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Bold Froome wins stage eight to move into yellow

Tom Dodd
Cycling

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By Thomas Dodd

  • Brit Chris Froome wins second day in Mountains
  • Team Sky rider and defending champion moves into yellow jersey
  • British one-two at top of overall classification with Adam Yates second

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BAGNERES-DE-LUCHON, FRANCE – Defending champion Chris Froome sprinted away from the field in the final kilometres to win stage eight of the Tour de France and take over possession of the yellow jersey.

The Britain escaped the attention of his main rivals on the run in to the finish in Bagneres de Luchon to move to the head of the race by sixteen seconds from fellow Brit Adam Yates.

Victory also means British riders have won five of the opening eight stages of this year’s race- after Mark Cavendish’s three sprint triumphs and Steven Cummings‘s solo win yesterday.

Froome’s attack just before the top of the Col de Peyresourde caught his rivals by surprise- in particular Nairo Quintana – who only managed to respond to the Sky rider’s move once he knew he had team mate Alejandro Valverde by his side.

But by then the damage had been done.

French sensation Thibaut Pinot, desperate to make an impression after losing times on the first alpine stage yesterday, had led the day’s break along with Rafal Majka and Tony Martin, but the trio was overhauled before the final ascent.

In scorching temperatures in south west France, overnight leader Greg van Avermaet struggled to cope with the ferocious pace set by team Sky and lost his maillot jaune after surrendering over twenty-five minutes.

British riders currently hold three of the jerseys available in the race, with Froome in yellow, Yates in the white jersey for the best young rider and Mark Cavendish in the green sprinters’ jersey.

Tomorrow will take the race out of France for the first time, through Spain and Andorra as the peloton races to the out of category climb to Arcalis.

Stage 8 Result: (Pau to Bagneres de Luchon 184km)

1. Chris Froome (GBR) Sky, 4h57m33seconds
2. Dan Martin (IRE) Etixx-QuickStep +13
3. Joaquin Rodriguez (ESP) Katusha +13
4. Roman Bardet (FRA) AG2R +13
5. Roman Kreuziger (CZE) Tinkoff +13
6. Fabio Aru (ITA) Astana +13
7. Adam Yates (GBR) Orica +13
8. Alejandro Valverde (ESP) Movistar +13
9. Bauke Mollema (HOL) Trek-Segafredo +13
10. Richie Porte (NZ) BMC Racing +13

Brits

19. Geraint Thomas, Sky +1m41
116. Ian Stannard, Sky +34m43
160. Luke Rowe, Sky +39m24
184. Daniel McLay, Sky +39m24
192. Steven Cummings, Dimension Data +39m24
196. Mark Cavendish, Dimension Data +39m24

Overall Standings (After Stage 8):

1.Chris Froome (GBR) Sky 39h13m04seconds
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Orica +16
3. Joaquin Rodriguez (ESP) Katusha +16
4. Dan Martin (IRE) Etixx-QuickStep +17
5. Alejandro Valverde (ESP) Movistar +19
6. Nairo Quintana (COL) Movistar +23
7. Fabio Aru (ITA) Astana +23
8. Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing +23
9. Romain Bardet (FRA) AG2R +23
10. Bauke Mollemea (HOL) Trek-Segafredo +23

Brits

19. Geraint Thomas, Sky +2m31
134. Stephen Cummings, Dimension Data +1h14m18s
154. Mark Cavendish, Dimension Data +1h20m44s
169. Ian Stannard, Sky +1h23m41
172. Luke Rowe, Sky +1h24m18s
174. Daniel McLay, Fortuneo +1h26m16s

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