Italian Gianluca Bortolami (Tacconi Sport-Vini Caldirola) took the overall race lead at the Tour of Switzerland after scoring the stage win in a two-up finishing sprint with breakaway companion Peter Wrolich (Gerolsteiner). Bortolami’s win came on the third stage of the Swiss race, 162.7km from Reinach to Baar. Australian Robbie McEwen (Domo-Farm Frites) won the field sprint for third, 2:53 behind Bortolami.

Bortolami and Wrolich escaped at the 70km mark, from a group of six that also included Laurent Jalabert (CSC-World Online), and at one point extended their advantage to 9:19 over the peloton. At that point, the U.S. Postal Service team of Lance Armstrong, race leader at the start of the day, went to the front to lead the chase.

Photo: Graham Watson

However, the two escapees survived to Baar with a cushion of nearly three minutes after their 92km breakaway. With 600 meters to go, Bortolami, the Tour of Flanders winner this past spring, launched his sprint into the wind, timing his move perfectly and taking the win.

Bortolami now leads the overall standings, six seconds ahead of Wrolich and 2:35 in front of Armstrong. On Friday, stage 4 will take the racers 144km from Baar to Wildhaus, ending with a 13km, second-category climb.