Tour de Suisse 2016: Stage 8

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January 1 - June 19, Davos, Switzerland, Road - WorldTour

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Live coverage of stage 8 of the Tour de Suisse, the 16.8-kilometre time trial around Davos.

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As we pick up the action, the man in the hot seat is Fabian Cancellara (Trek-Segafredo), who clocked a time of 21:50 over the 16.8-kilometre course. That was 28 seconds quicker than Maciej Bodnar (Tinkoff) and 34 faster than Matthias Brandle (IAM Cycling).

The overall standings before this time trial were as follows:

The day's final starters will set off in the following order (all times CET):

Jonathan Castroviejo (Movistar) is currently out on the course. The Spaniard reaches the time check after 12.4km just 1 second down on Cancellara. That time check comes atop the day's principal climb with a short drop towards the finish to follow.

Michael Matthews (Orica-GreenEdge) was only 5 seconds down on Cancellara at the 12.4km point and the Australian has just hurtled across the line with the second best time. His 21:55 is just five seconds down on Cancellara. What can Castroviejo do?

Castroviejo couldn't sustain his challenge to Cancellara on that fast run-in to the line. The Spaniard comes home 4 seconds down to slot into second place in the provisional standings. Cancellara allows himself a smile in the hot seat near the finish line.

This time trial is short but the rolling, sinuous terrain means that there is scope for sizeable gaps among the podium contenders this afternoon. With the long drag up to Davos Clavadel, the narrow roads and the technical descent, any rider who fails to find his rhythm early could pay a price.

It's easy to forget that Warren Barguil (Giant-Alpecin) hasn't won a race since he claimed a brace of stage victories at the Vuelta a Espana as a neo-professional in 2013, and he has been disappointed not to land a stage win so far this week, placing second behind Darwin Atapuma (BMC) and third behind Tejay van Garderen (BMC) yesterday. The yellow jersey of race leader is a considerable consolation, mind, and if Barguil holds off Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana), Andrew Talansky (Cannondale) et al, he would be only the third French winner in the history of the Tour de Suisse.

Gaspard Rinaldi won the third edition of the Tour de Suisse in 1935, and Christophe Agnolutto claimed something of a victoire à la Walkowiak when he held off Oscar Camenzind and Jan Ullrich to win in 1997.

The top ten on general classification are beginning their efforts, setting off at two-minute intervals. Three-time Tour de Suisse winner Rui Costa (Lampre-Merida) and Wilco Kelderman (LottoNL-Jumbo) are already out on the course, while Geraint Thomas (Sky) waits on the start ramp.

World time trial champion Vasil Kiryienka (Sky) has been picking off riders out on the course, but the man from Belarus was some 25 seconds down on Cancellara after 10 kilometres and isn't likely to trouble the Swiss this afternoon.

Kiryienka closes to within 16 seconds at the top of the final climb (12.4km) but it will be difficult to make up any ground on a descent where Cancellara was clocked at a speed of some 102kph...

Kiryienka's teammate Geraint Thomas (Sky) is out on the course. The Welshman is 1:36 down on Barguil after struggling on yesterday's mammoth mountain leg, and he needs to summon up something special here if he is to re-enter the race for final overall victory tomorrow.

Barguil, incidentally, reckons that third-placed Andrew Talansky (Cannondale) is the biggest threat to his yellow jersey this afternoon. The American is just 24 seconds off Barguil.

Wilco Kelderman (LottoNL-Jumbo) comes through the 6km point some 22 seconds down on Cancellara. The Dutchman will hope to recoup ground as the road begins to climb in earnest.

Kiryienka crosses the line with the 6th best time, 26 seconds down on Cancellara.

Tejay van Garderen comes through the 6km mark in a similar time to Kelderman, 22 seconds behind Cancellara.

Simon Spilak (Katusha), Jarlinson Pantano (IAM Cycling) and Ion Izagirre (Movistar) have also started their time trials. Only the top three - Talansky, Lopez and Barguil - are yet to start.

Thomas mirrors Kelderman and van Garderen by conceding 23 seconds to Cancellara in the first 6.3kilometres of racing.

Kelderman is now on the day's principal climb. After 10 kilometres, his deficit to Cancellara stands at 16 seconds.

The riders from the top ten on GC have been remarkably even over the first 6.3 kilometres. Spilak comes through 25 seconds down, while Pantano hurtles through 23 seconds behind Cancellara.

Warren Barguil (Giant-Alpecin) takes a deep breath and rolls down the start ramp. All of the riders are now out on the course.

Kelderman reaches the 12.4km mark just 9 seconds down on Cancellara. The Dutchman looks set to haul himself back up the general classification this afternoon.

Geraint Thomas (Sky) reaches the 12.4km point just 13 seconds down on Cancellara. He, too, is set to put time into Rui Costa and Spilak..

Rui Costa (Lampre-Merida) crosses the finish line in 22:23, 33 seconds down on Cancellara.

Van Garderen reaches the 12.4km mark in a similar time to Thomas, 13 seconds behind Cancellara.

Kelderman comes home in a time of 21:52, just two seconds down on Cancellara.

Barguil, meanwhile, is already 29 seconds down on Cancellara after the 6.4km mark, and is losing ground to his GC rivals.

Fifth best time to date at the finish for Thomas, 12 seconds down on Cancellara.

Geraint Thomas speaks at the finish: "It's been ok. I obviously wanted to do better. My diet was a bit too extreme and maybe I was lacking a bit reserves-wise when I came here."

Van Garderen crosses the finish line 14 seconds down on Cancellara, but the big news is coming from the 12.4km mark, where Jon Izagirre has made up an enormous amount of ground on Cancellara on the climb. Izagirre has the fastest time at the final intermediate check, 10 seconds up on Cancellara.

Andrew Talansky, meanwhile, has already made up 16 seconds on Barguil after 6.3 kilometres...

Jarlinson Pantano crosses the finish line with the fourth best time, his 21:56 is just 6 seconds down on Cancellara.

Talansky, meanwhile, hits the 12.4km mark 14 seconds down on Cancellara.

New fastest time at the finish for Jon Izagirre, whose 21:31 is some 19 seconds quicker than Cancellara. The Spaniard hit 110 kph on the descent and made up some 25 seconds on Cancellara between kilometres 6 and 12.

Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana), hits the top of the climb with the second best time to date. After 12.4 km, the Colombian is just 9 seconds behind the flying Izagirre.

Talansky crosses the finish line in 21:54, the fourth best time of the day, 23 seconds down on Izagirre.

Barguil hits the 12.4 mark some 45 seconds down on Izagirre. The Frenchman is losing his yellow jersey...

Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana) has put in a fine performance this afternoon. The Colombian clocks the second best time at the finish. His 21:49 is 18 seconds down on Izagirre but a second quicker than Cancellara and five faster than Talansky.

Lopez will take possession of the yellow jersey with Izagirre moving up to second overall.

Barguil comes home in 22:28, losing almost a minute to Izaguirre. 

Ion Izagirre (Movistar) wins stage 8 of the Tour de Suisse. Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana) takes possession of the yellow jersey.

Result:

 

General classification:

 

It's been a good day for the office for Movistar. While Izaguirre was winning in Switzerland, Marc Soler was in the process of claiming stage victory at the Route du Sud, where Nairo Quintana successfully marked Hugh Carthy to retain his overall lead.

Thanks for joining our live coverage of the Tour de Suisse this afternoon. A full report, results and pictures will follow here, and we'll be back with more live coverage on Cyclingnews tomorrow.

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