Stage 8 - Marianne Vos wins Stage 8

AUNAT - LIMOUX, 112 km 

Race Writeup

Marianne Vos (Netherland Bloiet) the world number 1 benefitted from breakaway group coming back together at 2 km to go, to impose a massive burst of speed, ahead of Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (HTC Columbia) and Joanne Kiesanowski (TIBCO). me for gains.

The 8th stage began badly for the champion of the Netherlands. Vos escaped on the descent of the first climb and on the exit from Aunat, Vos skidded on fine gravels. She managed to get back on her bike and chase back with the help of team mates, who had dropped back. They lost touch with a lead group that had started to form and had to chase hard.

A small break formed with Teutenberg (HTC Columbia), Vikki Whitelaw (Lotto), Tatianna Guderzo (Valdarno), Inga Cilvinaite (Safi-Pasta Zara) and Madeleine Sandig (Noris), Cervelo Test Team moved to the front to bring the race back together. 

After 13km, 15 competitors had created a lead group with a maximum lead of 1 minute 22 seconds by the time the group reached 39km. In the group were, Liesbet De Vocht, Loes Gunnewijk and Annemeik van Vleuten (Nederland Bloiet), Emma Johansson, Marie Lindberg and Ludivine Henrion (RedSun), Adrie Visser (HTC-Columbia), Joanne Kiesanowski and Meridith Miller (Tibco), Martine Bras and Julia Martisova (Gauss-RDZ-Ormu-Colnago), Oxana Kozonchuk (Safi-Pasta Zara), Carla Swart (MTN Energade), Hanka Kupfernagel (Germany) and Christe Ferrier-Bruneau (Vienna-Futuroscope). 

The group did not stay together as it approached the Font de Razouls at 63.3km. 4 riders attacked at the front of the race on the 1st category climb and managed to stay away until the the outskirts of Limoux. Liesbet De Vocht, Loes Gunnewijk and Annemeik van Vleuten (Nederland Bloiet) were in the attack with Emma Johansson (Red Sun) could not stay away

At the head of the chase were the teams of HTC Columbia and Cervelo Test Team who managed to bring the race all back together as the leaders entered Limoux, after 110km of racing. 

Teutenberg (who had already had 5 victorious in Limoux) had a good position to take out the win but Vos saw a gap and managed to get round her to secure her first win of the tour. 

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