Etixx - Quick-Step rider Michal Kwiatkowski saw the peloton closing in on him, as well as break mates Daryl Impey (Orica - GreenEDGE) and Silvan Dillier (BMC Racing Team), approaching the final kilometer and a half of 164.6km Tour de Suisse Stage 7 on Friday.
The World Champion had been on the attack with those two, as well as Axel Domont (AG2R - La Mondiale) after 20 kilometers. Kwiatkowski attempted several times before the peloton finally let a move go up the road. As he saw his breakaway chances almost come to an end, he then continued on his own with 1.4km to go. Thanks to his effort and some corners, he maintained a gap all the way until a few hundred meters to go in the stage. However, the peloton brought him back before the sprint on an uphill finish. Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) won the stage by holding off Peter Sagan (Tinkoff-Sax) launcing late off his wheel. Davide Cimolai (Lampre-Merida) was 3rd.
Mark Cavendish crossed as the top finisher for the team, in 28th place.
Julien Vermote didn't take the start and will travel to Belgium to be checked as a precaution. He has an abrasion on his right hip and a wound on his right knee.
Etixx - Quick-Step looks next to Stage 8 in Bern on Saturday. The 8th stage features a Category 3 summit at kilometer 50 of a 152.5km parcours, and is up-and-down from start to finish.
"This morning we decided to get into the breakaway," explained Kwiatkowski. "We tried several times, and finally I was able to enter into the right action. During the breakaway we collaborated really well. I think we raced smart. But the peloton never gave us a lot of space. We knew immediately with the controlled gap that it wouldn't be easy to go to the finish.
"In the final circuit we tried to also speed up, to keep the gap big enough to eventually go to the finish and play for the victory," Kwiatkowski continued. "But, the peloton was right there. At a certain point I tried an action alone, but the peloton caught me just a few hundred meters from the finish line. But that's part of the job. If you don't try, you can't win. So, sometimes it is a question of gambling a bit to see what can happen. Considering everything I am happy about my performance. I knew at the beginning of Tour de Suisse it wouldn't be easy for me after a few weeks without competition and the training we did at altitude. But I have a feeling day-by-day that my condition is improving. That is really important and motivates me a lot."