Stage 8 : ANDORRE-LA-VIEILLE > SAINT-GIRONS • 176.5 km
Spain's Luis Leon Sanchez won stage eight of the Tour de France from Andorre-La-Veille to Saint-Girons in the Pyrenees.
The Caisse d'Epargne rider was part of a breakaway group of four and beat Frenchman Sandy Casar, compatriot Mikel Astarloza and Vladimir Efimkin of Russia after the four broke clear on the first of three climbs in the 176.5km stage.
Rinaldo Nocentini retained the yellow jersey and the other main contenders, including Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong, all finished in the peloton.
But Mark Cavendish lost the green jersey with Thor Hushovd taking over.
Meanwhile, 2006 champion Oscar Pereiro pulled out of the race, citing severe fatigue.
"Since the start of the Tour he didn't have good sensations," said a Caisse d'Epargne spokesman.
"There was no point in continuing, because it wasn't doing any good."
STAGE 8 RESULTS
1 Luis León Sánchez Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 4:31:50
2 Sandy Casar (Fra) Française des Jeux
3 Mikel Astarloza Chaurreau (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
4 Vladimir Efimkin (Rus) AG2R La Mondiale 0:00:03
5 Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 0:01:54
6 Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
7 Peter Velits (Svk) Team Milram
8 Sébastien Minard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne
9 Jérémy Roy (Fra) Française des Jeux
10 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) BBOX Bouygues Telecom
General classification after Stage 8
1 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 30:18:16
2 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana 0:00:06
3 Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana 0:00:08
4 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana 0:00:39
5 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Garmin - Slipstream 0:00:46
6 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Astana 0:00:54
7 Tony Martin (Ger) Team Columbia - HTC 0:01:00
8 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin - Slipstream 0:01:24
9 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 0:01:49
10 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas 0:01:54
src: bbc, eurosport & bikeradar
Tomorrow is Stage 9: Saint-Gaudens - Tarbes 160km and another day in the big mountains going over the 2115m Tourmalet Pass |