Tour de Suisse 2014 Stage 8: Chaves wins, Martin still leading

Stage 8 in Suisse is a 219.1 kilometres ride from Delémont to Verbier, the famous ski resort in the Alps. The closing climb comes in two and totals 22.3 kilometres. 24-Year old Colombian Esteban Chaves takes the stage and fairly easy Tony Martin manages to stay in the overall lead. (Slideshow route/profile)

Tour de Suisse 2014: Results 8th stage

1. Esteban Chaves (col)
2. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) + 0.03
3. Bauke Mollema (Nld) s.t.
4. Eros Capecchi (ita) + 0.16
5. Javier Avecedo (col) + 0.17
6. Phlilip Deignan (Irl) s.t
7. Tony Martin (Ger) s.t.
8. Davide Formolo (ita) s.t.
9. Rui Costa (por) s.t.
10. Mathias Frank (Swi) s.t.

GC after 8th stage
1. Tony Martin (Ger)
2. Tom Dumoulin (Nld) + 0.51
3. Rui Costa (por) + 1.05
4. Mathias Frank (Swi) + 1.14
5. Bauie Mollema (Nld) + 1.41
6. Davide Formolo (ita) + 1.47
7. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) + 1.50
8. Javier Avecedo (col) + 2.07
9. Eros Capecchi (ita) + 2.29
10. Cadel Evans (aus) + 2.30

Race report
The break away is Rojas, Knees, Minard, Wyss, Rast, Brown and De Vreese and with 55 kilometres done their gain is 4’30″. Then Taciak joins them and the eight cycle to a maximum gap of 7’18″.

In the valley to the closing climb(s) the bunch speeds and when the road starts to go up there’s 3’39″ left. Atop the category 3 col it’s down to 1’25″ adn one by one the former escapees are reeled in. Wyss is the last.

Belkin has got plans and Kruijswijk and Laurens ten Dam are setting the pace A lot of riders drop, but the overall 1 and 2 – time trialists and no real climbers by nature – Tony Martin en Tom Dumoulin are hanging on.

Eventually Dumoulin can’t follow. Attacks up front by Formolo and Chaves and, a little later, Mollema and Kreuziger don’t seem to worry Martin.

Formolo can’t hold the pace of Chaves and is passed by Kreuziger and Mollema. The numbers 5 and 6 of last Tour de France have their eye on the young Colombian, but can’t get to him.

After a win in the Tour of California, Chaves takes a stage in Suisse before Kreuziger and Mollema.

Tony Martin is still in the lead and the Germans takes time from Dumoulin, who stays second. Defending champion Rui Costa wasn’t capable of attacking and is third overall. Or is Costa waiting for tomorrow’s stage, with a row of classified cols and not just two in finale?

In 24 hours we’ll know…