Back to 2013 Tour de France | Stage 8 photos (posted below results and maps) |

Saturday, July 6: Stage 8, Castres - Ax 3 Domaines, 194 km

Rated Ascents:

• Km 26.5: Côte de Saint Ferréol, 2.2 km @ 5.4% gradient, Category 4
• Km 166.0: Col de Pailhères (2,001m), 15.3 km @ 8%, Hors Category
• Km 193.5 Ax 3 Domaines, 7.8 km @ 8.2%, Category 1

Weather: At Ax-les-Thermes near the finish at 1PM local time it was 30C (86F), partly cloudy, changing later to sunny. Wind from the west-northwest at 14 kph (9 mph) shifting later to 10 kph (6 mph) from the west-southwest. Humidity is 35%.

The Race: All 188 of yesterday's finishers started today.

The day's break (Jean-Marc Marino, Johnny Hoogerland, Christophe Riblon and Rudy Molard) bounded away during the opening kilometers and after an hour of racing the quartet had a nine-minute lead. Knowing Daryl Impey would be unable to hold the lead with two major climbs at the stage's end, Orica-GreenEdge led a somewhat disinterested chase.

With 55 km to go as the race sped through the Aude river valley, the gap was down to 3min 25sec. Sky (with some help from Belkin) massed at the front in anticipation of the hors category Col de Pailhères, the 2013 Tour's highest pass (called the Souvenir Henri Desgrange).

As the peloton closed in on the climb, it almost looked as if leadout trains were lining up to launch their riders up the mountain because all the contenders wanted to be well positioned. With the start of the climb riders were spit out the back almost immediately, including KOM Blel Kadri and Green Jersey Peter Sagan.

With Sky and Garmin setting a warm tempo, Christophe Riblon, who had left his fellow breakaways, was finding a good rhythm and with 41 km to go, he still had a 69-second lead.

Ryder Hesjedal and Damiano Cunego were shelled early on. Thomas Voeckler had been caught out the day before and being a quarter of an hour down in the GC, he was allowed to scamper away in search of glory. Then the first serious GC man went. Nairo Alexander Quintana of Movistar quickly caught and dropped Voeckler who was swept up and then dropped by the pack.

With 35 km to go Yellow Jersey Daryl Impey was popped. With five kilometers left to the climb, Quintana caught Riblon, the pair now had a 43-second lead on the Sky-led group of contenders. Quintana had pointed to his rear wheel, inviting Riblon to ride with him, but Riblon's ascending skills were no match for those of pure climber Quintana.

Pierre Rolland rolled the dice and went after Quintana while Sky lifted the pace to try to keep the attacks under control.

Over the top of the Pailhères it was Quintana taking the 5,000 euro Souvenir Henri Desgrange prize. He was followed a half-minute later by Rolland. The Sky-led group went over a minute behind Quintana.

After a fast descent and the start of the final ascent to Ax-3 Domaines Rolland caught Quintana. The pair had 23 seconds as the Sky-led pack of about 30 riders roared up the mountain. Almost immediately Quintana dropped Rolland, who was soon caught by the contenders group.

Richie Porte with Chris Froome on his wheel took over leading the pack. Cadel Evans and Andy Schleck were quickly dropped. Still Alejandro Valverde, and Alberto Contador were hanging on.

With five km to go is was Porte, Froome, Valverde, Contador and Roman Kreuziger.

Bam! Froome attacked and attacked hard. He dropped all the others and swept by Quintana. Then Porte went, putting the two Sky riders up the road. Contador looked dreadful, laboring on his bike, rolling his shoulders. Froome crossed the line to take the stage and the lead. With the first hilltop finish Froome had destroyed the competition.

Results: 187 classified finishers

1. Chris Froome (Sky) 5hr 3min 18sec. 38.6 km/hr
2. Richie Porte (Sky) @ 51sec
3. Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) @ 1min 8sec
4. Bauke Mollema (Belkin) @ 1min 10sec
5. Laurens Ten Dam (Belkin) @ 1min 16sec
6. Mikel Nieve (Euskaltel) @ 1min 34sec
7. Roman Kreuziger (Saxo-Tinkoff) @ 1min 45sec
8. Alberto Contador (Saxo-Tinkoff) s.t.
9. Nairo Alexander Quintana (Movistar) s.t.
10. Igor Anton (Eukaltel) s.t.
11. Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) @ 2min 6sec
12. Rui Alberto Costa (Movistar) @ 2min 28sec
13. Jean-Christophe Péraud (Ag2r) s.t.
14. Romain Bardet (Ag2r) @ 2min 34sec
15. Daniel Martin (Garmin-Sharp) s.t.
16. Andrew Talansky (Garmin-Sharp) s.t.
17. Jakob Fuglsang (Astana) s.t.
18. Michael Rogers (Saxo-Tinkoff) s.t.
19. Haimar Zubeldia (Radio Shack) @ 3min 4sec
20. Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-quick Step) @ 3min 27sec
21. Andy Schleck (Radio Shack) @ 3min 34sec
22. Pierre Rolland (Europcar) @ 3min 47sec
23. Nicolas Roche (Saxo-Tinkoff) @ 4min 4sec
24. John Gadret (Ag2r) @ 4min 8sec
25. Daniel Moreno (Katusha) @ 4min 11sec
26. Cadel Evans (BMC) @ 4min 13sec
27. José Serpa (Lampre-Merida) @ 4min 54sec
28. Andreas Klöden (Radio Shack) @ 5min 0sec
29. Jesus Hernandez (Saxo-Tinkoff) s.t.
30. Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) @ 6min 0sec
31. Peter Velits (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) @ 6min 30sec
32. Davide Malacarne (Europcar) s.t.
33. Hubert Dupont (Ag2r) s.t.
34. Maxime Monfort (Radio Shack) @ 7min 29sec
35. Daryl Impey (Orica-GreenEdge) @ 7min 50sec
36. Sylvain Chavanel (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) s.t.
37. Robert Gesink (Belkin) s.t.
38. Jan Bakelants (Radio Shack) s.t.
39. Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Sharp) @ 8min 15sec
40. Eduard Vorganov (Katusha) s.t.
41. Andrey Amador (Movistar) @ 8min 32sec
42. Maxime Mederel (Sojasun) s.t.
43. Arnold Jeannesson (FDJ) s.t.
44. Mikel Astarloza (Euskaltel) s.t.
45. Przemyslaw Niemiec (Lampre-Merida) @ 8min 57sec
46. Daniel Navarro (Cofidis) @ 9min 13sec
47. Ruben Plaza (Movistar) s.t.
48. Wouter Poels (Vacansoleil) @ 9min 15sec
49. Rein Taaramae (Cofidis) @ 9min 20sec
50. Alexandre Geniez (FDJ) @ 9min 31sec

General Classification: 1345 km raced so far.

1. Chris Froome (Sky) 32hr 15min 55sec
2. Richie Porte (Sky) @ 51sec
3. Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) @ 1min 25sec
4. Bauke Mollema (Belkin) @ 1min 44sec
5. Laurens Ten Dam (Belkin) @ 1min 50sec
6. Roman Kreuziger (Saxo-Tinkoff) @ 1min 51sec
7. Alberto Contador (Saxo-Tinkoff) s.t.
8. Nairo Alexander Quintana (Movistar) @ 2min 2sec
9. Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) @ 2min 31sec
10. Michael Rogers (Saxo-Tinkoff) @ 2min 40sec
11. Rui Alberto Costa (Movistar) @ 2min 45sec
12. Andrew Talansky (Garmin-Sharp) @ 2min 48sec
13. Daniel Martin (Garmin-Sharp) s/t/
14. Mikel Nieve (Euskaltel) @ 2min 55sec
15. Igor Anton (Euskaltel) @ 3min 6sec
16. Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) @ 3min 25sec
17. Jakob Fuglsang (Astana) @ 3min 27sec
18. Jean-Christophe Péraud (Ag2r) @ 3min 29sec
19. Haimar Zubeldia (Radio Shack) @ 3min 30sec
20. Romain Bardet (Ag2r) @ 3min 35sec
21. Andy Schleck (Radio Shack) @ 4min 0sec
22. Nicolas Roche (Saxo-Tinkoff) @ 4min 10sec
23. Cadel Evans (BMC) @ 4min 36sec
24. Daniel Moreno (Katusha) s.t.
25. Pierre Rolland (Europcar) @ 4min 57sec
26. John Gadret (Ag2r) @ 5min 9sec
27. Andreas Klöden (Radio Shack) @ 5min 26sec
28. José Serpa (Lampre-Merida) @ 6min 20sec
29. Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) @ 6min 39sec
30. Davide Malacarne (Europcar) @ 7min 40sec
31. Daryl Impey (Orica-GreenEdge) @ 7min 42sec
32. Sylvain Chavanel (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) @ 7min 48sec
33. Maxime Monfort (Radio Shack) @ 7min 55sec
34. Jan Bakelants (Radio Shack) @ 8min 15sec
35. Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Sharp) @ 8min 29sec
36. Eduard Vorganov (Katusha) @ 8min 40sec
37. Andrey Amador (Movistar) @ 8min 49sec
38. Arnold Jeannesson (FDJ) @ 9min 11sec
39. Przemyslaw Niemiec (Lampre-Merida) @ 9min 19sec
40. Maxime Mederel (Sojasun) @ 9min 39sec
41. Wouter Poels (Vacansoleil) @ 9min 45sec
42. Mikel Astarloza (Euskaltel) @ 9min 53sec
43. Daniel Navarro (Cofidis) @ 10min 30sec
44. Tejay Van Garderen (BMC) @ 12min 38sec
45. Amaël Moinard (BMC) @ 15min 0sec
46. Damiano Cunego (Lampre-Merida) @ 15min43saec
47. Alexis Vuillermoz (Sojasun) @ 15min 48sec
48. Steve Morabito (BMC) @ 16min 41sec
49. Robert Gesink (Belkin) @ 16min 50sec
50. Ruben Plaza (Movistar) @ 17min 35sec

Climber:

1. Christopher Froome (Sky): 31 points
2. Pierre Rolland (Europcar): 31
3. Richie Porte (Sky): 28
4. Nairo Alexander Quintana (Movistar): 25
5. Mikel Nieve (Euskaltel): 21

Points:

1. Peter Sagan (Cannondale): 234 points
2. André Greipel (Lotto-Belilsol): 141
3. Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-Quick Step): 128
4. Alexander Kristoff (Katusha): 111
5. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky): 88

Young Rider:

1. Nairo Alexander Quintana (Movistar) 32hr 17min 57sec
2. Andrew Talansky (Garmin-Sharp) @ 46sec
3. Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) @ 1min 23sec
4. Romain Bardet (Ag2r) @ 1min 33sec
5. Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) @ 4min 37sec

Team Classification:

1. Movistar: 96hr 1min 20sec
2. Saxo-Tinkoff 2 37sec
3. Ag2r @ 4min 33sec
4. Radio Shack @ 6min 30sec

Stage 8 map

Stage 6 profile

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Photos from Stage 8:

Chris Froome drove his bike hard all the way to the line.

Once Froome was well and truly gone, Richie Porte jumped away.

Alejandro Valverde has been riding very quietly until today when he came in third.

Bauke Mollema and Laurens Ten Dam

Mikel Nieve

Nairo Alexander Quintana took off on the Col de Pailhères, but was caught on the climb to Ax-3 Domaines.

Igor Anton (Euskaltel), Roman Kreuziger and Alberto Contador

Alberto Contador looked dreadful on the final climb.

Joaquin Rodriguez

Rui Alberto Costa

Andy Schleck is still a long way from capturing his old form.

This was Michal Kwiatkowski's last day in the White Jersey.

Pierre Rolland rode bravely and intellegently, but was rolled up like everyone else by the Sky behemoth.

Nicolas Roche

Cadel Evans was shelled early on the final climb

Andreas Klöden

Thibaut Pinot

Daryl Impey during his last moments in yellow.

Ryder Hesjedal's terrible day, despite his crashes, was a surprise.

Robert Gesink tried to escape, but didn't have nearly enough suds to pull it off.

Steve Morabito and Tejay Van Garderen.

Mr. Never-Say-Die Jan Bakelants

Thomas Voeckler was on the wrong side of yesterday's split. He tried to get away today but had nowhere near enough power to stay away for more than a few minutes.

Damiano Cunego was another good rider who couldn't take the shock of today's high speeds in the mountains.

Surprising no one, Christopher Froome is the new leader.

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