A team time trial win for CSC

With Carlos Sastre 4th, Andrea Peron 11th and Jakob Piil 12th, Team CSC took the teams classification prize in the Stage 9 individual time trial around Lloret de Mar, affirming their position as one of the strongest squads in the race.

"Everything went according to plan, as we were counting on Sastre, Peron and Piil to do really well today and at the last intermediate time it even looked as if Sastre might take the second place, but unfortunately he stalled a bit towards the end," said directeur-sportif Kim Andersen on team-csc.com.

Moreover, the result should provide the team with renewed confidence as the peloton heads into the high mountains over the following days; two consecutive mountain-top finishes will no doubt decide who's serious about a podium finish two weeks from now.