And welcome to the Swiss Alpes for the National Championships of Switzerland! Interesting startlist as the two Swiss teams UBS and Vontobel splitting their riders into two teams. The favourites for the stage are the leaders of the two UBS teams, Schelling and Saggiorato, although many riders of the same team are close to them and Kung presents the main challenge from the remaining teams.
Addy, Schir and Hugentobler try to form a break, with both Vontobel teams involved, UBS sends neo-pro Frankiny up as well to keep an eye on things.
The second UBS team tries to keep things under control but lacks the firepower, despite managing to lower the size of the pack to 14 riders, the break is still ahead by 2'30 with 20km left, now Frei decides to try to close the gap on his own.
Frei actually manages to bridge the gap quite swiftly, the break isn't going too fast and he still has 14km left when he makes the connection, behind however the peloton doesn't really bother to chase anymore.
Frei's chase didn't tire him out though, he takes control of the break and does the majority of the pace setting leading them into the final 5km!
And after so much work, Frei decides to set off on his own!
Schir isn't letting him get away that easily, he pegs him back over the next couple kilometres and joins him with 3km left! None of the others are out of it yet either as Hugentobler desperately leads the chase behind!
And by the flamme rouge the group is compact once again, minus Frankiny who has been dropped. Frei takes this as an opportunity to launch another attack!
Hugentobler and Schir launch their sprints and are biting at Frei's heels as they reach 500 metres left however!
Schir goes backwards as Hugentobler goes forward, pulling up alongside Frei with only 200 metres left!
It's by less than half a wheel, but Frei holds on to the win! Taking the Swiss National Championships with a very well timed attack! Hugentobler was stronger in the sprint but ultimately went just slightly too late and has to settle for 2nd, while Addy and Schir could only claim 3rd and 4th in the end.
The time trial is a battle between Dillier and Cancellara, or will last year’s unsuspecting winner Schär slip into the breach again?
Schär is the first of the three contenders off and he sets the fastest time at each check on the way to securing the lead by a surprisingly small margin over Hollenstein.
He’s no match for Cancellara though as Spartacus who beat him at the first two checkpoints, even so…
… Dillier blazes through the course! Passing Cancellara on the way to securing the Swiss Time Trial Championships by almost 3 minutes!
