWALD, Switzerland (AFP) - Slovakia's Peter Sagan of the Liquigas team won the third stage of the Tour of Switzerland on Monday, a 105km ride from Brig-Glis to Grindelwald that included a category 1 and unclassified climb.

Quick Results

• 1. Juan Mauricio Soler Hernandez (COL), Movistar , 4:23:20
• 2. Damiano Cunego (ITA), Lampre-Isd, at 0:12
• 3. Frank Schleck (LUX), Leopard-Trek, at 0:12
• 4. Danilo Di Luca (ITA), Team Katusha, at 0:16
• 5. Bauke Mollema (NED), Rabobank Cycling Team, at 0:18

GC

• 1. Juan Mauricio Soler Hernandez (Colombia), Movistar , 4:33:19
• 2. Damiano Cunego (Italy), Lampre-Isd, at 0:16
• 3. Bauke Mollema (Netherlands), Rabobank Cycling Team, at 0:22
• 4. Tejay Van Garderen (United States), HTC-Highroad, at 0:27
• 5. Frank Schleck (Luxembourg), Leopard-Trek, at 0:31

Gregg Bleakney and his cameras pay a call on the prologue to the 2011 Tour de Suisse.

• 1. Fabian Cancellara (SUI), Leopard-Trek, 9:41
• 2. Tejay Van Garderen (USA), HTC-Highroad, at 0:09
• 3. Peter Sagan (SVK), Liquigas-Cannondale, at 0:17
• 4. Gustav Larsson (SWE), Saxobank-Sungard, at 0:17
• 5. Andreas Klöden (GER), Team RadioShack, at 0:18
• 6. Thomas Danielson (USA), Garmin-Cervelo, at 0:20

Four-time world time trial champion Fabian Cancellara stuck to tradition by winning the prologue time trial at the Tour de Suisse on Saturday.

Andy Schleck's final preparations for what he hopes will be a more rewarding Tour de France campaign in July begin in earnest at the nine-day Tour of Switzerland starting Saturday.

Recent Amgen Tour of California winner Chris Horner will not be starting the Tour de Suisse this weekend as a warm-up for the Tour de France, his RadioShack team announced Thursday.

The road to the Tour de France heads through Switzerland for the Schleck brothers and time trial star Fabian Cancellara.

Team Type 1—Sanofi-Aventis has received a wild card for the 2011 Tour de Suisse, allowing the team to participate in the 75th anniversary tour, the team reported Tuesday.

The Belgian champion is still recovering from his crash at the Tour de Suisse

The Tour de France is about surviving and hanging on for three weeks, but some big names are missing out this year even before the race leaves the start house with Saturday’s prologue in Rotterdam.

Kirchen recovering from heart attack

Lance Armstrong has played down his chances of winning an eighth Tour de France title despite lining up at the July 3-25 race with a quality-packed RadioShack team.

Replay: Live coverage of 2010 Tour de Suisse stage 9

Results from the 2010 Tour du Suisse.