Le Tour 2016 – Stage 8

Pau to Bagnères-de-Luchon

Distance: 184 kilometers.

This is a real mountain stage with the Hors Catégorie, literally “without category”, Col du Tourmalet, Cat 2 Hourquette d”Ancizan, Cat 1 Col de Val Louron-Azet, and Cat 1 Col de Peyresourde. Lots of Polka Dot points available.

Chris Froome won the stage and the Yellow Jersey in a very unusual fashion for him – going downhill. Normally Chris breaks away on the climb, but a win is a win.

Michael Morkov had to withdraw from the race. He got banged up in a stage one crash and the mountains finished him off. He is the first rider out of this years race, which is very unusual. Normally several riders would have been lost by Stage 8.

Christopher Froome ( GBR – SKY – 001 ) [Yellow] 39h 13′ 04″
Mark Cavendish ( GBR – DDD – 101 ) [Green] 204 points
Rafal Majka ( POL – TNK – 037 ) [Polka Dot] 31 points
Adam Yates ( GBR – OBE – 209 ) 2 [White]

Team: BMC Racing Team ( BMC – 091-099 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Christopher Froome ( GBR – SKY – 001 )
Combative: Thibaut Pinot ( FRA – FDL – 121 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Christopher Froome ( GBR – SKY – 001 )
2 Adam Yates ( GBR – OBE – 209 ) + 00′ 16″
3 Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver ( ESP – KAT – 141 ) + 00′ 16″
4 Daniel Martin ( IRL – EQS – 184 ) + 00′ 17″
5 Alejandro Valverde ( ESP – MOV – 012 ) + 00′ 19″
6 Nairo Quintana ( COL – MOV – 011 ) + 00′ 23″
7 Fabio Aru ( ITA – AST – 021 ) + 00′ 23″
8 Tejay Van Garderen ( USA – BMC – 099 ) + 00′ 23″
9 Romain Bardet ( FRA – ALM – 041 ) + 00′ 23″
10 Bauke Mollema ( NED – TFS – 061 ) + 00′ 23″

The Rest of the Top 30:

11 Sergio Luis Henao ( COL – SKY – 002 ) + 00′ 23″
12 Roman Kreuziger ( CZE – TNK – 036 ) + 00′ 34″
13 Louis Meintjes ( RSA – LAM – 157 ) + 00′ 34″
14 Warren Barguil ( FRA – TGA – 111 ) + 01′ 51″
15 Pierre Rolland ( FRA – CDT – 081 ) + 01′ 55″
16 Wilco Kelderman ( NED – TLJ – 051 ) + 01′ 55″
17 Jurgen Van Den Broeck ( BEL – KAT – 147 ) + 02′ 00″
18 Richie Porte ( AUS – BMC – 091 ) + 02′ 08″
19 Geraint Thomas ( GBR – SKY – 009 ) + 02′ 31″
20 Alberto Contador ( ESP – TNK – 031 ) + 03′ 12″
21 Sébastien Reichenbach ( SUI – FDL – 126 ) + 03′ 16″
22 Mikel Nieve ( ESP – SKY – 005 ) + 04′ 35″
23 Emanuel Buchmann ( GER – BOA – 131 ) + 05′ 36″
24 Domenico Pozzovivo ( ITA – ALM – 048 ) + 06′ 46″
25 Tanel Kangert ( EST – AST – 025 ) + 08′ 59″
26 Damiano Caruso ( ITA – BMC – 094 ) + 09′ 07″
27 Frank Schleck ( LUX – TFS – 065 ) + 09′ 14″
28 Eduardo Sepulveda ( ARG – FVC – 211 ) + 09′ 33″
29 Jarlinson Pantano ( COL – IAM – 079 ) + 10′ 19″
30 Haimar Zubeldia ( ESP – TFS – 069 ) + 14′ 27″

Did not finish:

198 Michael Morkov ( DEN – KAT – 146 )

Note: Wikipedia has a simple article on the Mountain classification used on the Tour. The basic fact is that climbs fall into five types, with the four numbered types decreasing in difficulty as the numbers get larger, and then there is the Hors Catégorie, literally “without category”, which generally makes you look for an elevator or Sherpas.

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