The Tour de Suisse’s longest stage had a challenging course. As a result, it took some time before a leading group emerged. Before the breakaway, Rüegg sprinted on the day’s most difficult climb. The Swiss rider finished third and was rewarded with six points for the QOM classification.
After Rüegg’s attacks, it was Kraak’s turn. At 60 kilometres from the finish, she was part of a leading group and together with four other riders, Kraak achieved a one-and-a-half-minute lead. With 20 kilometres to go, Kraak missed a corner and barely managed to stay on her bike. The Dutch rider kept her cool, however, and managed to get back in the leading group before it was caught four kilometres from the finish. In the end, the Team Jumbo-Visma riders could not play a significant role in the final sprint.
“It was a nice day in the attack. We had a strong group and did everything we could to stay ahead of the peloton as long as possible. I am pleased that I didn’t have to let go during acceleration on one of the last climbs. That left us with three riders. Unfortunately, we were caught just before the finish”, a satisfied Kraak said.
The Tour de Suisse’s last stage is scheduled for tomorrow. According to Kraak, the team wants to attack here too. “We are not riding for the final classification, but with Noemi’s possibility of winning the mountain classification, we will focus on that. We want to attack again tomorrow.”