Tour de Suisse 2021: Van der Poel wins thrilling finale, Küng holds on to race lead

image: Cor VosThe 2.4 kilometres climb at 8.3% on the Litschstraße in Altendorf plays a crucial role. An elite group distances the rest of the riders before Mathieu van der Poel strikes inside the last 4 kilometres. Max Schachmann bridges across before the Dutch champion sprints to a commanding victory. Stefan Küng crosses the line 22 seconds later to stay in the race lead, 1 second ahead of Julian Alaphilippe. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 2nd stage Tour de Suisse 2021

1. Mathieu van der Poel (nld)
2. Maximilian Schachmann (ger) + 0.01
3. Wout Poels (nld) + 0.04
4. Iván García (spa) s.t.
5. Marc Hirschi (swi) s.t.
6. Richard Carapaz (ecu) s.t.
7. Michael Woods (can) s.t.
8. Julian Alaphilippe (fra) s.t.
9. Jakob Fuglsang (den) s.t.
10. Andreas Kron (den) + 0.09

26. Stefan Küng (swi) + 0.22

GC after stage 2
1. Stefan Küng (swi)
2. Julian Alaphilippe (fra) + 0.01
3. Maximilian Schachmann (ger) + 0.02
4. Mathieu van der Poel (nld) + 0.06
5. Iván García (spa) + 0.12
6. Mattia Cattaneo (ita) s.t.
7. Richard Carapaz (ecu) + 0.13
8. Neilson Powless (usa) + 0.25
9. Gino Mäder (swi) + 0.30
10. Andreas Kron (den) + 0.33

12. Rigoberto Uran (col) + 0.35
13. Jakob Fuglsang (den) s.t.
18. Wout Poels (nld) + 0.52
21. Tiesj Benoot (bel)+ 0.55
23. Rui Costa (por) + 0.59
25. Sam Oomen (nld) + 1.00
26. Michael Woods (can) + 1.01
28. Marc Soler (spa) + 1.06
39. Esteban Chaves (col) + 1.36
56. Domenico Pozzovivo (ita) + 2.34
123. Tom Dumoulin (nld) + 10.17

Race report
Claudio Imhof initiates the breakaway and Nicolas Zukowsky is the first rider to accompany him. Tom Bohli and Matteo Dal-Cin also bridge across and the four carve out a 6 minutes lead.

Bohli goes solo with 40 kilometres to go, while Imhof tracks him down. Meanwhile, the peloton splits behind them. Rohan Dennis, Tom Dumoulin and Domenico Pozzovivo have missed the move.

Imhof leaves his compatriot behind on an unclassified climb with 16 kilometres to go and he enters the Litschstraße climb in Altendorf 25 seconds ahead of the first peloton. The gap evaporates in no time.

Alaphilippe accelerates with Carapaz, Schachmann and Woods in his wheel. A group with Van der Poel, Fuglsang, Hirschi, Poels and García close the gap before the top.

Van der Poel strikes with 4 kilometres to go and Schachmann bridges across in a 2 kilometres effort. But when the Dutchman opens his sprint he blasts to victory.

Küng limits his losses and he crosses the line in a chase group to retain the race lead, albeit with a margin of 1 second. Alaphilippe and Schachmann sit in second and third.

Another interesting read: route 2nd stage 2021 Tour de Suisse.