Stage 8- Vos makes it three wins

Axat - Esperez, 99 km

Race Writeup

Marianne Vos (DSB Bank) attacked in the final stage of the 8th stage to win her third stage and in the process moved herself up to third in the overall classification. 
The 8th and penultimate stage of the Tour de l'Aude was run over a beautiful course. The roads mainly ran through the Pays de Sault region, but parts went through Axat and onto the finish, in Espezel, after climbing 4 1st category climbs.
The ascent of the Col de Brenac at 24 km was followed by Coudon at 31km which casued the decisive break in the race. Making the front group were 14 riders including Ina-YokoTeutenberg, who attacked the group and forced a reaction from Vos, Nicole Cooke (Vision 1), Svetlana Bubnenkova (Fennix), Grace Verbeke (Lotto-Belisol) and Susanne Ljungskog (Team Flexpoint).

By the time the lead group reached the Col Notre Dame at 75 km Ljungskog and Teutenberg had fallen out of the group. The front of the race was down to a quartet consisting of Vos, Cooke, Verbeke and Bubnenkova which built up a lead at 92.5 km of 3 minutes 15 seconds ahead of the yellow jersey group. 

Equipe Nurnberger were on the front of the chasing bunch with Amber Neben doing much of the effort. This effort reduced the gap to the Vos group and protected the advantage of the rest of the peloton. 

In the sprint to the line Vos got the better of Cooke with Verbeke and Bubnenkove just off the pace.
In the overall classification, Vos is still off the pace with a gap of  2 minutes 12 seconds to Trixi Worrack and Claudia Häusler (still yellow). 
With the bonus 10 second bonus awarded to the stage winner Vos ensured she held the points classification jersey for another day.

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