Joao Almeida of Team UAE won the penultimate stage of the Tour of Switzerland on Saturday as Kevin Vauquelin clung on to his slender overall lead with an edge of your seat finale looming.
Sunday's decisive stage is a 10.1km uphill individual time-trial, and therefore should deliver a spellbinding conclusion to the week.
Breakout star Scotsman Oscar Onley was second close on the wheel of the Portuguese stage winner Almeida, as 22-year-old Onley almost added to his stage five win.
A stunning penultimate stage across Switzerland with a Portuguese winner at the end🇵🇹🤝🇨🇭
— Tour de Suisse (@tds) June 21, 2025
.#tds2025 #tourdesuisse pic.twitter.com/vzGnwVx7XP
This seventh stage was an up and down affair over 207km in sizzling heat as the mercury tipped over 30C.
Yellow jersey and French hope Vauquelin was third at the same time as he kept his powder dry for the eighth and final stage.
Another Frenchman, two-time former world road race champion Julian Alaphilippe, finished 8sec down in fifth to retain a strong interest in lifting the overall title Sunday.
The overall race is as tight as could be while Vauquelin is last man down the ramp Sunday, leading Almeida by 33sec, while veteran allrounder Alaphilippe lurks menacingly in third at just 41.
"Every second counts. Vauquelin is strong in the time trials but I'm going to see what I can do," said Almeida, who was second overall in 2024.
Taking a seat after a hard stage🥵 Almeida will try to close the gap tomorrow!
— Tour de Suisse (@tds) June 21, 2025
.#tds2025 #tourdesuisse @TeamEmiratesUAE pic.twitter.com/LmCd47RNlb
Two other handy mountain men could have their say of the steep nine per cent incline Sunday, with Onley and Felix Gall rounding out the top five and are well placed to snatch a spot on the podium too.