Eisel wins Swiss sprint, Cancellara keeps overall lead

DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) - Austria's Bernhard Eisel won stage two of the Tour of Switzerland in a close sprint finish on Sunday.

The Team Columbia rider led out the sprint and beat Germany's Gerald Ciolek with a late lunge to the line. Spain's Oscar Freire was third.

Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara of the Saxo Bank team finished in the same time as Eisel and kept the overall race lead. He won the opening 7.8km time trial stage on Saturday.

Cancellara extended his lead by snatching an intermediate sprint during the 150km stage, gaining three bonus seconds on his rivals. He leads 2008 Tour of Switzerland winner Roman Kreuziger by 22 seconds, with Germany's Andreas Kloden third at 25 seconds.

The 28-year-old Eisel often sacrifices his chances to help his team mates but switched roles in Davos to take his first victory of 2009 and THE 19th of his nine-year professional career.

"It was a tricky finish and so after George Hincapie gave me a good lead out, I went early, took my own line and didn't look back until I hit the finish line," Eisel told reporters.

"I think I did a good sprint but the line never seemed to arrive. I was scared of Ciolek and Freire coming back up to me and beating me."

The sprint was so close that race officials needed to study a photo finish.

"I have to thank the team for the work they did for me," Eisel said. "Tony Martin attacked in the final 30km and looked like he was going to win but then the Saxo Bank team pulled him back. After that all the team rode well and so I had to win."