Former Marco Polo Cycling Team rider Maarten Tjallingii did another great time trial in a grand Tour. He became 8th in the final time trial of the Tour de France.

Last year he already showed his great recovery in hard stage races with a top 10 in the final time trial of the Giro d'Italia. In this Tour de France Maarten was one of the stronger domestiques of Team Rabobank for 3rd place Dennis Menchov and 6th place Robert Gesink. After that he was still going strong himself and proved this in the final time trial with this great result.

Maarten Tjallingii combined mountainbiking with road racing for the Marco Polo Cycling Team, between 2003 and 2005. He discovered his potential on the road with his overall victory in the Tour du Faso (Burkina Faso) and especially a 5th place overall in the Tour of Qatar. After this he signed up with Skil-Shimano, then Silence-Lotto and last year with Team Rabobank. 

  

 Maarten Tjallingii winning the Tour du Faso. (Photo: Francis Cerny)