Mattias Skjelmose won cycling's Tour de Suisse by nine seconds, a race which was overshadowed by the death of Gino Mäder ©Getty Images

Denmark’s Mattias Skjelmose won cycling’s Tour de Suisse, a race overshadowed by the death of Swiss rider Gino Mäder after a crash during the fifth stage.

Mäder crashed on a descent of the Albula Pass in the Swiss Alps during the stage and was airlifted to hospital after falling into a ravine.

He was resuscitated before being airlifted, however his death was announced the following day.

In tribute International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said: "Having learned about the passing of Olympian Gino Mäder after a terrible crash during the Tour de Suisse, my sincere condolences go out to his family, his friends, his teammates at Bahrain Victorious and the entire cycling community."

American cyclist Magnus Sheffield of Ineos Grenadiers crashed on the same part of the course during the stage and was taken to hospital with concussion and soft tissue damage.

He has since been discharged and is due to return home for rest and recovery.

On the day that Mäder’s death was announced following the crash, racing was cancelled, with the peloton instead riding the final part of the stage neutralised in his honour.

Following discussions involving riders, teams and Mäder's family racing resumed yesterday, although Mäder’s team Bahrain Victorious, plus Tudor Pro Cycling and Intermarche-Circus-Wanty all chose to withdraw from the race.

Denmark’s Skjelmose, who competes for Trek-Segafredo, took the yellow jersey on stage three, and held an eight-second lead going into the final stage, a 25.7 kilometres individual time-trial from St Gallen to Abtwil.

He finished nine seconds slower than Spanish rider Juan Ayuso of UAE Team Emirates during the stage, a margin enough to take the overall title.  

Road race world champion Remco Evenepoel of Belgium, riding for Lotto-Soudal Quick-Step, who won yesterday’s stage in Weinfelden, the first full stage since Mäder’s death, was second on the stage at eight seconds adrift, and third overall at 45 seconds.

Ayuso, who won today’s final stage in a time of 32 mins 25 secs, was second overall at nine seconds behind Skjelmose.

In the overall standings, fourth place went to Dutch cyclist Wilco Kelderman of Jumbo-Visma at 2:09 behind the winner, with fifth overall going to France’s Romain Bardet of Team DSM at 2:41.