Colombian Juan Mauricio Soler (Movistar) climbed into the lead of the 2011 Tour de Suisse after winning stage two on Sunday.
Stage one time trial winner Fabian Cancellara (Leopard-Trek) handed over the leader's jersey to Soler after the Colombian attacked a compact group of race favourites on the final climb to Crans Montana.
Damiano Cunego (Lampre-ISD) and Frank Schleck (Leopard-Trek) came in second and third behind Soler at 12 seconds, with Danilo Di Luca (Katusha) in fourth a further four seconds back.
Tour de France hope Andy Schleck (Leopard-Trek) couldn't match the pace on the final climb and trailed home 1-39 behind Soler. Schleck also suffered in the opening time trial after being forced to change bikes when his TT machine developed a chain fault. He finished 147th.
Soler leads the race overall ahead of Cunego at 16 seconds, and Bauke Mollema (Rabobank) at 22 seconds.
Britain's Chris Froome (Sky) continued his good form with a 12th spot on stage two after placing 11th in the opening time trial. He now lies in ninth spot overall, 1-02 behind Soler.
The nine-stage, World Tour-level Tour de Suisse continues on Monday with more high mountains before switching on Tuesday to a relatively flat stage that may give the sprinters, including Britain's Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad) and Ben Swift (Sky), a chance for a stage win.
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The race concludes on Sunday, June 19, with a decisive 32.1km individual time trial.
Results
Tour de Suisse 2011, stage two: Airolo to Crans Montana, 149km
1. Juan Mauricio Soler (Col) Movistar
2. Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-ISD at 12 secs
3. Frank Schleck (Lux) Leopard-Trek at same time
4. Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Katusha Team at 16 secs
5. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank at 18 secs
6. Levi Leipheimer (USA) RadioShack at 34 secs
7. Tejay Van Garderen (USA) HTC-Highroad at 36 secs
8. Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC Racing at 39 secs
9. Eros Capecchi (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale at 47 secs
10. Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank at same time
Other
12. Chris Froome (GB) Sky at 56 secs
Overall classification after stage two
1. Juan Mauricio Soler (Col) Movistar
2. Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-ISD at 16 secs
3. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobankat 22 secs
4. Tejay Van Garderen (USA) HTC-Highroad at 27 secs
5. Frank Schleck (Lux) Leopard-Trek at 31 secs
6. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Radioshack at 38 secs
7. Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Katusha at 39 secs
8. Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC Racing at 52 secs
9. Chris Froome (GB) Sky at 1-02
10. Eros Capecchi (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale at 1-05
Early escape by Ivan Gutierrez (right) and Lloyd Mondory was reeled in on the final climb
World Champion Thor Hushovd is waiting for the mid-week sprint stages
Steve Kruijswijk, Danilo Di Luca and Mathias Frank try to escape on final climb
Juan Mauricio Soler takes the stage win and overall lead
Andy Schleck at the finish
Related links
Cavendish and Swift line up for Tour de Suisse
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