Stage 8: Station des Rousses - Morzine-Avoriaz. Astana Performs Well as Schleck's Lead Out Train

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News and Highlights

From Top, LtoR: Spain's Alberto Contador (R) ridding ahead of the winner of the stage, Luxembourg's Andy Schleck (C) and Australia's Cadel Evans - the new yellow jersey wearer and overall leader. US Lance Armstrong gazes down at Spain's Ivan Velasco (down on the road) and Spain's Egoi Martinez (R) after they crashed. Luxembourg's Andy Schleck on the finish line. Australia's Cadel Evans putting on the yellow jersey of overall leader.  Photo Credit: Joel Saget-Pascal Pavani-Lionel /AFP/Getty Images ay Yahoo Sports)

Team Astana did a great job leading the lead group of fourteen riders climbing the last climb of the day to the finish line - the 13 km category one (cat 1 in biker jargon) up the Avoriaz. They were of course the lead-out train for their grand prize winner - Spaniard Alberto Contador. Or were they? Andy Schleck of Team Saxo Bank doggedly sat on Contodor's tail all the way up the climb. By the time the lead group were two kilometers from the finish, just one Astana lead-out rider remained in front of Contador, the fatigue of the climb having got the better of the others.

Then came the nail-bitter second kilometer to the finish. As the leaders passed under the two kilometer arch, Roman Kreuziger of Liquigas-Doimo charged out into the lead. Contador, Schleck, and World Champion Cadel Evans on BMC Racing Team followed him in close pursuit. 500 meters on, it was Evans who took the lead followed by Kreuziger, Schleck and Contador. For a brief moment Contador raced wheel to wheel with Evans until Robert Gesink of Rabobank charged out from mid group to take the lead. He was followed by Olympic champion Samuel (Sammy) Sanchez of Euskaltel-Euskadi. Contador hung on to third spot followed by Schleck and Evans. Soon the five were racing on each other's back wheels. Then Sanchez satisfied with his moment of glory rode to the side and allowed the Contador, Schleck and Evans entourage through. All these changes and the second kilometer was still not run.

Moments after the train had passed under the flamme rouge - the red pennant hanging from the inflated archway at the start of the final kilometer - the leaders bunched up. Further into the kilometer, Andy Schleck looked around and then mounted his sprint for the lead. Contador valiantly tried to stay with Schleck while Sanchez in a burst of momentum reappeared onto the scene almost hitting Contador's back wheel before overtaking Contador and even Schleck. But Sanchez only served as Schleck's lead-out man. By the time the two had reached the first of two Skoda signs painted on the road just before the finish line, Schleck had edged past Sanchez to take the win. Sanchez just didn't have the legs to stay in front, and his face gestured his surrender. Ten seconds later, Gesink, Kreuziger, Contador and Evans crossed the finish line in that order.

We couldn't have asked for a more exciting finish. Andy Schleck of Saxo Bank took the stage win, and Evans got to put on the yellow jersey. Lance Armstrong had a bad day. A rare (for him) but bad fall dashed his hopes for being part of the top ten finishers, and barring a miracle, a part of the yellow jersey contenders for the final finish in Paris.

The top ten General Classification (GC) leaders listed below form the new world order of the contenders for the final yellow jersey in Paris - at least until another possible shakedown after stage 9 on Tuesday (Monday is a rest day).

Video Highlights

Stage 8 (July 11) Highlights

Last Kilometer

Stage Map

Image (above and below) credit: www.letour.fr

Stage Profile

Standings

(Source: www.letour.fr)
For an explanation of the classifications and jerseys, please see our page Classifications and Jerseys
Jersey icon key:
General classification (GC) fastest time leader, Sprints points leader, Mountains points leader, Young Rider time leader, Team total least time leader, Most Aggressive Rider

Leaders

		121	EVANS Cadel	BMC RACING TEAM	37h 57' 09"
		95	HUSHOVD Thor	CERVELO TEST TEAM	118 pts
		135	PINEAU Jérôme	QUICK STEP	44 pts
		11	SCHLECK Andy	TEAM SAXO BANK	37h 57' 29"
			RABOBANK		113h 59' 59"

Stage Winners

Standing	Rider	Rider #	Team	Time	Gaps
1.	SCHLECK Andy	11	TEAM SAXO BANK	4h 54' 11"
2.	SANCHEZ Samuel	181	EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI	4h 54' 11"	+ 00' 00"
3.	GESINK Robert	195	RABOBANK	4h 54' 21"	+ 00' 10"
4.	KREUZIGER Roman	44	LIQUIGAS-DOIMO	4h 54' 21"	+ 00' 10"
5.	CONTADOR Alberto	1	ASTANA	4h 54' 21"	+ 00' 10"
6.	EVANS Cadel	121	BMC RACING TEAM	4h 54' 21"	+ 00' 10"
7.	VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen	101	OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO	4h 54' 21"	+ 00' 10"
8.	LEIPHEIMER Levi	25	TEAM RADIOSHACK	4h 54' 21"	+ 00' 10"
9.	BASSO Ivan	41	LIQUIGAS-DOIMO	4h 54' 21"	+ 00' 10"
10.	MENCHOV Denis	191	RABOBANK	4h 54' 21"	+ 00' 10"
11.	SASTRE Carlos	91	CERVELO TEST TEAM	4h 54' 21"	+ 00' 10"
12.	ROGERS Michael	118	TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA	4h 54' 31"	+ 00' 20"
13.	RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin	77	KATUSHA TEAM	4h 54' 50"	+ 00' 39"
14.	HESJEDAL Ryder	54	GARMIN - TRANSITIONS	4h 55' 25"	+ 01' 14"
15.	DE WEERT Kevin	133	QUICK STEP	4h 55' 25"	+ 01' 14"
16.	KLÖDEN Andréas	24	TEAM RADIOSHACK	4h 55' 25"	+ 01' 14"
17.	PLAZA MOLINA Ruben	168	CAISSE D’EPARGNE	4h 55' 48"	+ 01' 37"
18.	LÖVKVIST Thomas	37	SKY PRO CYCLING	4h 55' 56"	+ 01' 45"
19.	WIGGINS Bradley	31	SKY PRO CYCLING	4h 55' 56"	+ 01' 45"
20.	CHARTEAU Anthony	153	BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM	4h 56' 16"	+ 02' 05"

General Classification. Also called GCjaune)

Standing	Rider	Rider #	Team	Time	Gaps
1.	EVANS Cadel	121	BMC RACING TEAM	37h 57' 09"
2.	SCHLECK Andy	11	TEAM SAXO BANK	37h 57' 29"	+ 00' 20"
3.	CONTADOR Alberto	1	ASTANA	37h 58' 10"	+ 01' 01"
4.	VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen	101	OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO	37h 58' 12"	+ 01' 03"
5.	MENCHOV Denis	191	RABOBANK	37h 58' 19"	+ 01' 10"
6.	HESJEDAL Ryder	54	GARMIN - TRANSITIONS	37h 58' 20"	+ 01' 11"
7.	KREUZIGER Roman	44	LIQUIGAS-DOIMO	37h 58' 54"	+ 01' 45"
8.	LEIPHEIMER Levi	25	TEAM RADIOSHACK	37h 59' 23"	+ 02' 14"
9.	SANCHEZ Samuel	181	EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI	37h 59' 24"	+ 02' 15"
10.	ROGERS Michael	118	TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA	37h 59' 40"	+ 02' 31"
11.	GESINK Robert	195	RABOBANK	37h 59' 46"	+ 02' 37"
12.	SASTRE Carlos	91	CERVELO TEST TEAM	37h 59' 49"	+ 02' 40"
13.	BASSO Ivan	41	LIQUIGAS-DOIMO	37h 59' 50"	+ 02' 41"
14.	WIGGINS Bradley	31	SKY PRO CYCLING	37h 59' 54"	+ 02' 45"
15.	VINOKOUROV Alexandre	9	ASTANA	38h 00' 14"	+ 03' 05"
16.	ROCHE Nicolas	81	AG2R LA MONDIALE	38h 00' 20"	+ 03' 11"
17.	RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin	77	KATUSHA TEAM	38h 00' 32"	+ 03' 23"
18.	LÖVKVIST Thomas	37	SKY PRO CYCLING	38h 00' 39"	+ 03' 30"
19.	VALLS FERRI Rafael	219	FOOTON-SERVETTO	38h 01' 36"	+ 04' 27"
20.	SANCHEZ Luis-Leon	161	CAISSE D’EPARGNE	38h 02' 12"	+ 05' 03"

Points Classification (green jersey / maillot vert)

Standing	Rider	Rider #	Team	Points
1.	HUSHOVD Thor	95	CERVELO TEST TEAM	118 pts
2.	PETACCHI Alessandro	208	LAMPRE - FARNESE	114 pts
3.	MC EWEN Robbie	75	KATUSHA TEAM	105 pts
4.	ROJAS Jose Joaquin	169	CAISSE D’EPARGNE	92 pts
5.	CAVENDISH Mark	111	TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA	85 pts
6.	HAGEN Edvald Boasson	36	SKY PRO CYCLING	82 pts
7.	TURGOT Sébastien	158	BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM	79 pts
8.	THOMAS Geraint	39	SKY PRO CYCLING	74 pts
9.	CIOLEK Gerald	142	TEAM MILRAM	71 pts
10.	CHAVANEL Sylvain	131	QUICK STEP	69 pts
11.	EVANS Cadel	121	BMC RACING TEAM	63 pts
12.	OSS Daniel	46	LIQUIGAS-DOIMO	54 pts
13.	FARRAR Tyler	53	GARMIN - TRANSITIONS	53 pts
14.	RENSHAW Mark	117	TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA	48 pts
15.	ROELANDTS Jürgen	108	OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO	47 pts
16.	CONTADOR Alberto	1	ASTANA	47 pts
17.	SCHLECK Andy	11	TEAM SAXO BANK	45 pts
18.	HESJEDAL Ryder	54	GARMIN - TRANSITIONS	45 pts
19.	HUNTER Robert	55	GARMIN - TRANSITIONS	39 pts
20.	ROCHE Nicolas	81	AG2R LA MONDIALE	38 pts

King of the Mountains Classification [white & red (polka) dotted jersey / maillot à pois rouges]

Standing	Rider	Rider #	Team	Points
1.	PINEAU Jérôme	135	QUICK STEP	44 pts
2.	CHAVANEL Sylvain	131	QUICK STEP	36 pts
3.	SCHLECK Andy	11	TEAM SAXO BANK	30 pts
4.	PERGET Mathieu	167	CAISSE D’EPARGNE	28 pts
5.	VALLS FERRI Rafael	219	FOOTON-SERVETTO	27 pts
6.	SANCHEZ Samuel	181	EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI	26 pts
7.	GESINK Robert	195	RABOBANK	22 pts
8.	VOECKLER Thomas	151	BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM	21 pts
9.	PEREZ MORENO Ruben	186	EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI	20 pts
10.	AERTS Mario	102	OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO	19 pts
11.	KREUZIGER Roman	44	LIQUIGAS-DOIMO	18 pts

Young* Riders' Classification (white jersey / maillot blanc)
*Riders no more than 25 years old in the year of the race.

Standing	Rider	Rider #	Team	Time	Gaps
1.	SCHLECK Andy	11	TEAM SAXO BANK	37h 57' 29"
2.	KREUZIGER Roman	44	LIQUIGAS-DOIMO	37h 58' 54"	+ 01' 25"
3.	GESINK Robert	195	RABOBANK	37h 59' 46"	+ 02' 17"
4.	VALLS FERRI Rafael	219	FOOTON-SERVETTO	38h 01' 36"	+ 04' 07"
5.	ROLLAND Pierre	156	BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM	38h 08' 23"	+ 10' 54"
6.	EL FARES Julien	174	COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE	38h 14' 39"	+ 17' 10"
7.	GAUTIER Cyril	155	BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM	38h 21' 26"	+ 23' 57"
8.	FUGLSANG Jakob	14	TEAM SAXO BANK	38h 21' 57"	+ 24' 28"
9.	DURAN AROCA Arkaitz	214	FOOTON-SERVETTO	38h 22' 26"	+ 24' 57"
10.	CAPECCHI Eros	211	FOOTON-SERVETTO	38h 26' 38"	+ 29' 09"

Team Classification