Cycling: Brajkovic takes Dauphine title as Boasson Hagen shines

TEAM Sky's Edvald Boasson Hagen won the seventh and final stage of the Criterium du Dauphine Libere yesterday as Janez Brajkovic held off the challenge of Alberto Contador to take overall victory.

Boasson Hagen completed the 148 kilometres from Allevard-les-Bains to Sallanches in three hours, 39 minutes and 43 seconds by launching a solo attack on the last ascent of the Cote de Domancy.

The Norwegian crossed the line with a 27-second cushion over Spaniard Arkaitz Duran Daroca (Footon-Servetto), with Russia's Egor Silin (Team Katusha) a further five seconds back in third.

Slovenian RadioShack rider Brajkovic was crowned champion after finishing at the same time as Spain's Contador (Astana), 40 seconds behind Boasson Hagen.

American Tejay Van Garderen (HTC-Columbia) also came in at the same time to seal third in the overall standings.

Despite a recent Achilles tendon problem, Boasson Hagen has looked in good shape to make his Tour de France debut next month. "Edvald has not had any recurrence of his injury – he's healed," Team Sky sports director Sean Yates said. "You can see he's quality, you can't miss him. It sticks out a mile."

Meanwhile, Heinrich Haussler led a mass sprint to win the second stage of the Tour of Switzerland yesterday, while Lance Armstrong cruised safely across the finish in the main pack. Swiss rider Fabian Cancellara retained the overall leader's yellow jersey – after winning Saturday's prologue.

Haussler beat Pablo Urtasun of Spain in second and Italy's Marco Marcato in third at the finish of the 167km trek from Ascona to Sierre. Urtasun and Marcato were among 66 riders who clocked the same time – four hours, 25 minutes, 16 seconds – including Cancellara, who placed 12th, and Armstrong, who was 46th. The stage included a Category 1 climb – the Simplon Pass.

Haussler, a 26-year-old German on the Cervelo team, collected his first stage victory since winning Stage 13 at last year's Tour de France. He took advantage after the pack, with just 2km left, overtook the last of three riders who had broken away.

Armstrong is using the nine-day race as his last competition warm-up before the Tour de France next month – and a chance to assess the climbing strength of his legs in the famed Swiss mountains.

The top overall standings did not change. Cancellara leads Czech rider Roman Kreuziger, who is second, by one second, and Tony Martin of Germany is third, three seconds back.

However, Armstrong climbed to 33rd, from 44th, and is 29 seconds behind the Swiss leader.

Today's third stage will take riders on a 197km ride from Sierre to Schwarzenburg, also featuring a Category 1 climb – the Mosses pass.

The race is due to finish on 20 June in Liestal.