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Tour de Suisse win a confidence boost for Sagan

By Cycling News

published 17 June 2014

Ninth career win for Cannondale rider in Swiss stage race

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Peter Sagan (Cannondale) wins stage 3 in the Tour de Suisse(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

Peter Sagan (Cannondale) mid celebration(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

Peter Sagan (Cannondale) crosses the stage 3 finish line ahead of Michael Albasini (Orica GreenEdge)(Image credit: Bettini Photo)

Peter Sagan in the podium(Image credit: Sirotti)

Peter Sagan (Cannondale) won a trademark sprint on stage three of the Tour de Suisse, looking impressive and fit as he fine-tunes his form for the Tour de France. Sagan uphill sprint win in Heiden was his sixth win of 2014.

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Sagan back in action at the Tour de Suisse

Sagan wins Tour de Suisse stage 3

"It was an hard stage and the finale was really insidious as well as unpredictable," said Sagan. "There were many possible winners in the leading group but not many chances to play. When I saw [Sergio] Henao and [Cadel] Evans attacking, I decided to stay in the first positions and to wait. I thought the two last corners would be the key moments of the sprint if we were all together."

"On the last one, Albasini was the fastest, taking the perfect trajectory. The only option I had was to take the outside line and to open the gas on the final straight. Everything went perfect."

The win was Sagan's ninth at the Tour de Suisse, adding to his two wins in 2011, four in 2012 and two again in 2013.

"After the first stage result I was pretty happy, because time trial are not my kind of race," he said. "On Sunday I was little disappointed because it was a good chance and I wasn't able to take it. Anyway, I felt good and I wanted to try again. I want to thanks my teammates for the support they gave me. It's never easy to manage a stage like this."

With the ambition of claiming a third consecutive green jersey at the Tour de France, Sagan explained the win was an important confidence boost ahead of the July 5 start in Leeds, Yorkshire.

"I'm really happy I took this success for the team and for myself. As I said before the start race, Tour de Suisse is an important test for me. Having so good feeling and taking victory, it's a big boost of confidence."