Almost 200 kilometres await the riders. After the start in Sierre, the Col des Mosses (18.5km at 5.6%) has to be ascended. In the last part of the race there is only 1 categorized climb (Kalchstätten, 27km before the finish), but a lot of smaller hills before the finish.
83km to go
7 riders form the BOTD: Bibby (Qantas), Frank (Red Bull), Honig (Rabobank), Fischer (Sony Ericsson), Demaret (Europcar), Galland (FDJ) and Reda (Alitalia). Surprisingly, the best climber on paper, Matthias Frank, has the most problems in following the pace when the road is ascending. They have a margin of 7'24 to the peloton.
28km to go
Frank gets dropped in the ascend of the Kalchstätten, and the 6 arrive at the summit with a margin of 1'36 to JoaquÃm RodrÃguez, who has attacked out of the peloton. The peloton follows at 2'11.
Although he isn't the climber and puncheur he was 2-3 years ago (hey, he's 35 now...), RodrÃguez shows today that he is still one of the better puncheurs. He takes the stage win, his 2nd win of the season, and also the GC-lead. Alejandro Valverde finishes in 2nd at '12 and Sorensen in 3rd at '23. Robert Gesink takes a nice 7th place.
This was a difficult stage, considering the amount of hills in the final 15 kilometres and the numerous attacks. Dekker and Gesink are still within the first 15 of the GC.
Edited by dienblad on 09-02-2013 12:40
The 4th stage from Schwarzenburg to Wettingen should be for the sprinters. But with twice the ascend of the Regensberg (the last summit 17km before the summit), it can be too difficult for them.
27km to go
The early breakaway gets caught halfway the stage. After that, only 2 riders dare to attack: Lars Boom (Saxo Bank) and Diego Tamayo (Colombia es Pasion). The Dutch doe sby far the most work, probably Tamayo is happy that he can stay in the wheel...
19km to go
Ascending the Regensberg for the 2nd time, JoaquÃm RodrÃguez attacks again. After yesterday's effort, the leaders jersey must give him wings.
17km to go
RodrÃguez flies past Tamayo and closes the gap to Boom. The 2 arrive at the summit with a small margin of '35 to the peloton.
2km to go
With the sprinters still in the peloton, the trains are being formed, so Boom and RodrÃguez get caught. Then, at a small kicker before the final descend to Wettingen, Steve Chainel attacks. Of course, RodrÃguez tries to follow him. Chainel leads the peloton by 30 seconds with 2km to go.
Finish
The French rider leads the race untill 200 metres before the finish. Then he gets passed by Tyler Farrar, who takes his 4th win of the season. 2nd place is for Edvald Boasson Hagen, 3rd for Michael Matthews, 6th for Chainel and Marcel Kittel, still lacking the maximum speed, takes the 7th place, right in front of Cavendish.
Quiet stage for us. We tried to bring Kittel in a nice position for the sprint, but had no final lead out man left (Vermeltfoort was the one to do it, but he ran out of energy...). So a 7 was all he could get.
It looks like the organisation couldn't find flat stage in Switzerland, as also stage 5 is hilly. 160 kilometres from Wettingen to Frutingen, including 2 categorized climbs in the last 50 kilometres (the last summit only 10km before the finish) and the lastfew kilometres ascending as well.
113km to go
Even before the climbs, when the BOTD is slowly increasing its margin to the peloton, and our first car is riding behind the peloton, we see that a rider has crashed. It's Thomas Dekker, GC's number 5! He seems to be okay, except for some superficial wounds and bruises, and can return back into the peloton.
45km to go
The BOTD almost has finished the ascend of the Schallenberg (2nd category). With 43km to go, Greg Van Avermaet (Sony Ericsson), Matthew Lloyd (Astana), Michal Albasini (Red Bull), Jarlinson Pantano (Colombia), Juan Antonio Flecha (Euskaltel), Ian Bibby (Qantas), Mitchell Docker (Alitalia), Wlater Pedraza (Colombia) and Romain Hardy (FDJ) can see the peloton riding a few corners lower in the climb, at 4'08.
16km to go
Not again...... The last categorizeec climb of the day, the Aeschi, hasn't even begun, or GC-leader JoaquÃm RodrÃguez attacks. Why on the flat? Why not wait for the clim? Why, PCM, why??
12km to go
Lloyd, Van Avermaet, Pantano and Albasini have dropped the other 5 in the ascend of the Aeschi. But RodrÃguez is bridging the gap rapidly, as he's only '25 behind. The "peloton" follows at 1'17, when Andy Schleck decides to attack. Robert Gesink, protected by Rob Ruijgh, is close behind, continuing in his own pace.
5km to go
Greg Van Avermaet has attacked at the summit of the Aeschi, and when the descend is done, he is leading solo. With 5km to go, the road starts to ascend gradually, so it'll be hard for him to maintain his lead. At '39 follows a group with RodrÃguez, Lloyd, Pantano, Albasini and also Schleck, CA Sorensen and Pauriol. The group Gesink, including Dekker follows at '50.
2km to go
Chris Anker Sorensen and Andy Schleck are the first 2 that are able to bridge the gap to Van Avermaet, and are about to drop him with 2km to go. RodrÃguez is trying to do the same, but realizes that he has wasted his energy with his early attack. The chasing group of GC-contenders follows at '30.
Finish
The stage ends in an uphill sprint-a-deux. Sorensen has no chance against Andy Schleck, and the win goes to the Sky-rider. At '18, RodrÃguez takes the 3rd place. Gesink (9th) and Dekker (13th) finish in the same time as Purito.
It was a shock for the team when Dekker crashed, but he seems to be okay. Hopefully, tomorrow his muscles haven't become too stiff, so he can ride the mountains without too much trouble.
It's time for the queen's stage! From Meiringen to La Punt, 205 kilometres, including 3 gigantic Swiss Alps to be climbed. Immediately out of the start the Sustenpass (27.7km at 5.8%, alt. 2224 metres), followed by the Oberalppass (19.4km at 5.9%, alt. 2044 metres). After a long part in the valley, the Albulapass awaits, 20.3 kilometres at 6.4%, and the highest point of this Tour de Suisse with 2312 metres. After the summit, a 10km descend awaits towards La Punt. A total of 5768 height metres!!
177km to go
7 riders attack out of the peloton early in the ascend of the Sustenpass. Egor Silin (Radio Shack), Juan Villegas (Colombia), Tejay van Garderen (Garmin), Ian Bibby (Qantas), Arnaud Courteille (Europcar), Matthias Frank (Red Bull) and Jetse Bol (Vacansoleil) arrive at the summit with a margin of 3'52 to the peloton, that is taking it easy this early in the stage.
81km to go
The 7 leaders have been joined by Alitalia's Przemyslaw Niemiec. The 8 lead the peloton by 9'11 in the valley after the Oberalppass. Then Roman Kreuziger, Bauke Mollema, Samuel Sánchez and Pierre Rolland attack out of the peloton.
51km to go
A 2nd group of good climbers and GC-contenders try to bridge the gap to the leaders. Tony Martin (Red Bull), Thomas De Gendt (Radio Shack) and Arnold Jeanneson (Europcar) are the ones. This is 6 minutes behind the leaders, with the group Kreuziger-Mollema and friends at 4'38.
27km to go
The final climb of the day has started, and Przemyslaw Niemiec has dropped the other 7, being by far the best climber in the BOTD. Villegas and Frank follow at 1 minute, bur loose ground rapidly.
The group Rolland, Mollema, Sánchez, and Kreuziger has been joined by Martin, De Gendt and Jeanneson, and they follow at 4'01. The peloton, with Katusha and Petronas - Monster Energy follows at 6'04.
24km to go
After 6 of the 20 ascending kilometres of the Albulapass, it's game over for Thomas Dekker. The number 5 of the GC can't follow the pace of the peloton anymore and is about to get dropped.
20km to go
Robert Gesink, being helped by his countryman Rob Ruijgh has managed to bridge the gap to the chasing group with Kreuziger-Martin-Mollema and friends. They're riding 3'39 behind Niemiec. The peloton now follows at 4'48.
17km to go
17km to go, 7 to the summit, and the GC-leader has cracked! 3 of these big climbs are too much for JoaquÃm RodrÃguez and he has been dropped by the group Schleck-Contador.
The current situation of the race: Niemiec in the lead, followed at 3'16 by a group with Gesink, Mollema, Rolland, Cataldo, De Gendt, Martin, Jeanneson, Sánchez and Ruijgh. A 2nd group with Hesjedal, Contador, Andy Schleck, Kiserlovski, Scarponi, Valverde and CA Sorensen follows at 4'06. RodrÃguez follows at 4'28 and it looks like he can forget the GC-win now.
10km to go
The group Schleck - Contador bridges the gap to the group Gesink. And 1km before the summit, Schleck attacks. Only Gesink tries to counter, but it looks like his former team mate is too strong. Niemiec still leads the race, 1'12 in front of these 2.
Finish
Przemyslaw Niemiec manages to keep his lead in the descend and brings the win to Poland and the COntinental Alitalia-team! Andy Schleck finishes in 2nd '21 and becomes the new GC-leader. Robert Gesink couldn't follow the Luxembourg rider and finishes in 3rd at '52. The group Rolland-Roche-Contador and friends finish at 1'16. Dekker finishes at 4'47, RordÃguez at 5'37.
And another hilly stage, this time 195 kilometres from Savognin to Wetzikon, with a few climbs and hills in the last 50 kilometres. Even though there are 2184 height metres, it is considered to be a flat stage.
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Edited by dienblad on 10-02-2013 17:31
Sad to see Dekker lose that time on the previous stage. Gesink seems all right, though. With enough tactics and some luck we're looking at the Tour de France winner!
JoaquÃm RodrÃguez
Chris Anker Sørensen
Rémi Pauriol
Fabian Cancellara
Nicolas Roche
Francesco Gavazzi
Tony Martin
Andy Schleck
Murilo Fischer
Ian Bibby
Tyler Farrar
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Michael Matthews
just kidding 
Przemyslaw Niemiec
Ryder Hesjedal
Egor Silin
Juan Villegas
