BMC Racing Team’s Michael Schär takes over the red jersey with the white Swiss cross from his teammate Martin Kohler.

The race was going to be a fight between the two big Swiss teams. A 14-rider group got away on the fourth 16 12-km laps, later being expanded by four more. In the final, Johann Tschopp (IAM Cycling) got away and rode one lap solo in the front, forcing the BMC riders to chase.

The next to attack were Martin Elmiger and Reto Hollenstein of IAM Cycling, Michael Schär and Martin Kohler of BMC Racing Team and RadioShack-Leopard’s Grégory Rast. Schär and Elmiger got away on the last 30 km, and Schär was clearly the stronger of the two, leading all the way to the finish.

It was Schär’s first professional victory: “This will always be the one I remember. I'm happy – but what makes me happier is there are so many people who are happy for me, too. I'm usually the guy who helps. But now I finally have my own victory.”

Second-placed Elmiger wasn’t disappointed about the race: “At first I didn’t get into the front group and had to chase back almost single-handedly. That cost me a lot of strength I could have used in the final. My teammates were attacking to try to keep Cancellara from being there for the sprint; in that sense, Johann Tschopp’s solo was very helpful. But when Michael Schär took off, I had nothing left. I was only able to sit on his wheel the last three laps. This means he really deserved the win.”

Result:

1. Michael Schär (BMC Racing Team) 4:45:27

2. Martin Elmiger (IAM Cycling) +0:01

3. Martin Kohler (BMC Racing Team) +2:03

4. Reto Hollenstein (IAM Cycling)

5. Grégory Rast (RadioShack-Leopard) +2:06

6. Silvan Dillier (BMC Development Team) +4:25

7. Stefan Küng (BMC Development Team) +4:27

8. Johann Tschopp (IAM Cycling) +4:37

9. Mirco Saggiorato (EKZ Racing Team) +4:44

10. Danilo Wyss (BMC Racing Team) +6:36