Team Ineos' Egan Bernal took the leader's yellow jersey as Dutch rider Antwan Tolhoek claimed his first career victory by winning the sixth stage of the Tour de Suisse on Thursday.

Colombian Bernal, riding without teammate and Tour de France champion Geraint Thomas after the Welshman pulled out of the race on Tuesday with an injury, took top spot in the overall standings from three-time world champion Peter Sagan.

Bernal, 22, underlined his potential to stand in for Thomas and Chris Froome, who was ruled out of the Tour de France after a devastating crash at the Criterium du Dauphine last week.

"The team worked really hard for me. From my perspective I just finished at full-speed to gain time," Bernal said.

"The important thing was the general standings, not the stage," he added.

Jumbo-Visma's fresh-faced Tolhoek, 25, has appeared at all three Grand Tours but only clinched his maiden senior stage success after an arduous day highlighted by a tough last climb.

Bernal finished second, 17 seconds behind, and Frenchman Francois Bidart was third.

The long final climb up to the resort of Flumserberg splintered the breakaway with Tolhoek, Spaniard Lluis Mas and New Zealander Patrick Bevin alone ahead.

Tolhoek dropped Movistar's Mas and Bevin of CCC behind with less than five kilometres to go as UAE Emirates' Portuguese rider Rui Costa joined the dropped pair.

The trio were then overtaken by Bernal with two kilometres left as the Colombian attempted to chase down Tolhoek.

Tolhoek wore a proud smile as he glided over the finish line.

Friday's seventh stage heads 216.6km north from Unterterzen to San Gottardo with a first category climb over the Lukmanier Pass and a beyond category climb to the finish line.

Results and overall standing after the 120.2km sixth stage of Tour de Suisse 120.2km from Einsiedeln to Flumserberg.

Stage

1. Antwan Tolhoek (NED/JUM) 2hrs 43min 34sec, 2. Egan Bernal (COL/INE) at 17sec, 3. Francois Bidard (FRA/AG2) 24., 4. Jan Hirt (CZE/AST) 29, 5. Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA/BAH) 31., 6. Patrick Bevin (NZL/CCC) 38, 7. Rui Costa (POR/UAE) 44, 8. Tiesj Benoot (BEL/LOT) same time, 9 Patrick Schelling (SUI/SWI) 46, 10 Patrick Konrad (AUT/BOR) s.t.

Overall

1. Egan Bernal (COL/INE) 18hrs 40min 18sec, 2. Rohan Dennis (AUS/BAH) at 12sec, 3. Patrick Konrad (AUT/BOH) 29, 4. Jan Hirt (CZE/AST) 35, 5. Tiesj Benoot (BEL/LOT) same time 6. Marc Soler (ESP/MOV) 41, 7. Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA/BAH) 50, 8. Francois Bidard (FRA/AG2) 58, 9. Fabio Aru (ITA/UAE) 1min 07sec, 10. Nicolas Roche (IRL/SUN) same time.