Martin conquers Crans-Montana
Valjavec maintains slim lead ahead of final stage
Tony Martin (Columbia-Highroad) takes stage 8.
Germany's Tony Martin put in another stellar climbing performance in the Tour de Suisse on Saturday. The Columbia-Highroad rider attacked in the finale of the 181.7 kilometre stage to Le Sentier and held off Italian Damiano Cunego (Lampre-NGC) to take the team's sixth stage win of the race.
Fabian Cancellara concluded a day of strong defensive work by Saxo Bank. He finished in third ahead of race leader Tadej Valjavec (AG2R La Mondiale).
Slovenia's Valjavec leads Swiss Cancellara by four seconds in the general classification, and 28 seconds over Czech Republic's Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas). The race finishes with a 39-kilometre time trial tomorrow in Bern that favours two-time world champion Cancellara.
Four men – Marcel Wyss (Cervélo TestTeam), Pavel Brutt (Katusha), Lars Boom (Rabobank) and Hervé Duclos-Lassalle (Cofidis) – led race early on. They had a gap of 5:30 with 50 kilometres and only 22 kilometres to Sion. From Sion the climbing started with the Botyre climb and then the finish on Crans-Montana.
In Sion the escapees' advantage had dipped to near 30 seconds. Wyss was the last to survive once the climbing started. Jussi Veikkanen (Française des Jeux) caught and passed him to start a solo move. Saxo Bank led the race behind him for its leader Cancellara, who started the day nine seconds behind Valjavec.
Saxo bank continued to dominate the front of the group with Andy Schleck and then brother Fränk. The Danish team worked well and fought off attacks from Liquigas' Kreuziger and Oliver Zaugg.
Zaugg lost pace after his attack and slipped out of the top three standings.
Martin surged from the lead group under one kilometre to go with Cunego right behind. He held off the chase by Cunego to win the stage. Cancellara led the others to the finish at two seconds behind.
Martin celebrated Columbia-Highroad's sixth stage win in the Tour de Suisse. Bernhard Eisel, Michael Albasini and Kim Kirchen have won one stage each and Mark Cavendish sprinted to two stage wins.
| 1 | Tony Martin (Ger) Team Columbia - Highroad | 4:12:31 | |
| 2 | Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C. | ||
| 3 | Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank | 0:00:02 | |
| 4 | Tadej Valjavec (Slo) AG2R La Mondiale | ||
| 5 | Kim Kirchen (Lux) Team Columbia - Highroad | ||
| 6 | Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | ||
| 7 | Andreas Klöden (Ger) Astana | ||
| 8 | Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas | ||
| 9 | Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Team Katusha | ||
| 10 | Frank Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank | ||
| 11 | Rui Alberto Faria (Por) Caisse d'Epargne | 0:00:08 | |
| 12 | Michael Albasini (Swi) Team Columbia - Highroad |
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