Sky closes in on world TT champions

In the first of two long time trials, race leader Bradley Wiggins (Sky) tightened his grip on the yellow jersey by claiming a maiden stage victory that left defending champion Cadel Evans (BMC) in second overall.

Wiggins, a three-time Olympic track pursuit champion, clocked a winning time of 51 minutes 24 seconds for the rolling and slightly technical 41.5km course between Arc-et-Senans and Besancon.

The icing on the cake for Sky was Chris Froome's second place at 35 seconds, two days after he claimed his maiden stage at the first hilltop finish at La Planche des Belles Filles.

Martin (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), the reigning world champion from Germany, set the early pace but by the end his time of 53 minutes 40 seconds was over two minutes slower than Wiggins.

Martin, who is hoping to challenge for Olympic gold in London later this month, did not expect to win.

He has been racing with a broken scaphoid in his wrist since a crash early last week and lost time due to a puncture near the start.

"I felt not too bad, but I had a flat tyre after about 4-5 kilometres, so I really lost my rhythm after that," he said.

"But I know it wasn't a good time for me."

He added: "I suffered, but my hand was only really sore when I went over a hole in the road."

Cancellara (RadioShack-Nissan) eventually took over as provisional leader but first Froome then Wiggins pushed him down a place each to third.

The Swiss rider, who won the prologue on June 30 and wore the yellow jersey until handing it to Wiggins, said the demands of the hilly eighth stage in the Swiss Jura did not do him any favours.

"Yesterday was a really hard stage," said Cancellara, another favourite for Olympic gold in London.

"Today I was totally focused and gave it everything I had. I'm happy because it was a difficult course for me, a typical Tour de France time trial."