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Karpets wins Tour of Switzerland

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GENEVA, Switzerland (Reuters) -- Russia's Vladimir Karpets of the Caisse d'Epargne team proved he is on form for next month's Tour de France by winning the Tour of Switzerland on Sunday.

Karpets was sixth in the last-stage 33.7-km individual time trial won by local rider Fabian Cancellara in Berne but gained enough time on his closest rivals to move from third to first place overall.

Luxembourg's Kim Kirchen finished second overall in the nine-day race, one minute and four seconds behind Karpets with Belgium's Stijn Devolder third at 1:30.

Karpets' team mate and compatriot Vladimir Efimkin started the time trial with a 30-second lead but finished more than two minutes slower than Karpets and slipped to sixth overall.

The 26-year-old Karpets was only the second Russian to win the Tour of Switzerland after Pavel Tonkov's success in 1995.

"This is my second stage race victory this season after winning the Volta a Catalunya in May and shows I'm having a good year," Karpets told reporters.

"I've shown I'm ready for the Tour de France and Caisse d'Epargne will have a strong team with Alejandro Valverde, Oscar Pereiro, Efimkin and me.

"I'm going to rest for a few days and then train at home to prepare for the Tour de France."

World time trial champion Cancellara won the time trial in his home town in a time of 41 minutes and 46 seconds. Germans Andreas Kloden and Stefan Schumacher were second and third, 20 and 33 seconds behind.

Cancellara's performance confirmed his status as favorite for the Tour de France prologue time trial on July 7 in London.

"I'm going to give it everything and if I win it'll be the highlight of my season but I think it'll be very close because everyone wants to be the first rider to win and wear the leader's yellow jersey," Cancellara said.

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