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Tour de Suisse 2009: Stage 8

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Live coverage if Tour de Suisse stage eight starts at 16:00.

Tadej Valjavec (AG2R La Mondiale) started the day with the overall leader's yellow jersey.

52km remaining from 182km

Dark clouds are hanging over the mountains in the distance.

67km remaining from 182km

Tadej Valjavec (AG2R La Mondiale) holds only a nine second lead on Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank). Swiss Oliver Zaugg (Liquigas) is another five seconds back.

57km remaining from 182km

50km remaining from 182km

47km remaining from 182km

The gap between the leaders and the group is now 2:15.

Russia's Brutt is really the master of escapes. He has been in numerous escapes over the last three years. His persistence paid off last year with a win in the Giro d'Italia.

The riders are in Sion.  The four escapees lead with only one minute on the peloton.

23km remaining from 182km

22km remaining from 182km

Saxo Bank leads the chase.

21km remaining from 182km

20km remaining from 182km

19km remaining from 182km

15km remaining from 182km

15km remaining from 182km

Morabito looks over his shoulder to see a Cervélo rider coming.

They join forces.

14km remaining from 182km

Steve Morabito (Astana) lives nearby the stage finish. He won a stage here in 2006 as well.

We see Damiano Cunego (Lampre-NGC) and long-haired Vladimir Karpets (Katusha) in the group. Fränk Schleck (Saxo Bank) is there too. They are all close to shutting down the gap to the front two.

13km remaining from 182km

13km remaining from 182km

A Liquigas rider leads, followed by three or four Saxo Bank riders.

Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) rides right behind Cancellara.

12km remaining from 182km

We think this is Roman.   If so, he will bring out all the other favourites.

An AG2R rider chases solo and then the Saxo Bank-led group.

11km remaining from 182km

He has 11 seconds on the others.  He is only 31 seconds back in the overall lead.

10km remaining from 182km

He looks over his left shoulder to see Saxo Bank in control.

Fränk Schleck (Saxo Bank) is at the back of the group.

9km remaining from 182km

Cancellara has two men leading the chase, one is Andy Schleck.

Zaugg is from the Ticino area of Switzerland, near Mauro Gianetti's home.

8km remaining from 182km

7km remaining from 182km

The Caisse rider persists.

A lot of you are asking... The climb tops out at 1505m.  Keep the e-mails coming!!

The riders leave the town of Bluche.

6km remaining from 182km

Andy Schleck's work is over.  He soft pedals up the climb.

5km remaining from 182km

F Schleck leads the group for Cancellara. Klöden is third wheel. Then Tadej Valjavec (AG2R La Mondiale) in the yellow leader's top.

4km remaining from 182km

Michael Albasini (Columbia-Highroad), stage winner the other day, is last wheel in the lead group.

The Crans climb officially starts, it has a max point of 12%.

The riders are lined out and look to be living in Sufferville.

Schleck is driving the pace hard for teammate Cancellara.

3km remaining from 182km

2km remaining from 182km

A Columbia rider punches at the front and gives way to Kloden.

Andreas Klöden (Astana) leads the race. He will make up part of Astana's nine-man Tour de France team.

Tony Martin (Columbia-Highroad) shoots off the front. He is chased by Damiano Cunego (Lampre-NGC).

Martin gets the win. Cunego second.  Then Cancellara.

Cancellara is in a good position to win the race tomorrow.

Thanks for reading.  Come back tomorrow.

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