Zberg loses overall lead in Tour de Suisse

Dutch racer Michael Boogerd dons the leader's yellow jersey Keystone

Switzerland's Markus Zberg has been replaced as overall leader in the Tour de Suisse by his Rabobank teammate, Michael Boogerd. Zberg handed over the leader's jersey after the third stage from Rheinfelden to Fribourg.

Zberg was relegated to fifth place overall, after finishing 12th in the 182km stage. But an impressive performance by newcomer, Marcel Strauss, ensured that Switzerland was represented in the top ten.

Strauss took second place, coming in just three seconds behind Italy’s Vladimir Belli, who finished in four hours, 23 minutes and six seconds. The result means Strauss is now in second place overall.

It’s the best result of the 24-year-old’s career. He managed to stay ahead of some formidable competition, including Italy’s Stefano Garzelli (who came in third), and Francesco Casagrande (fifth). If Strauss can perform as well in the mountains, he could become a serious threat to the leaders.

The overall lead was taken by Michael Boogerd of the Netherlands, who finished seventh in the third stage, and is the first Hollander to take the overall lead since 1984.

The fourth stage of the race takes the riders into the Alps for the first time in this 64th Tour de Suisse. In the last 10km they will ascend 700 metres into Verbier in canton Valais.

Tour results and schedule:

13th June Uster-Uster 24km (team time trials), Steffen Wesemann
14th June Uster-Rheinfelden 197 km, Fred Rodriguez
15th June Rheinfelden-Fribourg 182km, Vladimir Belli
16th June Fribourg-Verbier 156km
17th June Sierre-Sierre 30km (individual time trials)
18th June Ulrichen-Ulrichen (Alpine stage)
19th June Locarno-Lugano 171km
20th June Locarno-La Punt 170km
21st June St.Moritz-Arosa 150km
22nd June Herisau-Baden 175km

swissinfo with agencies