Yates claims fifth stage to consolidate Swiss lead
Britain's Adam Yates held off his UAE Team Emirates teammate Joao Almeida to claim Thursday's fifth stage honours and consolidate his lead in the Tour of Switzerland.
At the end of a near 10 kilometre climb to the summit finish at Cari, Yates prevailed by five seconds from Portugal's Almeida.
Colombian Egan Bernal took third, 16 seconds adrift after the 148km ride from Ambri.
Yates, third in last year's Tour de France, broke clear under two kilometres from the line to extend his overall lead to 35 seconds from Almeida, with Ineos's former Tour and Giro d'Italia winner Bernal a further 1min 11sec back.
How hard was this day in the saddle?🥵 Ask Felix Gall or Pascal Ackermann. Only our leader Adam Yates keeps smiling🙂
— Tour de Suisse (@tds) June 13, 2024
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📸 Sam Buchli
.#tds2024 #tourdesuisse pic.twitter.com/rTnqMm9kWf
Yates reflected on a good day in the saddle.
"It was a really strong performance. Right at the end there Joao was putting down a crazy pace, I only had to follow for four or five kilometres.
"When I attacked he was still there, so he's obviously in super great shape,and the team is super-motivated for the rest of the week."
He added: "It's a good position to be in to have two guys in such great shape. We're both co-leaders, we have been since the start and so far it's working out well."
One rider missing this week but who will be taking a keen interest in his UAE team's buoyant form is Tadej Pogacar.
The 2020 and 2021 Tour de France champion is one of the hot favourites for this year's race after dominating last month's Giro d'Italia.
Friday's sixth stage has been shortened to 42 kilometres due to snow with a brutal final climb to Blatten-Belalp.
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