ALTDORF, Switzerland, 16 June 2005 — Swiss rider Michael Albasini of the Liquigas team achieved his first professional win on home soil yesterday by taking the fifth stage of the Tour of Switzerland.

The 24-year-old out-sprinted six fellow breakaway riders at the end of the 172.4km stage from Bad Zurzach to Altdorf to finish ahead of compatriot Gregory Rast with Austria’s Rene Haselbacher in third.

German rider Jan Ullrich of T-Mobile holds the overall race lead after finishing with the peloton 38 seconds off the pace.

The leaders broke away after 130km with Albasini controlling the group and responding to an attack by Dutch rider Maarten Den Bakker before holding off Rast in the race for the line.

“For a Swiss winning a stage of the Tour of Switzerland is something special,” said Albasini, who hopes that his performance here this week will win him a place in his team for the Tour de France next month.

“I didn’t think that the breakaway would go all the way. I really only believed it was possible about 10km from the line.

“I get on really well with Rast, we raced together for two years when we were younger and then for two more years in the Phonak team but in a sprint like this there are no friends,” he added.

Today’s sixth stage is a 158.7km run between Burglen and Arosa.

Italian Rider Galletti Dies After Suspected Heart Attack

In Madrid, Italian rider Alessio Galletti died yesterday after suffering a suspected heart attack during the Subida Naranco cycling race, chief press officer Jose Ramon Rodriguez confirmed to AFP.

The 37-year-old Galletti, a rider with the Naturino-Sapore di Mare team, died near the northern town of Oviedo after losing consciousness following a fall 15km from the finish line.

“He was at the back of the peloton about to begin the penultimate climb of the stage. He fell, the victim of a suspected heart attack,” said Rodriguez. “The climb wasn’t very steep at that point but it was very hot.”

Race director Curo Alvarez Mendo said earlier: “He was in the final group who were beginning the climb up the Manzaneda hill. Suddenly he fell to the ground. The medical team tried to revive him but could do nothing.” Galletti, a native of Pisa, turned professional in 1994.

He achieved four race wins in his career but was more known as a former teammate of compatriot and sprint ace Mario Cipollini, who retired last April.

Galletti joined the Naturino team earlier this season.