The Tour de Suisse opens with a 5.1 kilometres ITT in Risch-Rotkreuz, while stage 2 will start and finish in this municipality also. In stage 3 the GC men should be wide awake as the first mountains loom. Halfway the mighty Gotthard lies waiting, while the finish is uphill after a finale with two climbs.
Stage 4 features four cols and the arrival will suit the likes of Peter Sagan. Actually the Slovak is a rider to watch in Switzerland, winning nine stages in a total of four prior appearances. A stage with a lot of hills and nasty arrivals suits him.
The next day brings the master-piece with a top-arrival at the Rettenbach Glacier at an elevation of 2,669 metres. In stage 5, 4,112 height-metres are to be climbed as halfway through another giant, the Bielerhöhe at an elevation of 2,036 metres, is crested. Not only is this the Queen Stage of the Tour de Suisse, totalling 237.3 kilometres it is the longest stage also.
In stage 6 and stage 7 the sprinters will be eyeing up their chances, while stage 8 is a hilly ride from Bern to Bern. The GC is definitely not set on the last day of the Tour as stage 9 brings a hilly individual time trial in 38.4 kilometres.
Tour de Suisse 2015: Images and more
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