Telekom’s Sergei Yakovlev won the seventh and longest stage of the Tour du Suisse on Monday while Lampre’s Francesco Casagrande finished safely in the main bunch to retain the overall lead.

The Kazakh rider was part of a six-man breakaway that led for 160 km of the 231-km stage which began in Switzerland and ended just over the German border.

Yakovlev’s American teammate, Bobby Julich, was part of an eight-man chase group that was sent down the road in case the leaders wilted under the long distances. Yakovlev jumped out of the break with 15km to go and hung on to score the win while Julich came across the line sixth.

Casagrande still in charge

Photo: AFP

Yakovlev revealed that his team had at first wanted him to aid teammate Alexandre Vinokourov -- who is in second place in the overall standings, 32 seconds out of first -- before his team director allowed him to join the breakaway effort after Vinokourov closed the gap on Daniel Schneider, who finished third in the race.

"It was only when the gap settled down that my race director said I could join the leading group," said Yakovlev.

He made the decisive move 15km from home, finishing 1min 02sec ahead of Swiss rider Markus Zberg to record his first win in five years as a professional.

Italian rider Casagrande finished three and a half minutes behind with the peloton to preserve his 37-second lead over Vinokourov in the overall standings.

Bianchi’s Jan Ullrich is back in ninth place more than three minutes behind Casagrande.

Casagrande finished 18th but retained his 37-second overall lead with two days to go. German Jan Ullrich remains ninth 3:24 behind Casagrande.

The Tour de Suisse continues Tuesday with the decisive 33km individual time trial at Gossau.