For the 33-year-old Argentinian, Sunday's podium was the best result of the season.
At this year's Tour de Suisse, Baar hosted the opening week-end, a prologue and a road stage being on the menu. The second day was one for the fast men of the peloton, who sent their teams to control the break as soon as Mathias Krizek (Team Roth), Sebastien Minard (AG2R), Antwan Tolhoek (Roompot Oranje) and Marcel Wyss (IAM Cycling) took off soon after the start. The escapees enjoyed a 4:30 lead, but considering the course was a lumpy one on a 47.6-km long circuit which the riders covered four times, the advantage proved to be slim.
It should have been a quiet stage, but rain made its presence felt for the second day in a row and things didn't go as smooth as planned for Etixx – Quick-Step's Fernando Gaviria. The 21-year-old Colombian crashed and left some skin on the road, suffering abrasions on his left thigh and being forced to change his bike before returning to the front with the help of countryman Rodrigo Contreras.
Eventually, Fernando – who is racing his second World Tour stage race of the year – paid for all this in the final kilometers and couldn't contest the sprint anymore, so Maximiliano stepped in and took over the duties, making his way through the peloton before finishing second, behind world champion Peter Sagan: "Fernando told me to try and go for myself in the sprint, as he wasn't at 100% following that crash", said Max, a former Grand Tour stage winner, who scored his maiden World Tour podium of the season. "I put in a good sprint, but it wasn't easy against Sagan. Still, considering everything, I am happy with my result and with the fact Fernando hasn't suffered any injuries and will continue."
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele
