After ten laps through Vaduz with a climb of 800 meters as the only obstacle, Brand, Koppenburg and Rooijakkers – who escaped in the second lap – managed to stay out of the peloton’s grip. Rooijakkers tried to drive the rest off in the final kilometer with a late dropout, but that didn’t work. With just over 200 meters to go, Brand started the sprint and apparently won with ease from Koppenburg. Almost a minute behind, world champion Elisa Balsamo won the sprint from the peloton and finished fourth. Floortje Mackaij was sixth.
For Brand it is her first victory of the road season. She has been successful on the cross bike more than once this year, although she failed to win the world title she wanted in Fayetteville in America. Marianne Vos was then too fast for the rider from Dordrecht in a sprint. In Paris-Roubaix Brand was third.
The Tour of Switzerland consists of four stages and was organized again last year after an absence of twenty years. The course also matters ex-skater Carlijn Achtereekte (Jumbo-Visma) along. For her it is the first UCI race. Achtereekte showed himself briefly in the initial phase with a failure attempt. She eventually finished in a group more than six minutes from the winner.
The Tour de Suisse for men ends tomorrow with an individual time trial of 25.6 kilometers in Vaduz. The women also complete a time trial on the same course on Sunday.