Germany's Tony Martin racked up HTC-Highroad's fifth stage win of the Tour de France on Saturday, when he powered to victory in the race's final time trial in Grenoble. Already the time trial winner over an identical route in the Criterium du Dauphine in June, Martin clinched top place yet again in July after taking the fastest times at all the intermediate checkpoints. Second was Australian, Cadel Evans and third Alberto Contador of Spain.

With his time of fifty-five minutes and thirty-three seconds, just six seconds slower than when he won the same time trial in the Dauphine, Martin said afterward that he could not be happier with his first Tour de France stage victory.  

 

"When I found I couldn't follow the overall contenders in the mountains, my only goal was a time trial win today," Martin said, "Today I got the win and this is a really nice finish for the Tour de France for me."

"I learned a lot from the time trial in the Dauphine, it really helped. I was stronger than in the Dauphine even if my legs were suffering from the Tour, and I felt more tired than four weeks ago."

HTC-Highroad has now clinched five stages in the Tour de France this year; four for Mark Cavendish and one with Martin. Martin has now taken seven wins this season, including four time trials and the overall of Paris-Nice this spring.