Gregory Rast (RadioShack-Leopard) has won stage six of the 2013 Tour de Suisse.
The Swiss delivered a popular victory on home soil by escaping his confederates in a day-long, four-man breakaway with just one kilometre remaining.
“No one tried to attack each other until of course the last 5km. I can’t even remember my last win – maybe 1834,” he joked.
Team Sky’s Matthew Hayman finished second, with third place claimed by Katusha’s Alexandre Kolobnev.
The quartet broke clear of the bunch just 30km into the 187.9km stage from Leuggern to Meile.
A lacklustre pursuit saw the bunch roll home nearly 11 minutes later in a sprint won by Peter Sagan (Cannondale Pro Cycling).
The general classification remained unaltered, with Mathias Frank (BMC Racing) retaining a 23 second margin over Roman Kreuziger (Saxo-Tinkoff), with defnding champion, Rui Costa (Movistar) still 35 seconds in arrears.
Tomorrow’s mountainous seventh stage, from Meilen to La Punt, will see the GC contenders return to centre stage.
Tour de Suisse 2013: stage six – report
1) Gregory Rast (SUI) – RadioShack-Leopard – 4.23.53
2) Matthew Hayman (AUS) – Team Sky +25″
3) Alexandr Kolobnev (RUS) – Katusha – ST
4) Bert Grabsch (GER) – Omega Pharma-QuickStep) +28″
5) Peter Sagan (SVK) – Cannondale Pro Cycling +10.43
6) John Degenkolb (GER) – Argos-Shimano – ST
7) Arnaud Demare (FRA) – FDJ
8) Ben Swift (GBR) – Team Sky
9) Davide Cimolai (ITA)
10) Tosh Van Der Sande – Lotto-Belisol
General classification
1) Mathias Frank (SUI) – BMC Racing – 20.31.06
2) Roman Kreuziger (CZE) – Saxo-TInkoff +23″
3) Rui Costa (POR) – Movistar +35″
4) Thibaut Pinot (FRA) – FDJ
5) Bauke Mollema (NED) – Blanco Pro Cycling +1.08
6) Daniel Martin (IRE) – Garmin-Sharp +1.23
7) Tanek Kangert (EST) – Astana +1.26
8) Jean-Christophe Peraud (FRA) – Ag2r-La Mondiale +1.28
9) Tejay Van Gaarderen (USA) – BMC Racing +1.39
10) Cameron Meyer (AUS) – Orica-GreenEDGE +1.42
