Tour de Suisse 2021: Mäder outsprints Woods, Carapaz seals GC triumph

foto: Cor VosMichael Woods attacks just before the summit of the Gotthard Pass, whileGino Mäder rejoins him in the descent. The young Swiss outguns the Canadian on the line, while Richard Carapaz takes the GC. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 8th stage Tour de Suisse 2021

1. Gino Mäder (swi)
2. Michael Woods (can) s.t.
3. Mattia Cattaneo (ita) + 0.09
4. Eddie Dunbar (irl) s.t.
5. Richard Carapaz (ecu) s.t.
6. Rui Costa (por) s.t.
7. Rigoberto Uran (col) s.t.
8. Domenico Pozzovivo (ita) s.t.
9. Jakob Fuglsang (den) s.t.
10. Maximilian Schachmann (ger) + 0.21

12. Sam Oomen (nld) + 0.46
13. Esteban Chaves (col) + 1.13

GC after stage 8
1. Richard Carapaz (ecu)
2. Rigoberto Uran (col) + 0.17
3. Jakob Fuglsang (den) + 1.15
4. Maximilian Schachmann (ger) + 1.19
5. Michael Woods (can) + 2.55
6. Domenico Pozzovivo (ita) + 3.16
7. Rui Costa (por) + 3.43
8. Sam Oomen (nld) + 4.16
9. Mattia Cattaneo (ita) + 4.39
10. Esteban Chaves (col) + 5.33

Race report
The riders enter the climb up the Oberalp Pas shortly after the start. Diego Alba is the first attacker of the day before Wout Poels counter attacks. The Dutchman reaches the summit 30 seconds ahead of the GC group.

On descent a group with Søren Kragh Andersen, Dries Devenyns, Omar Fraile, Fabien Doubey and Marc Soler rejoin Poels, while Andreas Leknessund, Stefan Küng and Tiesj Benoot make it across just before the Lukmanier Pass. Samuel Samitier, David de la Cruz, Mauri Vansevenant, Antonio Nibali, Nans Peters and Hermann Pernsteiner restores contact just before the summit.

The attackers open up a maximum gap of 3 minutes and on the approach to the Gotthard climb Benoot, Leknessund, Devenyns and Peters leave the others behind. Pernsteiner regains contact just before the last climb of the Tour de Suisse.

The peloton is closing in on the Gotthard. Pernsteiner is the last man to be reeled in when Powless attacks. The American leads out an attack by Uran, which is swiftly followd by Carapaz and Woods.

Woods is next and Cattaneo closes the gap. The Canadian accelerates again and drops the Italian before the top.

Woods is the first rider over the summit, while Carapaz, Uran, Fuglsang, Mäder, Cattaneo, Costa, Dunbar and Pozzovivo are chasing close behind.

Mäder bridges across to the lone attacker on the descent before outsprinting him on the home straight.

Carapaz et al cross the line 9 seconds later. So the Ecuadorian keeps Uran behind him and wins the GC. Fuglsang moves up to third place, as Schachmann finishes 12 seconds down on him, which is 4 seonds too much to hold to his podium spot.

Another interesting read: route 8th stage 2021 Tour de Suisse.