Levi Leipheimer of the US snatched overall victory from Damiano Cunego in the Tour de Suisse on Sunday to leave the Italian in second place by only four seconds.
Switzerland’s Fabian Cancellara closed his home race the way he opened it, winning the ninth stage’s 32.1km time trial around Schaffhausen to claim his second stage win after his opening time trial victory in Lugano.
However, the biggest shock of the day was Lampre all-rounder Cunego losing the yellow jersey by the second-smallest margin in the race’s history.
Photo: EPA
Former Giro d’Italia champion Cunego went into the final stage with a 1 minute, 59 second lead over RadioShack all-rounder Leipheimer knowing full well he was under pressure and his worst fears were confirmed when Leipheimer put in a powerful display around Switzerland’s northernmost town to finish third only four seconds behind teammate Andreas Kloden and 13 seconds behind world champion Cancellara.
“I’m really sorry I lost, but that’s sport, you have to learn to lose before you can enjoy victory,” said Cunego, who took command of the race with a superb solo display of climbing on stage three. “When I went out this morning to reconnoiter the course, I was really disappointed. Although hilly, there were a lot of long, straight stretches and that just didn’t play to my strengths. Thinking back on my performance, I think it’s a miracle I finished second.”
In total, RadioShack had three riders in the stage’s top 10, with Nelson Oliveria finishing fourth.
Cunego said in recent days Leipheimer was his biggest concern and he was proved right.
Cunego passed the second time check, at 22.9km, still with a 33 second lead on Leipheimer in the provisional overall standings, but he went on to finish 2 minutes, 16 seconds off Cancellara’s pace, handing Leipheimer the win by just four seconds. In 2004, Germany’s Jan Ullrich beat Switzerland’s Fabian Jeker by just a second to secure the title.
Leipheimer, who kept himself hidden but in contention most of the week, said his sporting director’s advice in the finale may have been decisive.
“I didn’t know how close it was at the end,” said the American, who had started fourth from last in the 140-strong field. “All I heard was my director shouting at me to sprint for the finish at the end. I think that might have made the difference.”
In third place overall was 24-year-old Dutch tyro Steven Kruijswijk of Rabobank, who finished 1 minute, 2 seconds behind Leipheimer in the overall standings. Defending champion Frank Schleck of Leopard Trek finished seventh overall, 2 minutes, 35 seconds back.
“I came to win a stage, but after the first few days I felt my legs were good, so I’m happy I could finish high up,” said Kruijswijk, who claimed his first professional win on the mountainous sixth stage to Malbun in Liechtenstein.
Cancellara was virtually untouchable, with only specialists such as Kloden and Leipheimer getting close to upstaging the record four-time world and Olympic champion.
“What can I say? It’s a time trial, I gave it 100 percent as I usually do and I won,” Cancellara said. “To start and finish the race the way I have done, with two victories, makes it a perfect Tour of Switzerland for me.”
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