Tour de Suisse: Alexander Kristoff denies Peter Sagan record

Alexander Kristoff handed Peter Sagan a sprint defeat at the Tour de Suisse on Friday to win the seventh stage, while Thibaut Pinot's overall lead was cut again.

Norway's Kristoff dominated the final stages of a 165-kilometer (102.5-mile) route from Biel to Duedingen and denied Sagan a record-setting 12th career stage win in the race.

Kristoff clocked 3 hours, 38 minutes, 7 seconds to add another victory to his stellar record thia season, which includes a win in the prestigious Tour of Flanders one-day classic.

Pinot was caught up in a split of the leading pack near the end and gave up five seconds to Team Sky's Geraint Thomas of Britain, who is second overall.

Pinot leads by 37 seconds, with the nine-day race likely to be decided in Sunday's time-trial stage.

Stage Seven (102.3-mile from Biel to Duedingen)

1 A Kristoff (Nor) Katusha, 3 hours, 38 minutes, seven seconds.

2. P Sagan (Slk) Tinkoff-Saxo, same time.

3 D Cimolai (Ita) Lampre-Merida, same time.                

4 G Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing, same time.

5 A Demare (Fra) FDJ, same time.

6 J Roelandts (Bel) Lotto Soudal, same time.

7 S Vanmarcke (Bel) LottoNL-Jumbo, same time.

8 M Albasini (Sui) Orica GreenEdge, same time.

9 M Marcato (Ita) Wanty-Groupe Gobert, same time.

10 J Joaquin Rojas (Esp)  Movistar, same time.

Overall standings (After seven of nine stages)

1 T Pinot (Fra) FDJ, 25 hours, 55 minutes, three seconds.

2 G Thomas (GBr) Sky, 37 seconds behind.

3 S Spilak (Slv) Katusha, +50.

4 D Pozzovivo (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale, +55

5 M Angel Lopez (Col) Astana, +1:07

6 J Fuglsang (Den) Astana, +1:22

7 T Dumoulin (Ned) Giant-Alpecin, +1: 27

8 Steve Morabito (Sui) FDJ, +2:29.

9 S Reichenbach (Sui) IAM Cycling, +2:43.

10 S Henao (Col) Sky, +2:46.