Ireland's Eddie Dunbar went up the road but it was Nairo Quintana who claimed the stage victory.
Eddie Dunbar in breakaway at Tour de Suisse
Having lost time on some of the hardest stages in the Tour de Suisse as the heavens opened, Eddie Dunbar was in the breakaway yesterday.
The 21-year-old rode clear in a large, 29-man, escape. It also featured Aqua Blue Sport's Mark Christian and Stefan Denifl.
Having gone in the breakaway on Thursday and gained the mountains jersey, Christian wrapped it up yesterday.
He had been frustrated at the end of Thursday’s stage 6 despite those gains. His 1X drive train system let him down and saw his place in the breakaway evaporate in the last section of the stage.
However, yesterday he took maximum points on the early cat 3 ascent. That Wasserfluh climb came 24km into the 170km stage from Eschenbach to Arosa.
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The British rider was first over the top from Romain Sicard (Direct Energie); the man who has been challenging him for the jersey.
Yesterday's stage 7 breakaway containing Ireland's Eddie Dunbar.
Christian still in the climbers' jersey at stage end.
With the early climbing points secured, the three Aqua Blue Sport riders settled into the escape which gained almost four minutes.
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Some 30 seconds had been shaved off by the time Movistar took over the chasing with 80km remaining.
To that point the BMC Racing team of race leader Richie Porte had ridden on the front.
Porte had attacked on the final climb of Thursday's stage 6, catching all of the breakaway bar two riders.
And when he went it was Nairo Quintana of Movistar who let his wheel go. But yesterday the Colombian was in better form.
And with the race concluding on the 27km climb to Arosa, his team was clearly riding to set him up for victory.
And that’s exactly what happened; the large breakaway fracturing and being recaptured.
Quintana attacked the climb from behind them and ran out the lone winner.
He began his attacks early and while Porte and his team kept his advantage down, they were powerless to overhaul him.
Once Quintana had caught what remained of the escape he surged again to leave them behind.
In the final 5km Porte took up the chase himself. He teamed up in that regard with Jakob Fuglsang (Astana).
However, while they pegged Quintana back to 10 seconds at one point, the gap was 22 seconds on the line.
Quintana won it well with Fuglsang next, leading in Porte. The result meant Porte holds his race lead, by 17 seconds from Quintana.
And Wilco Kelderman (Team Sunweb) is 3rd. He finished in a group of four just 16 seconds behind Porte and Fuglsang yesterday. And he is now 52 seconds off the yellow jersey.
The penultimate stage today, Saturday, is 123km and should suit the sprinters. And the final stage on Sunday is a 34km TT, which should see Porte extend his lead.
Dunbar would finish 49th yesterday at 10:42. However, he can take encouragement from being in the escape towards the end of his first WorldTour stage race.
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