Tour de France - report stage 8

Mark Cavendish (Team Columbia) claims his second stage win as he splashes into Toulouse.

More like surfing for Mark - Pic fotoreporter sirotti

As heavy rain fell, Bouygues Telecom duo Laurent Lefevre and Jérôme Pineau, Christophe Riblon (AG2R) and Amets Txurruka (Euskatel) had built a lead of over five minutes. This created a danger to Kim Kirchen's (Team Columbia) hold on the race lead, as Pineau was leader on the road having started the day at four minutes plus behind.

As the pack led by Team Columbia slowly but purposely began to bring the break back, Riccardo Ricco (Saunier Duval/Scott) crashed and he took some time to get back to the race, during which he received attention from the tour doctor.

Team Columbia were given respite when Liquigas and Credit Agricole helped by working on the front and as the race drew almost upon the break, Txurruka and Lefevre went away and the two refused to give up even when the race swamped them in the finale.

Coming toward the finish Agritubel's Jimmy Caspar led out the sprint, and out of the mist of rain spray, Cavendish sprung to the front to win. A fourth for Oscar Freire (Rabobank) now puts him in the lead of the Green Jersey competition.

“Just like a few days ago, I came from a long way back again at the finish, but I had the strength to take it all the way to the line which is what mattered.” Cavendish said afterwards.

“I was three places behind Gerald at one point but then I was able to get past the three of me before Gerald made his final acceleration which got me ahead. And then I gave it 100 percent.” “The finish was perfect for us, taking first and second. It was all really beautiful.”

1 Mark Cavendish 43 Team Columbia 4h 02' 54"
2 Gerald Ciolek 44 Team Columbia @ 00' 00"
3 Jimmy Casper 123 Agritubel @ 00' 00"
4 Oscar Freire 133 Rabobank @ 00' 00"
5 Robert Förster 112 Gerolsteiner @ 00' 00"
6 Erik Zabel 151 Team Milram @ 00' 00"
7 Gert Steegmans 97 Quick Step @ 00' 00"
8 Sébastien Chavanel 162 Francaise Des Jeux @ 00' 00"
9 Thor Hushovd 81 Credit Agricole @ 00' 00"
10 Robert Hunter 58 Barloworld @ 00' 00"
11 Romain Feillu 124 Agritubel @ 00' 00"
12 Mark Renshaw 89 Credit Agricole @ 00' 00"
13 Ruben Perez 26 Euskaltel - Euskadi @ 00' 00"
14 Inaki Isasi 23 Euskaltel - Euskadi @ 00' 00"
15 Francesco Chicchi 63 Liquigas @ 00' 00"
16 Heinrich Haussler 114 Gerolsteiner @ 00' 00"
17 Robbie McEwen 6 Silence - Lotto @ 00' 00"
18 Leonardo Duque 186 Cofidis Credit Par Telephone @ 00' 00"
19 Julian Dean 193 Garmin Chipotle @ 00' 00"
20 Oscar Pereiro 37 Caisse D’Epargne @ 00' 00"
21 Sebastian Langeveld 134 Rabobank @ 00' 00"
23 Stefan Schumacher 111 Gerolsteiner @ 00' 00"
30 Denis Menchov 131 Rabobank @ 00' 00"
33 Stijn Devolder 91 Quick Step @ 00' 00"
40 Cadel Evans 1 Silence - Lotto @ 00' 00"
41 Kim Kirchen 41 Team Columbia @ 00' 00"
60 Alejandro Valverde 31 Caisse D’Epargne @ 00' 00"

General Classification (Yellow jersey)
1 Kim Kirchen 41 Team Columbia 32h 26' 34"
2 Cadel Evans 1 Silence - Lotto 32h 26' 40" @ 00' 06"
3 Stefan Schumacher 111 Gerolsteiner 32h 26' 50" @ 00' 16"
4 Christian Vandevelde 191 Garmin Chipotle 32h 27' 18" @ 00' 44"
5 Denis Menchov 131 Rabobank 32h 27' 37" @ 01' 03"
6 Alejandro Valverde 31 Caisse d’Epargne 32h 27' 46" @ 01' 12"
7 David Millar 198 Garmin Chipotle 32h 27' 48" @ 01' 14"
8 Stijn Devolder 91 Quick Step 32h 27' 55" @ 01' 21"
9 Oscar Pereiro 37 Caisse d’Epargne 32h 27' 55" @ 01' 21"
10 Thomas Lövkvist 48 Team Columbia 32h 27' 55" @ 01' 21"
11 Samuel Sanchez 27 Euskaltel - Euskadi 32h 28' 01" @ 01' 27"
12 Carlos Sastre 11 Team CSC Saxo Bank 32h 28' 08" @ 01' 34"
13 Frank Schleck 17 Team CSC Saxo Bank 32h 28' 30" @ 01' 56"
14 Andy Schleck 16 Team CSC Saxo Bank 32h 28' 32" @ 01' 58"
15 Bernhard Kohl 115 Gerolsteiner 32h 28' 37" @ 02' 03"
16 Maxime Monfort 189 Cofidis Credit Par Telephone 32h 28' 41" @ 02' 07"
17 Damiano Cunego 71 Lampre 32h 28' 43" @ 02' 09"
18 Mikel Astarloza 22 Euskaltel - Euskadi 32h 28' 50" @ 02' 16"
19 Tadej Valjavec 109 Ag2r-La Mondiale 32h 28' 53" @ 02' 19"
20 Roman Kreuziger 65 Liquigas 32h 28' 54" @ 02' 20"
21 Christian Knees 153 Team Milram 32h 29' 05" @ 02' 31"
27 Riccardo Ricco 171 Saunier Duval - Scott 32h 30' 26" @ 03' 52"
28 Haimar Zubeldia 21 Euskaltel - Euskadi 32h 30' 34" @ 04' 00"
35 Cyril Dessel 101 Ag2r-La Mondiale 32h 32' 34" @ 06' 00"
42 Erik Zabel 151 Team Milram 32h 34' 52" @ 08' 18"
65 Oscar Freire 133 Rabobank 32h 44' 23" @ 17' 49"
109 Robbie Mcewen 6 Silence - Lotto 33h 00' 35" @ 34' 01"
143 Mark Cavendish 43 Team Columbia 33h 11' 49" @ 45' 15"
170 Wim Vansevenant 9 Silence - Lotto 33h 25' 28" @ 58' 54" and last

Sprint (Green jersey)
1 Oscar Freire 133 Rabobank 119 Pts
2 Kim Kirchen 41 Team Columbia 119 Pts
3 Thor Hushovd 81 Credit Agricole 105 Pts
4 Erik Zabel 151 Team Milram 92 Pts
5 Alejandro Valverde 31 Caisse d’Epargne 87 Pts
6 Mark Cavendish 43 Team Columbia 86 Pts
7 Robert Hunter 58 Barloworld 82 Pts
8 Romain Feillu 124 Agritubel 64 Pts
9 Cadel Evans 1 Silence - Lotto 62 Pts
10 Robbie Mcewen 6 Silence - Lotto 60 Pts

Mountains (Polka Dot jersey)
1 David De La Fuente 174 Saunier Duval - Scott 34 Pts
2 Sylvain Chavanel 181 Cofidis Credit Par Telephone 27 Pts
3 Thomas Voeckler 149 Bouygues Telecom 27 Pts
4 Luis-Leon Sanchez 39 Caisse D’epargne 24 Pts
5 Riccardo Ricco 171 Saunier Duval - Scott 20 Pts
6 Alejandro Valverde 31 Caisse D’epargne 18 Pts
7 Josep Jufre 177 Saunier Duval - Scott 18 Pts
8 Cadel Evans 1 Silence - Lotto 16 Pts
9 Frank Schleck 17 Team CSC Saxo Bank 14 Pts
10 Vincenzo Nibali 67 Liquigas 14 Pts