Just as he did in the stage into Aurillac last year, Louis Leon Sanchez used a mountains stage to his advantage, in out sprinting his breakaway rivals to take Stage 8, a 176.5km trek from Andorre le Vielle to Saint Girons in France. Sanchez proved too strong in the final sprint and scored a deserved victory from Frenchman Sandy Casar. Mikel Astraloza failed to record his maiden victory as a professional but filled the podium in third.
The GC brigade were shaken up early in the stage when Cadel Evans used the opening cat-1 climb to attack. Eventually he formed a breakaway group of 10 with such luminaries as Fabian Cancellara, Thor Hushovd, and George Hincapie. However, the premier statesman refused to work with him and demanded he return to the peleton and allow the breakaway to proceed. After much heated debate, Evans finally gave up and returned to the peleton allowing the other riders to proceed with their escape. Still it was a daring and pro-active effort for Evans for the second consecutive day.
The GC brigade were shaken up early in the stage when Cadel Evans used the opening cat-1 climb to attack. Eventually he formed a breakaway group of 10 with such luminaries as Fabian Cancellara, Thor Hushovd, and George Hincapie. However, the premier statesman refused to work with him and demanded he return to the peleton and allow the breakaway to proceed. After much heated debate, Evans finally gave up and returned to the peleton allowing the other riders to proceed with their escape. Still it was a daring and pro-active effort for Evans for the second consecutive day.
The 10-man group lasted long enough for Hushovd to take the points at two intermediate sprints and take the lead in the green jersey competition from Mark Cavendish. The battle for that jersey between those two now looks like it will be an exciting one all the way to Paris. In the mountains competition, Christophe Kern managed to get himself in a break for the second day in a row and he garnered enough points to take the polka-dot jersey from Stage 7 winner Brice Feillu. He now has a 5 point lead in that competition over Spaniard Egoi Martinez.
Other than that the only major fireworks from the GC boys came from a brief attack by Andy Schleck up the Col d'Agnes. However, the Astana riders were quickly on his tail and all Schleck succeeded in doing was dropping yellow jersey wearer Rivaldo Noncentini. For a while it looked like the golden fleece was headed for the shoulders of Alberto Contador but after the Schleck attack the main group slowed their chase of the four men (the podium finishes plus Vladimir Efimkin) up front and Nocentini was able to get back on. The pack then cruised into the finish, just under 2 minutes behind the escape group.
Stage 9 sees the peleton tackle the two epic climbs of the Col d'Aspin and the Col de Tourmalet but yet again they are too far away from the finish for any major moves from the GC contenders.
Yellow Jersey - Roberto Nocentini
Green Jersey - Thor Hushovd
Polka Dot Jersey - Christophe Kern
White Jersey - Tony Martin
Other than that the only major fireworks from the GC boys came from a brief attack by Andy Schleck up the Col d'Agnes. However, the Astana riders were quickly on his tail and all Schleck succeeded in doing was dropping yellow jersey wearer Rivaldo Noncentini. For a while it looked like the golden fleece was headed for the shoulders of Alberto Contador but after the Schleck attack the main group slowed their chase of the four men (the podium finishes plus Vladimir Efimkin) up front and Nocentini was able to get back on. The pack then cruised into the finish, just under 2 minutes behind the escape group.
Stage 9 sees the peleton tackle the two epic climbs of the Col d'Aspin and the Col de Tourmalet but yet again they are too far away from the finish for any major moves from the GC contenders.
Yellow Jersey - Roberto Nocentini
Green Jersey - Thor Hushovd
Polka Dot Jersey - Christophe Kern
White Jersey - Tony Martin
Photo courtesy of Yahoo Sports.
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