Several riders did not start todays 25 kilometres long eight stage, a mountain time trial from Altdorf
to Klausenpass.
One of them was Rabobank's Thomas Dekker who didn't perform well in this years Tour de Suisse. On Wednesday Dekker and the Rabobank team management will decided if Dekker will start at this years Tour de France, which
will begin on July 5, in Brest.
José Rujano (Caisse d'Epargne) clocked 1h00:38, for a long time it was the best time, many riders after him were 4
minutes and more behind the number 3 overall of the 2005 Giro d'Italia. Jens Voigt (CSC - Saxo Bank) set the fastest intermediate
time after 9.1 kilometres but the German veteran finished 1:19 behind Rujano. Steve Zampieri (Cofidis) eventually passed
Voigt but the Swiss climber stayed behind Rujano.
The battle for the overall started as Astana's Andreas Klöden started. Klöden set a third best intermediate time, which
was still held by Voigt. After Klöden Thomas Lövkvist (Team High Road), Stijn Devolder (Quick Step), Igor Anton (Euskaltel
- Euskadi), Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) and finally overall leader Kim Kirchen (Tea Columbia) started in two minute intervals.
Just when Kirchen started Voigt crossed the line and clocked 1h0:57, almost one and a half minute behind Rujano. Kirchen
didn't look good and it was Czech rider Roman Kreuziger who clocked best time at the first intermediate time check:
19:13. Kirchen cracked while Kreuziger blasted towards the top of the Klausenpass.
Andreas Klöden passed CSC-Saxobank's Andy Schleck in the final kilometre but that wasnt enough to beat Rujano. Caisse d'Epargnes
Venezuelan was one second faster than Klöden.
Kreuziger managed to keep his high pace and won stage 8 of the Tour de Suisse. Kreuziger clocked 1:00:22. Rujano was second,
16 seconds behind the stage winner and Klöden finished third, 17 seconds behind Kreuziger.
Kreuziger also took over the overall lead from kirchen. Andreas Klöden is now second overall, 49 seconds behind and Igor
Anton defended his third place. Anton is now 1:55 behind the overall leader.
The Tour de Suisse will continue tomorrow with the 168 kilometres long 9th and final stage. Its a hilly stage from
Altdorf to the Swiss capital, Bern. The course goes up and down and in the final part of the race the riders will face two
fourth category climbs. Although the overall is probebly decided Friday' seventh stage showed that on hilly stages like these,
the overall favourites might try something. Click here to see the profile of stage 9.
