2012 Tour de France, Prologue to Stage 10#Stage 8

(40.0 km / h)

Fredrik Kessiakoff (AST )

The 8th stage of the Tour de France 2012 took place on 8 July 2012. She was 157.5 km long, leading from Belfort to Porrentruy in Switzerland. In the Jura seven climbs had to be overcome, with one each of the 4th and 3rd category, four of the second category and one of the first category. There were still 181 of 198 riders at the start.

Route

The track had a very hilly profile. She led in the South, East and eventually in a northwesterly direction through the Territoire de Belfort and the Doubs, and by the Swiss cantons of Jura and Bern. About Sochaux (320 m), the driver arrived in the French part of the Jura. There were three climbs on the program, namely Bondeval ( 499 m), Passage de la Douleur (806 m) and Maison- Rouge ( 784 m). In Goumois ( 493 m) of the Doubs was crossed, which forms the border with Switzerland.

On the Swiss side it went steeply from the valley of the Doubs up to Saignelégier (979 m ), another mountain stage. Shortly after, in Le Bémont the aid station. After the passage of Glovelier (515 m) and the mountains classification in Saulcy (928 m) was held the intermediate sprint in Les Genevez ( 1046 m). We went over Undervelier (536 m ) back to Glovelier. About the Côte de la Caquerelle ( 834 m ) was reached Saint- Ursanne (440 m). The slope from there to the last climb, the Col de la Croix ( 789 ) was steep up to 17 %. First steep but then largely flat terrain, the driver finally reached the goal in Porrentruy (434 m).

Race course

After five kilometers, a group of ten people from the field to put down. Jens Voigt was able to break easily and won the first mountain stage, while behind him formed a new 22-member group. The second mountain stage Voigt decided for themselves. Multiple drivers caught up with him; the composition of the leading group changed constantly and the field was back less than half a minute. On the ascent to the Côte de Maison Rouge is Blel Kadri put down easily and was the first to reach the third mountain stage. On the descent, a 20- man breakaway group formed with about 20 seconds ahead of the field.

After crossing the border, Jérémy Roy took off and decided just before Fredrik Kessiakoff the mountains classification in Saignelégier for themselves. The projection on the chasing group at this time was 1 minute on the field 3:20 minutes. Roy fell back, while Kessiakoff solo reached the Côte de Saulcy. At the intermediate sprint in Les Genevez the Swede was already ahead about a minute as the Côte de Caquerelle.

On the steep climb to the Col de la Croix Kessiakoffs lead began to be much smaller. Benefited from Thibaut Pinot, which continuously decreased the distance and Sweden finally overtook shortly before the pass. Nevertheless Kessiakoff could take over second place in this ranking, the leadership in the Mountains classification. Behind them formed a chase group of nine riders, including Cadel Evans, Bradley Wiggins, Vincenzo Nibali, Denis and Fränk Schleck Menshov. On the last flat kilometers to Kessiakoff let overtake from the chasing group. With around half a minute ahead of winning Pinot, the youngest rider this year's Tour, the solo stage.

Climbs

• Côte de Bondeval, Category 4 ( 20 kilometers; 499 m; 4.4 km at 3.9 %)

• Côte du Passage de la Douleur, Category 3 ( 32 kilometers, 806 m, 3.8 km at 6.4%)

• Côte de Maison- Rouge, category 2 ( 50 km; 784 m; 7.9 km at 5.0 %)

• Côte de Saignelégier, Category 2 (kilometer 73;. 979 m above sea level, 7.8 km at 6.1 %)

• Côte de Saulcy, Category 2 ( 97 km; . 928 m above sea level, 4.6 km at 8.6 %)

• Côte de la Caquerelle, Category 2 ( km 130.5, . 834 m above sea level, 4.3 km at 7.6 %)

• Col de la Croix, category 1 ( km 141.5, 789 m asl; . 3.7 km at 9.2 %)

Points ratings

• Intermediate sprint in Les Genevez ( 107 kilometers; 1'046 m asl. )

• Target in Porrentruy ( 157.5 km; 434 m asl. )

Tasks

• 031 - Spain Samuel Sánchez ( Euskaltel -Euskadi ): task during the stage after a fall.
• 039 - Spain Gorka Verdugo ( Euskaltel -Euskadi ): task during the stage.
• 214 - Germany John Fröhlinger (Team Argos - Shimano ): Not competing in the National stage.