Tour de France 2014: Kadri soloes to victory, Nibali still in lead

Saturday July 12th, 2014 - In 161 kilometres cover the distance between Tomblaine and Gérardmer. In the last 25 kilometres the ride explodes with a finale in three climbs including a steep top finish. Blel Kedri is the sole survivor of the break and takes the stage, whilst Contador, Nibali and Porte are the best of the GC men. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 8th stage Tour de France 2014

1. Blel Kadri (fra)
2. Alberto Contador (spa) + 2.17
3. Vincenzo Nibali (ita) + 2.20
4. Richie Porte (aus) +2.24
5. Thibaut Pinot (fra) + 2.28
6. Jean-Christophe Peraud (fra) s.t.
7. Alejandro Valverde (spa) + 2.36
8. Tejay van Garderen (USA) + 2.40
9. Romain Bardet (fra) + 2.48
10. Sylvain Chavanel (fra) + 2.54

11. Bauke Mollema (Nld) + 2.55
12. Rui Costa (por) + 3.01
14. Niki Terpstra (Nld) s.t.
18. Jurgen Van den Broeck (bel) + 3.37
19. Pierre Rolland (fra) s.t
24. Laurens ten Dam (Nld) + 3.51
25. Frank Schleck (lux) s.t.
26. Michal Kwiatkowski (pol) + 3.56
35. Andrew Talansky (USA) + 4.37

GC after stage 8th stage
1. Vincenzo Nibali (ita)
2. Jakob Fuglsang (den) + 1.44
3. Richie Porte (aus) + 1.58
4. Michal Kwiatkowski (pol) + 2.26
5. Alejandro Valverde (spa) + 2.27
6. Alberto Contador (spa) + 2.34
7. Romain Bardet (fra) + 2.39
8. Rui Costa (por) + 2.52
9. Bauke Mollema (Nld) + 3.02
10. Jurgen Van den Broeck (bel) s.t.

Race report
Skirmishes as per usual after the start and when the dust settles Sylvain Chavanel and Niki Terpstra (image) are gone. Blel Kadri, Adrien Petit and Simon Yates bridhe the gap and the five of them start speeding like madmen. In the first hour they cover 51 kilometres.

The maximum gain grows to over 11 minutes, but approaching the closing climb the gap shrinks rapidly.

At the Col de la Croix des Moinats Bled kadri takes off, at first with Sylvain Chavanel. Kadri is the first to crest, Chavanel at and the bunch at 4’41″. Michal Kwiatkowski has been dropped.

The Col de Grosse Pierre is Kadri’s playground. He gets rid of his former companions once and for all and a the top the bunch is almost 4 minutes behind. Victory is near.

The 27-year old French rider opens the 1.8 kilometre closing climb with a 3’29″ gain to the bunch. Jurgen Van den Broeck is dropped as on of the first GC men, whilst Andrew Talansky missed a corner in the last kilometres and is even more behind due to resulting mechanical problems. In the final kilometre Contador attacks. Nibali and the other GC men are in trouble. Riche Porte manages to get a hold on the two mediteranen stalleons en seems to be in good form.

Blel Kadri is cheering in victory, whilst Contador takes a few seconds from Nibali and Porte. The battle is on with other overall contenders losing considerably more time.