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RACE REPORTS: 73RD TOUR DE SUISSE STAGE 8: MARTIN WINS STAGE, VALJAVEC STAYS IN YELLOW
Road Bike Action & AFP
June 20, 2009
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Tony Martin in the pink king of the mountains jersey
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
German rider Tony Martin won the eighth and penultimate stage of the Tour of Switzerland on Saturday, a 181.7-kilometer ride from Le Sentier to Crans-Montana. Slovenian cyclist Tadej Valjavec retained the overall leader's yellow jersey ahead of the final stage on Sunday, a 39-kilometer time trial in Berne.
King of the Mountains leader Martin powered away with less than a kilometer to race with Italy's Damiano Cunego, four seconds back. "I realized Cunego was chasing behind, and he got fairly close, but I made it in the first place to the finish all the same," said Martin. "I'd tried the same kind of move on Friday at the mountain-top finish in Juraparc but it didn't work out. This time round was different. I waited a lot longer and finally accelerated 500 meters from the line. I got a good gap, and then I knew that I was going to be able to win."
Already victorious in the time trial stages of the Criterium International in France and the Bayern Rundfahrt in Germany this year, the second-year pro said he considered his Swiss victory "to be the first big win of my career. Hopefully I can do a good time trial on Sunday, too," he added.
73rd Tour de Suisse
June 13-21, 2009
Stage 8: June 20, Le Sentier - Crans-Montana 181.7km
1. Tony Martin (GER/THR) 4h12:31
2. Damiano Cunego (ITA/LAM) @ s.t.
3. Fabian Cancellara (SUI/SAX) @ 0:02.
4. Tadej Valjavec (SLO/ALM) @ s.t.
5. Kim Kirchen (LUX/THR)
6. Rein Taaramae (EST/COF)
7. Andreas Klöden (GER/AST)
8. Roman Kreuziger (CZE/LIQ)
9. Vladimir Karpets (RUS/KAT)
10. Frank Schleck (LUX/SAX)
Overall Classification After Stage 8
1. Tadej Valjavec (SLO/ALM) 32h19:48
2. Fabian Cancellara (SUI/SAX) @ 0:04
3. Roman Kreuziger (CZE/LIQ) @ 0:28
4. Tony Martin (GER/THR) @ 0:39
5. Andreas Klöden (GER/AST) @ 0:45
6. Damiano Cunego (ITA/LAM) @ 0:54
7. Vladimir Karpets (RUS/KAT) @ 1:01
8. Kim Kirchen (LUX/THR) @ 1:07
9. Rein Taaramae (EST/COF) @ 1:08
10. Maxime Monfort (BEL/THR) @ 1:12
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