Good day and welcome to VeloNews.com's Live Coverage of the third stage of the 2008 Tour de Suisse, a 155-kilometer race from Flums to Gossau.

As you can see from today's profile, the stage features rolling terrain, with three rated climbs, but it may not be enough to rid the field of the sprinters in the field, so we may see a mass dash to the line. There is some real sprinting talent in the field, too, with stage 1 winner (and three-time world champion) Oscar Freire from Rabobank in the peloton, along with riders like Robbie McEwen (Silence-Lotto), Gerald Ciolek (High Road), Erik Zabel (Milram) and Koldo Fernandez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) in the mix.

The rolling terrain may dump a few of the weaker climbers. There are three ranked climbs, starting with the Category 3 Kerenzerberg (summits at 20km), the Cat.3 Girenbad (91km) and a Cat. 4 climb, which summits 7km from the finish. If the pressure is high over the final 30km, the day may provide an opportunity for a tough all-arounder like CSC's Jens Voigt or Stuart O'Grady.

The sky is mostly cloudy today. We can expect scattered showers, with relatively mild temperature in the mid-60s (14c) . Winds are light, around 3kph from the east-southeast and, light as it is, will act as a tailwind for most of today's route through the valleys that course the hilly region near Zurich. Overall, there is a 50% chance of precipitation.

It's a short stage today, so today's start is slated for 2:40 p.m., when the peloton begins its trip through the neutral zone - of 1.4km - leaving the start village on Marktstrasse in Flums, and kicks off at the edge of town.

If you have questions, comments or complaints, feel free to hit the "contact our editors" link below the update window. We'll try to answer your questions, address your complaints and may even post a few during today's coverage.

Of the 160 riders who started the 2008 Tour de Suisse, all but two have signed in today. The two absentees are Alexandre Blain (Cofidis), who didn't finish yesterday's stage and Saunier Duval's David Canada, who didn't make the start yesterday.

Tom Boonen will compete for the first time since the revelation of his positive test for cocaine, when he takes part in this week's Ster Elektrotoer, his Quick Step team confirmed on Monday.

Boonen, 27, will be team leader in the stage race which starts in the Netherlands tomorrow.

The peloton is in the neutral zone. As we said, it's a late start today, given the relatively short distance of today's stage.

The folks from the generically-labeled Team High Road (named after the management firm that runs the squad) have a title sponsor: Columbia Sportswear Company.

High Road Sports, Inc., the team's owner, announced the deal Monday. The team will don its new kit at the start of the Tour on July 5.

So go dump all that Nike stuff folks, we're going shopping! Does anyone want to buy out the Live Update Guy's T-Mobile cellular contract, by the way?

We're rolling. It's raining a little, meaning that the "50% chance" of rain may have to be revised a bit. It's just a light drizzle, though, and no one has his rain gear on today. It's beautiful here. Cloudy, with fog drifting down the hillsides and green, green hills lining both sides of the route.

(Editor's Note - The Live Update Guy was born and raised just up the road, in Southern Germany, so he feels right at home on days like this. Please forgive his waxing poetic about rainy days.)

We have a couple of gaps developing. Herve Duclos Lassalle (Cofidis) and Rene Weisinger (Volksbank) have scampered off. They are being chased by Filippo Pozzato (Liquigas and Niki Terpstra (Milram). We'll get time gaps in a second, here.

Filippo Pozzato (Liquigas and Niki Terpstra (Milram) are back in the field.

Jeff Louder (BMC) is trying to bridge up to the two escapees. The two leaders are about 1:00 up the road and Louder is giving chase.

in chasing by the peloton. It doesn't look like the peloton is particularly frantic in its efforts to negate the gap.

The two leaders are at the 11km mark. They will hit the base of the day's first climb soon.

The two men off the front are 1:20 ahead of the peloton. Louder is making a little progress, but he's onl 31 seconds ahead of the main field.

Our two leaders - Herve Duclos Lassalle (Cofidis) and Rene Weisinger (Volksbank) - are on the day's first climb, the Category 3 Kerenzerberg, which summits at 20km.

is now 45 seconds ahead of the field and trailing the two leaders by 35 seconds.

there were only 157 riders who signed in today. Sergei Yakovlev (Astana) didn't arrive at the start today. We don't know what prompted that. We'll try to find out. He joins David Canada (Saunier Duval) and Alexandre Bain (Cofidis) in having left the Tour de Suisse thus far.

Our two leaders are now 2:56 behind the two leaders, who are trailed by Louder at 45 seconds.

Now that things are rolling, feel free to drop us a line, simply by hitting the "contact our editors" link at the bottom of the Live Update Window, (heck, while you're at it, hit the "Subscribe to VeloNews" button, too [shameless commercial plug]). We'll try to answer questions, address problems and even post a few of your comments during our coverage today.

Duclos-Lassalle and Weissinger are at the top of the Kerenzerberg. After a quick descent, they face about 30 kilometers of relatively flat roads. They are going to need a lot more time than they have, if they expect to stay away. Remember the break yesterday, when Martin Elmiger had 18 minutes before being pulled back? Danged radios, anyway.

The two leaders are shooting down the back side of the Kerenzerberg and are now 4:30 ahead of the main field. Louder is stuck in no-man's-land, at 55 seconds.

Herve Duclos Lassalle (Cofidis) and Rene Weisinger (Volksbank) are off of the descent. They now have the company of Jeff Louder (BMC) and the three leaders have an advantage of 5:30 over the peloton. Nice work, Mr. Louder.

Not on GC.

The men in the break rank on GC as follows:
74. René Weissinger (Ger), Volksbank, at 13:06
81. Jeffry Louder (USA), BMC Racing , at 14:22
116. Hervé Duclos-Lassalle (Fra), Cofidis, at 20:19

Kenny in Taos writes in to say:

Was their success year part of the reason Columbia Sportswear came is as a sponsor? American Team / American Sponsor? I'm sure this had something to do with it, these guys have been winning all over the place!

Yeah, it seemed like one of the most lucrative this-space-for-rent teams in cycling. We're interested in seeing if the gang at Slipstream scores a deal soon, too. Heck we always thought that American Express would be an ideal sponsor for a U.S.-based team, given that the card still needs to make inroads in Europe... and besides, over the years, Live Update Guy has contributed enough to that company to pay for at least part of that deal.

With the three up front not posing a risk for the overall leader, we doubt we'll see much effort coming from Igor Anton's Euskaltel team today. Instead, the big work will have to come from the teams looking for a stage win.

Henry writes to ask:

Is Cofidis rider Herve Duclos Lassalle any relation to the famed Paris-Roubaix champion Gilbert Duclos-Lasalle?

Yup. Gilbert is Herve's dad. He won Paris Roubaix in 1992 and 1993. He's also on one of our favorite cycling posters of all time: that killer sprint between Freddy Maertens, Giuseppe Saronni, and Bernard Hinault at the 1981 world's. Gilbert was fourth that year. The older Duclos Lassalle turns 54 this summer.

The three leaders are now at the 35km mark and have bumped their lead to 7:29.

is coming down a little heavier than it was earlier in the stage. The roads are wet, but they are in typically fine Swiss shape. Roads here are always in great shape. The Giro, the Tour and the Vuelta often prompt local officials to repair and resurface big stretches of roads. In Switzerland, no one generally has to do that. Almost every kilometer of Swiss roads we've covered over the years has been in super shape, without potholes or even a candy wrapper or cigarette butt anywhere to be seen.

... but this one has a good purpose.

In time for July's Tour de France and its featured ascent of Alpe d'Huez, VeloPress has published "The Tour Is Won on the Alpe: Alpe d'Huez and the Classic Battles of the Tour de France" by cycling historian Jean-Paul Vespini. Each chapter covers one ascent, starting with Fausto Coppi's astonishing victory in 1952. Vespini tells the story of this celebrated climb and the mountain that so often acts as the ultimate arbiter for cycling's biggest prize. Vespini's riveting descriptions of each battle to the top include candid interviews with riders, new insight into epic rivalries, and little-known but fascinating facts about the climb that has become a rite of passage for every rider in the peloton. Cycling's most famous names are all present and accounted for: Coppi, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Pedro Delgado, Miguel Indurain, Marco Pantani, and of course the American victors Greg LeMond and Lance Armstrong. The book is now available in bookstores, bike shops, and online.

If there is one mountain climb that embodies the spirit and magic of the Tour de France, it is the Alpe d'Huez. Its 21 hairpin turns and average gradient of 8.1 percent over 13.1 kilometers have become legendary, changing the careers of Americans Greg LeMond and Lance Armstrong, and nearly destroying Jan Ullrich and Marco Pantani. Here at last is the definitive history and unforgettable story of cycling's greatest challenge.

Author Jean-Paul Vespini has worked as a journalist for thirty years. He is a regular contributor to the cycling magazines Le Cycle and Cyclisme International. His books include a best-selling biography of controversial French cyclist Richard Virenque, and several cycling reference titles. He has covered the Tour de France since 1990. Translator David V. Herlihy is the author of "Bicycle: The History" (Yale University Press), and a former contributor to Bicycle Guide.

Timothy writes in to ask:

This has nothing to do with the race, but do you think that the CEO of Quick-Step will have any pull with ASO to get Boonen in the Tour? I was very upset and disappointed to hear about his cocain problem and wish him all the best in this difficult time.

While we wish Tomika well, too, we really doubt that the Tour will change its position on that one. Frankly, it's probably better that he doesn't show for this year, at least.

has eased off. Our leaders are still about 7:30 ahead of the main field as they cross the 45km mark.

the 50km mark in today's 155km stage. There is a bit of a rolling terrain ahead, but the climbs are pretty moderate until the Cat3. Girenbad climb at 97km.

The gap is now 7:52.

Our three leaders are working together nicely and working their way up that small climb leading to the village of Eschenbach.

Our three leaders have crested that first little bump leading to Eschenbach. The rain is falling still and it looks as if at least one of the trio has slipped on his rain cape. The gap is coming down a bit. The three leaders are now just about 6:40 ahead of the peloton.

Reader Robert E gets a brownie point for being the first to point out something interesting about the big sponsorship news of the day:

So team High Road will be CSC in the future, has a nice ring to it.

Why didn't we figure that one out? Columbia Sportswear Company... mmmm. It may drive the abbreviators nuts when they crank out results at the Tour, although (the original) CSC will soon be Saxo-CSC to keep the confusion to a minimum.

is shrinking. The three leaders are losing a little time. The gap is 6:25.

our three leaders are now just 5:25 ahead of the peloton. We need to check back at the front of the peloton to see who is there doing the damage.

is on-and-off. We're seeing showers pick up a bit.

are over the top of the un-rated hump at the 67km mark. The gap has extended a bit and our three leaders are 5:58 ahead of the main field. The descent is quite mellow, so it's doubtful that the downhill will offer much advantage to the leading trio.

conditions are still wet, with moderate temperatures. The descent has posed no problems for the field, as roads are wide and the pavement is smooth.

the leaders are 4:43 ahead of the field. The day's feedzone is another 5km up the road, at the base of the day's second Cat. 3 climb, one that summits at 91km. It's a relatively short, but steep rise and may ruin the cohesion of the break or show signs of weakness in the peloton, if anyone turns on the case. After that, riders face generally rolling terrain, with a generally uphill tilt and then a quick downhill to the finish. We'd have to bet that the escapees are going to be caught. 4:43 is just not that muc, considering there are still 60km remaining in the stage.

We see a combination of teams at the front of the peloton and their collective effort is really showing some benefit. The leaders are now just 4:06 ahead of the field as they work their way up the the Cat.3 Girenbad.

as the three leaders near the summit of the the Cat.3 Girenbad, their gap has been trimmed to 3:55.

the lead has been trimmed to 3:44. The peloton is being led by a consortium of teams, including Lampre, Rabobank and High Road. It's not easy to sort out the players since everyone is wearing non-descript rain gear.

From Lampre has snagged some extra KOM points by leading the field over the top of the Cat.3 Girenbad.

to go. Our three-man escape has 3:29 pn the main field.

remaining, the leaders are 3:42 ahead of the main field.

is moving to the front, too, now. The team has Robbie the Rocket in the peloton. If he makes it through the final hilly stretches, they may be able to deliver him to the line. McEwen is aiming for a good ride at the Tour, and a win here may be give him a boost, especially after a winless Giro.

remaining and the gap is at 3:46. These three have been out there for some time. Their chances don't look all that promising.... even though we're cheering for one of our "neighbors," given that Louder is a Utah boy.

is now setting tempo at the front of the field. With 46km to go, the gap is down to 3:33.

and the chase is beginning to pay off. The three leaders are now 2:59 ahead of the field.

Rene Weisinger (Volksbank) crosses the sprint mark ahead of Herve Duclos Lassalle (Cofidis) and Jeff Louder (BMC).

Behind, though, the Milram team, with Erik Zabel in the field, is helping at the front of the peloton. The gap is down to 2:35.

which is added automatically these days, must have gotten caught in a time warp. We're making an adjustment. It really isn't 7:30 in the evening here. We promise. We'll go back and adjust the other entries by hand, but probably not right away.

remaining in the stage, the gap is 2:31. The rain continues to fall, although temperatures are still quite moderate.

with 35km to go, the gap has been trimmed to 2:17.

to go, the gap is right at 2:00. That does note bode well for the three escapees.

The trio of Herve Duclos Lassalle (Cofidis), Rene Weisinger (Volksbank) and Jeff Louder (BMC) are 1:50 ahead of the field.

weighing his chances? He's dropped back to the BMC car to discuss life, the universe and everything with team director John Lelangue. You might remember the DS of BMC, he was the guy directing the Phonak squad... until it broke apart in the aftermath of the Landis case.

of the last sprint. Rene Weisinger (Volksbank) crosses ahead of Herve Duclos Lassalle (Cofidis) and Jeff Louder.

crosses the sprint mark just 1:27 behind the escapees. There are 26.5km remaining.

harder than it has all day. There is a lot of water on the road with the peloton making a lot of turns through the town of Wil. Ahead, is Gossau in about 15km, with a finishing loop that includes a Category 4 climb that summits about 7km from the finish.

and the gap is down to 1:20.

the leaders are now just a minute up the road.

the rain is easing up again. With 18km remaining, we see riders stripping off their rain capes. The gap is holding at 1:00.

to go, we see a lot of potential stage winners at the front of the field. We see Robbie McEwen there, Cancellara is there, as is Kim Kirchen. They have to get over the little Cat. 4 climb first and pull back the remaining 45 seconds from the break.

from Lampre is leading the peloton. There are 14km remaining and the gap to the three leaders has been trimmed to 29 seconds.

are 12km from the finish and they are still 28 seconds ahead of the peloton, as they work their way up the Cat. 4 climb. If one of these fellas wants to use this as a launching point, he'll have to make a move soon.

in the peloton's sights, the three leaders have upped the pace slightly, but with 11km to go, the gap is now just 11 seconds.

The three escapees shake hands and then are swarmed by the peloton

to go and the field is all together.

the finish area, the bell rings for one lap to go. With 9km to go, the pace is picking up in the main field as the rain, too, picks up a bit.

to go, the Quick Step team is driving the pace as the race nears the top of the climb.

there is a nice little descent and then a quick run to the finish.

Three riders are trying to break off the front, but the field is responding.

to go, we have several attacks but the peloton is quick to respond... already, crossing the 5km to go line.

man these folks know how to put on a bike race.

to go, David Loosli (Lampre) is charging off the front of the field. He's got a gap.

Now we may see trains forming up...

to go, we see Gerolsteiner and Quick Step driving hard at the front.

Gerolsteiner and Liquigas are at the front. We see McEwen hovering around the front, in hopes of poaching a ride to the line.

We see the biggies... Zabel, McEwen, Kirchen

is giving McEwen a right decent lead-out.

Milram is driving hard... and High Road comes up...

McEwen charges, Freire tries to catch but McEwen gets the win!

It looks like it was

1. Robbie McEwen (Aus), Silence Lotto, 155km in 3:50:00

2. Oscar Freire (Sp), Rabobank, s.t.

3. Gerald Ciolek (G), High Road, s.t.

McEwen is working his way to the podium, on his bike while chatting on his cell phone. Calling home? His boss? His broker?

not figuring into the bonus time, the GC remains the same:

1. Igor Anton Hernandez (Spa), Euskaltel-Euskadi
2. Kim Kirchen (Lux), High Road, at 0:06
3. Damiano Cunego (Ita), Lampre, at 0:12
4. Frank Schleck (Lux), CSC, at 0:16
5. Oliver Zaugg (Swi), Gerolsteiner, at 0:18
6. Roman Kreuziger (Cze), Liquigas, at 0:21
7. Stijn Devolder (Bel), Quick Step, at 0:22
8. Thomas Lövkvist (Swe), High Road, at 0:25
9. Andy Schleck (Lux), CSC, at 0:40
10. Andreas Klöden (Ger), Astana, at 0:40

We appreciate you joining us today. We have enjoyed providing updates in today's stage, as well as reading all of your emails (and even a few phone calls!)

Thanks and see you tomorrow.