Rui Costa (Movistar) claimed the first victory in defence of his Tour de Suisse title by winning stage seven.
The Portugese, second on stage three, outsprinted stage two winner, Bauke Mollema (Blanco Pro Cycling), and fellow GC contender Tejay van Garderen (BMC Racing).
The stage exploded into life on the final climb of the stage, the haute categorie Albulapass, and continued on the nine kilometre descent into La Punt.
A delighted Costa said the stage win was a bonus, describing his central campaign as one for the general classification. Sunday’s race-closing time trial, a hilly 26.8km test from Bad Ragaz to Flumserberg, already occupied his thoughts.
“The chrono I know and is very hard. In the first 15 flat kilometers the wind can be key, because there is almost no protection. It will be very demanding,” he said.
Costa identified race leader, Mathias Frank (BMC Racing), Mollema, Van Garderen, and Roman Kreuziger (Saxo Tinkoff) and Thibaut Pinot (FDJ), third and fourth respectively on GC, as riders capable of a strong performance in the time trial and perhaps overall victory.
Tomorrow’s 180.5km eighth stage from Zernez to Bad Ragaz is unlikely to trouble those contending the general classification, who will hope for a quiet day before the final day’s time trial.
Tour de Suisse 2013: stage seven – result
1) Rui Costa (POR0 – Movistar – 5.11.08
2) Bauke Mollema (NED) – Blanco Pro Cycling – ST
3) Tejay Van Garderen (USA) – BMC Racing
4) Thibaut Pinot (FRA) – FDJ – 9″
5) Cameron Meyer (AUS) – Orica-GreenEDGE +22″
6) Daniel Martin (IRE) – Garmin-Sharp – ST
7) Roman Kreuziger (CZE) – Saxo-Tinkoff
8) Simon Spilak (SLO) – Katusha
9) Mathias Frank (SUI) – BMC Racing
10) Joe Dombrowski (USA) – Team Sky
General classification
1) Mathias Frank (SUI) – BMC Racing – 25.42.36
2) Rui Costa (POR) – Movistar +13″
3) Roman Kreuziger (CZE) – Saxo-Tinkoff +23″
4) Thibaut Pinot (FRA)- FDJ +44″
5) Bauke Mollema (NED) – Blanco Pro Cycling +46″
6) Tejay Van Gaarderen (USA) – BMC Racing +1.17″
7) Daniel Martin (IRE) – Garmin-Sharp +1.23
8) Cameron Meyer (AUS) – Orica-GreenEDGE +1.42
9) Tanel Kangert (EST) – Astana
10) Simon Spilak (SLO) – Katusha +1.50
