Cancellara captures Suisse victory

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Swiss Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank) won the time trial and claimed the race overall classification in the final day of the Tour de Suisse Sunday. He rode the 38.5-kilometre course in Bern with a time of 46:01, more than three minutes faster than previous race leader Tadej Valjavec (AG2R La Mondiale).

Slovenia's Valjavec held the race lead since Tuesday's stage to Stäfa. He had four seconds on Cancellara before the stage, but closed the final stage with a time of 49:48. He placed fifth and 3:18 back in the final overall classification.

Germany's Tony Martin (Columbia-Highroad) placed second in the time trial, 1:25 behind Cancellara. Dutchman Thomas Dekker (Silence-Lotto) set an early fast time of 47:41 and held on to finish third for the day.

Martin's ride enabled him to move from fourth to second in the general classification. He finished the race 2:02 behind Cancellara. Czech Republic's Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) finished seventh on the day and retained his third place overall, 22 seconds behind Martin.

Martin, stage winner yesterday in Crans-Montana, also claimed the race's mountains classification. His team won six stages in the nine-day race.

Cancellara accounted for two of Saxo Bank's three wins. He won the opening time trial in Ruggell last Saturday and Dane Matti Breschel won the Stäfa stage where Valjavec took yellow.

Marcus Burghardt (Columbia-Highroad) and Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step) finished in fourth and fifth in the time trial. Australian Cameron Meyer (Garmin-Slipstream) finished in sixth, 1:50 back on Cancellara.