Ullrich wins Tour of Germany eighth stage

PARIS (Reuters) – Home rider Jan Ullrich (T-Mobile) won the
penultimate stage of the Tour of Germany on Monday, a 31-km
individual time trial from Ludwigshafen to Weinheim.

American Bobby Julich (Team CSC) was 11 seconds behind the
winner while overall leader Levi Leipheimer (Gerolsteiner)
finished third, 54 seconds back.

Leipheimer enjoys a 31-second lead over second-placed
Ullrich, who had never previously won a stage in his homeland
Tour.

“It’s a very important victory for me and our team,” the
1997 Tour de France winner told reporters.

“I wasn’t able to get Leipheimer in the end but I’m still
very happy. Tomorrow, Gerolsteiner will control the race so
today was my last chance.

“I used it to win and I’m satisfied with that as I had been
ill before the race and couldn’t train for five days.”

Third in the Tour de France in July, Ullrich caught a cold
before the Tour of Germany.

“The cold wasn’t cured completely as the weather here was
so bad all the time. That’s why I’m even happier that I won
today.”

Leipheimer’s Austrian team mate Georg Totschnig moved down
to third overall, five seconds ahead of German Joerg Jaksche
(Liberty Seguros).

Australian Cadel Evans (Davitamon-Lotto), who won Sunday’s
mountain stage, ranks fifth.

In Tuesday’s ninth and final stage, the peloton will ride
168 mostly flat kilometres from Bad Kreuznach to Bonn, making
another bunch sprint finish possible.