Gianluca Brambilla finished 27th in the HC summit finale of the Tour de Suisse queen stage: 237.3km Stage 5, from Unterterzen/Flumserberg to Sölden/Rettenbachgietscher, on Wednesday.
Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) won solo after catching and passing Stefan Denifl (IAM Cycling) with 1.5km remaining. Denifl was alone ahead out of an original eight-rider breakaway in a stage that also included a summit of HC Bielerhöhe at the 109.6km mark. Denifl went ahead on his own with about 10km remaining and the gap at 4 minutes and 27 seconds.
Domenico Pozzovivo (AG2R-La Mondiale) was 2nd, and Simon Spilak (Katusha) 3rd.
Spilak attacked inside the final 8km from the peloton, and was eventually joined by Pozzovivo, Pinot, Geraint Thomas (Team Sky), Jan Hirt (CCC Sprandi Polkowice), and Miguel Lopez (Astana). Spilak then tried to distance his fellow chasers as Denifl remained up the road, but Pinot stayed with him before going on to chase down Denifl by himself. The peloton, meanwhile, was split into pieces on the final climb. Brambilla finished 5'45" down.
Pinot is now the new race leader.
Etixx - Quick-Step looks next to 193.1km Stage 6 on Thursday. Stage 6 is still up-and-down, but the lone Category 3 climb is at kilometer 98.4 of the stage. The final kilometers of the race are flat enough to leave the possibility of a group arrival.