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STAGE 8: CAVENDISH DOES THE DOUBLE DIP IN TOULOUSE, TOMMORROW THE MOUNTAINS!
Tim Maloney-European Editor
July 12, 2008
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Saturday 12 July
Stage 8: Figeac–Toulouse—172.5 km
Despite the rain and wind which once again buffeted the Tour De France today, or the bad vibes and tension that struck the peloton at the start of Stage 8 in Figeac, the youth and exuberance of sprinter Mark Cavendish came through in counted at the finish in Tolouse. Cavendish took his second stage victory of the 95th edition of the Tour at the end of a transitional stage from the Massif Central to the Pyrenees.
The beaming 23 year old Cavendish told the media post-stage “It can’t get any better than this. We said that, before we came to the Tour, that (Team Columbia) would be a dominant force and after a week we’ve shown that we are. We won, got the yellow jersey and now we’ve won again so it’s obvious that we’re at the peak of our game.”
Cavendish continued, saying “I completed the Giro d’Italia a couple of months ago so I know what it’s like to get over mountains. I’m not aiming to get any results in the next few days; I’m just going to try and survive. I don’t know how many more sprint stages there’ll be but hopefully I’ll be up there again if there are some.”
Briton Cavendish from the Isle of Man spoke of his tactics in the finale, where his blazing finishing speed in the final 100 meters is currently irresistible, and his Columbia teammate and leadout man Gerard Ciolek was 2nd today. “I was a little far back in the finale today and I lost Gerald’s wheel and I started from 10 riders back but didn’t panic because I know I can make up that ground because I’ve got the speed to but it wasn’t the ideal situation. Ciolek started to lead it out before I was there with him but it worked out perfectly. I got the run off from catching him and then I was able to accelerate a lot faster. It was brilliant and I’m really happy he could get second.”
Maillot Jaune Kim Kirchen, Team Columbia teammate of now double stage winner Cavendish echoed the Manxman’s swagger, saying “When you work hard, you get paid for it. That’s how it’s been for Columbia in the first week of this Tour. I know the course (in the Pyrenees) for the next three days very well and so it’s maybe an advantage to have done a reconnaissance but you also have to have good legs to be able to perform well.”
Kirchen analyzed Stage 8, saying “Today the team was working well to keep the escape within a reasonable margin and then set up the sprint. When we got to within three kilometers of the finish, I knew I was safe; if I crashed I wouldn’t have lost time, so I sat up a bit and made sure I stayed out of trouble. The priority was to be up front until the 3km to go sign. It was really dangerous in the wet today and that’s why I tried to stay as close to the front as I could.
The climbing legs of Kirchen have yet to be tested, but he is positive about his chances to keep the Maillot Jaune. “Every day in yellow is pretty hard. I’m beginning to learn that. We tried to control it from the start and there were many attacks and the team was able to manage it. You could see in the final that we’re still relatively fresh and we could even get our sprinters up there to have a very nice finish.” Tommorrow
Kirchen will face his first serious challenge at the 2008 Tour, with two difficult climbs, the steep Col de Peyresourdre and the Col d’Aspin in the final 70km, but the 25km descent to the finish in Bagnères-de-Bigorre may help him get back on if he’s distanced on the final ascent.
How In Happened
Under cool and rainy conditions in Figeac, situated in the Lot River valley, 170 riders took the official start at 1.11pm after a 4km rollout. Non-starter was Manuel Beltran (LIQ), suspended from his team for suspected use of EPO that was detected by French anti-doping authorities. As is usually at Le Tour, there was action from the get-go as once again, Garmin man Will Frischkorn was on the attack with Cheula (BAR) Rosseler (QST), Riblon (ALM), Terpstra (MRM), Vaugrenard (FDJ) and Auge (COF), but Columbia covered the move. Maillot Pois wearer de la Fuente took the points on the days first climb, th Cat. 4 cote de Loupiac
after 9km.
The first hour was run at the very high pace of 45.6km/hr considering the hilly terrain on the Aveyron region and after 34km, just before the second KOM, Lefevere (BTL) got a gap from a group of 10 attackers that were off the front and kept on going solo. He led over the Cat.3 cote de Macarou after 36.5km and three riders had counterattacked behind him; Txurruka (EUS), Riblon (ALM) and his teammate Pineau (BTL).
Atop the third KOM, the Cat. 3 cote de la Guionie after 52.5km, Lefevre had 1’30” on the chasers and 2’30” on the Columbia-led peloton, now in tempo mode. Up front, Pineau was the best-placed of the break riders on gc in 30th, 4’32” behind Maillot Jaune Kirchen. Oblivious to the chasers behind, Lefevere continued on alone over the final KOM of the day, the Cat. 3 cote du Port de la Besse after 70.5km, but eventually slowed to wait for the other three riders and they caught him after the 84km, just before the second intermediate sprint in Carmeaux.
Track rider Riblon took the sprint in Carmaux where the peloton was cruising 4’25” behind the breakaway, while the average speed for the second hour of Stage 8 was 40.8km/h. By Gaillac after 115km, the break reached it’s maximum lead of 5’15”, which rang the alarm bells with sprinters teams like Credit Agricole, Rabobank and Liquigas who began the chase.
On the narrow, wet streets of Gaillac with 55km to go, there was a crash that included Voigt, Ciolek and Ricco’. The slim Italian climber got the worst of the crash and lost 1’, but three Saunier Duval-Scott teammates dropped back to bring Ricco’ back to the peloton. Credit Agricole and the other sprinters teams cut into the breaks lead and at the team quickly diminished the advantage of Pineau’s group and at the final intermediate sprint in Rabastens after 134.5km, the front quartet had a 50” lead.
Back in the peloton, Auge (COF) and Bichot (XXX) counter-attacked the peloton, followed by Terpstra (MRM) to try to bridge to the break, but Liquigas put seven riders on the front they reeled in the counterattackers. Meanwhile, Pineau’s escape was still 50” ahead and proving hard to run down. With 20km to Toulouse, the had 45”, but with 13km to go on the Castelmaurou hill, Pineau attacked and only Txurruka could stay with him.
With 10km to go, the front duo had 40” on the peloton but as the sprinters teams began to increase the pace, they were doomed. Once in Tolouse with 3.5km from the finish, Quickstep and Columbia sucked up the break and once again it was all Cavendish in the mass sprint on Boulevard Lascrosses.
Tour de France / Stage 8 results
1. Mark Cavendish (IDM/COL) / 4h02'54"
(42,610 km/hr avg. speed)
2. Gérald Ciolek (GER/COL)
3. Jimmy Casper (FRA/AGR)
4. Oscar Freire (ESP/RAB)
5. Robert Forster (GER/GST)
6. Erik Zabel (GER/MRM)
7. Gert Steegmans (BEL/QST)
8. Sebastien Chavanel (FRA/FDJ)
9. Thor Hushovd (NOR/C.A)
10. Robert Hunter (RSA/BAR) @ all same time
Tour de France / Overall standings after Stage 8
1. Kim Kirchen (LUX/COL) / 32h26'34"
2. Cadel Evans (AUS/SIL) @ :06"
3. Stefan Schumacher (GER/GST) @ :16"
4. Christian Vande Velde (USA/GAR) @ :44"
5. Denis Menchov (RUS/RAB) @ 1'03"
6. Alejandro Valverde (ESP/GCE) @ 1'12"
7. David Millar (GBR/GAR) @ 1'14"
8. Stijn Devolder (BEL/QST) @ 1'21"
9. Oscar Pereiro (ESP/GCE) @ 1'21"
10. Thomas Lovkvist (SWE/COL) @ 1'21"
For Full Tour De France Results, Click HERE
Sunday 13 July
Stage 9: Toulouse–Bagnères-de-Bigorre—224km
The first mountain stage at the Tour de France is usually crucial to see who has the legs to win and who doesn’t. With three Pyrenees mountain passes, Col des Ares (6km at 4.9 percent), the steep Col de Peyresourdre (13.2km at 7.1 percent) and the Col d’Aspin (12.1km at 6.6 percent), finishing with a tough, technical 24km final descent to Bagnères-de-Bigorre, Stag 9 will set the stage for the rest of the Tour de France. Maillot Jaune Kirchen will come under pressure from Cadel Evans, along with contenders like Denis Menchov, the Schelck Brothers, Carlos Sastre and Damino Cunego.
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