Fabian Cancellara had hoped to win today's Tour de Suisse time trial which was held in his backyard but he could only manage fourth. After crashing on the course a few weeks ago, more bad luck struck the Swiss who was stung by a bee but avoided an allergic reaction.

Fabian Cancellara was the second rider to leave the start ramp, and he had no references for the 24.5-kilometer time trial course other than his own sensations, but for the former Olympic and World TT Champion these were conditions he favored. Racing so early, almost three hours before current World TT Champion Tony Martin was scheduled, Cancellara set off; he easily caught his minute-man, and was the first rider to cross the line and stop the clock in a time of 32:18.

He set the bar.  But would it be enough?

It was a long wait in the hot seat before Cancellara’s time was finally bettered by Rui Costa (Lampre-Merida), who crossed the finish 13 seconds faster, nudging the bar higher.

All eyes now turned to the final finishers. Sitting in second GC Tom Dumoulin (Giant Shimano) would one up Costa, dropping the World Champion to second and Cancellara to third, before Tony Martin - who scorched through all intermediate splits quickest – pushed everyone down another notch.  His time of 31:37 was fastest, 22” over Dumoulin. Cancellara would end in fourth place, 41 seconds from Martin.

“I felt really tired in the morning but slowly my body began to wake up," he said. " During the [course] reconnaissance I got a good feeling, and that helped with my motivation. Also, with all the people on the road, it made me really feel that I am so close to home, this all helped me get the best out of the day.

"I can’t say that I knew all the people cheering for me, but I knew all the roads, all the details; I did my best. I had a good rhythm and I felt I could push better than before. I did a good TT - liked I had planned - but it’s always hard to know during a stage race because the power is going away; that’s normal because Tour de Suisse is long and hard. I did an okay TT.”

Tony Martin preserved his race lead with the victory and heads into the final two stage with a 28-second lead over Tom Dumoulin,  and a further minute and five seconds over Rui Costa.

The hilly time trial course around the commune of Worb was raced in the backyard of Fabian Cancellara, a mere 10 kilometers from his home. The course contained two uphills and two descents, and it was two weeks to this day that Fabian tumbled off his TT bike while on course reconnaissance. Incredibly, he ran into misfortune again today on the very same downhill.

“I met my friend the bee in the downhill," he said. "After my crash a week ago, and now with the bee sting, I think it can only get better – it can only go uphill from here! I have had an allergic reaction before to bee stings and in training I carry all the materials I need for a bee sting emergency. I am okay, and it did not take anything from my race today.”

Cancellara was treated for his bee sting immediately following the time trial. He now sports a newly wrapped bandage to add to his collection, but it should not hinder him from lining up in the final two stages this weekend. Andy Schleck was the next highest finisher for the team in 54th place (+2'39") and he sits in 43rd GC (+4'58").

Other news out of the Trek Factory Racing camp Friday morning was the non-start of Matthew Busche a result of tendinitis in his hamstring.  With the American withdrawing from the Tour de Suisse the team has dropped to five riders.