Igor Anton Climbs Himself To Stage 2 Win At Tour of Switzerland
FLUMSERBERG, Switzerland, June 15, 2008 (AFP) - Spaniard Igor Anton pulled
on the leader’s yellow jersey after climbing to victory in Sunday’s second
stage of the Tour of Switzerland to the ski station of Flumserberg.
The Euskaltel rider crossed the line six seconds ahead of Luxembourg’s Kim
Kirchen of High Road, Italy’s Damiano Cunego and CSC’s Frank Schleck following
the 197km run which finished in rain and freezing conditions at 1400m altitude.
Anton stuck with the favourites on the tough 10km final climb pulling ahead
on the steep final slope with an 18 percent gradient.
Germany’s Andreas Kloden of Astana lost 30 seconds on the leaders after
falling behind during the grueling climb.
“I knew that the final 350 meters would be the toughest and that’s where I
attacked,” said Anton.
“The hardest lies ahead for us, the Swiss terrain is difficult and there
are seven stages left including a killer 25km time-trial on a slope which I’ve
never done before.
“It’s going to be tough for me to hold the (leader’s) jersey.”
Swiss sprinter Martin Elmiger, winner of the 2007 Tour Down Under, had led
a long breakaway from 37km building up a lead of 18 minutes near the halfway
point before the peloton began to work.
At the foot of the Flumserberg climb, Elmiger’s lead had been cut to just
one minute.
Germany’s Jens Voigt of CSC tried to break away preparing the way for an
attack by Luxembourg’s Schleck some 4km from the line.
But Schleck could not maintain the pace allowing Swiss Oliver Zaugg of
Gerolsteiner break through before Spanish climber Anton snuck through ahead of
the favourites.
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