Russian veteran Dmitri Konyshev of the Fassa Bortolo team came home alone after the 220.6km fifth stage of the Tour of Switzerland on Saturday. The 35-year-old veteran came in 1:57 ahead of Italians Gilberto Simoni (Lampre-Daikin) and Wladimir Belli (Fassa Bortolo) and Spain's Manuel Beltran (Mapei-Quick Step) following the run from Widnau to St. Gothard.

Belli, Konyshev's teammate, took the overall race leader's yellow jersey but is just one second clear of Tour of Italy winner Simoni. Two-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong of the United States finished seventh at 2:34 behind to move up to overall third at 25 seconds behind Belli as he gears up for the defense of his French title in July.

The Tour de Suisse concludes June 28

Photo: Graham Watson

Konyshev made his break after just 25km and was never threatened over the remaining 195km. Belli and Simoni broke from the peloton during the last ascent, a 13km climb up the old paved mountain road of La Tremola. Switzerland's Oskar Camenzind gave up his effort and fell back just 10km from the line.

Some 5km from home, with Konyshev out of sight, Belli, Simoni and Garate broke from Armstrong and Beltran, who made no attempt to pursue. Beat Zberg, who dropped off on the climb, caught up with Armstrong and Beltran in the last stretch.

Meanwhile Swiss rider Alex Zulle finished 9:29 behind, a defecit that ends his chances of an eventual victory on home soil.