The Astana team went close to a stage win yesterday when Alexandre Vinokourov was only overhauled a couple of hundred metres from the line. He is tenth overall, but the best placed rider from the squad - and from Kazakhstan - is Andrey Kashechkin. The 26 year-old national road race champion started Stage 8 fifth overall, 23 seconds off the race lead.
He said this morning that he was satisfied, but cautious. "I am happy for the moment but two weeks remain in the race. We have only done two mountain finishes and much remains ahead. There are some difficult moments to come. For now, I think Valverde and Sastre are perhaps the most dangerous."
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