News

Home rider Michael Albasini won the 202-km fifth stage of the Tour of Switzerland on Wednesday when the mountains began to show the contenders for overall victory in the nine-day race.

Albasini was carefully protected by his Team Columbia colleagues in the final kilometres before winning a sprint to the line. Compatriot and early race leader Fabian Cancellara was second and Italy''s Damiano Cunego third.

Slovenian Tadej Valjavec of the AG2R team retained the overall lead after finishing ninth. Swiss Oliver Zaugg was second at 14 seconds, with Cancellara third on the same time.

Pre-race favourite Andy Schleck of Luxembourg lost more than a minute on the final climb to drop out of the overall top 10. "I had to take some risks in the final kilometre to win but it was worth it," Albasini told reporters.

"I think this was the hardest stage. This is my home stage race and so it''s a big goal for me. I''ve been targeting it for months." Albasini lost time in the opening time trial stage, won by Cancellara, but is still aiming for overall success.

"I''m taking it day by day but I''m not ruling myself out for victory," he said.

"The only thing I''m worried about is the final time trial in Berne. It''s 39-km long and there will be some big time gaps. "We''ll see what happens in the next few days in the mountains. For sure Cancellara is a great rider and time triallist but there are a couple of stages where he could suffer."

Thursday''s 178-km sixth stage is back in Switzerland, from Oberriet to Bad Zurzach.