LYSS, Switzerland (AFP) - Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara, of the CSC team, powered to victory at the seventh stage of the Tour of Switzerland here Friday, but Kim Kirchen keeps the leader's yellow jersey.

Belgian duo Johan von Summeren and Sebastien Rosseleras, and Germany's Ronny Scholz set the pace early when they made the day's biggest breakaway after 61km.

That long attack was eventually closed down 15km from the line, when they handed over the race to their respective team sprinters.

But the transition was not quick enough and the sprinters left a gap that Cancellara - who has tasted Tour de France stage glory - took full advantage of.

The 27-year-old, winner of the Milan-San Remo earlier this year, then surged away from the main group with nine kilometres left to run.

The peloton, including Thursday's stage winner Kirchen, made up ground on the Swiss after three kilometres - but the Berne-born powerhouse was revelling in the home conditions and could not be overtaken.

Saturday's eighth stage will be a 25km time-trial between Altdorf and the Klausen mountain pass.