Stage 8 - Le Grand Bornand to Tignes - (165km)
Start: 12:45 p.m. (6:45 a.m. U.S. EST) - Estimated Finish: 5:30 p.m. (11:30 a.m. U.S. EST)
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COURSE: This second alpine stage has an unusual, and tough, ending with three long climbs: one 20km (the two-part Cormet de Roselend, one 15km (up to Hauteville on the Petit St. Bernard pass),and a final one for 18km (the first part of the ascent to Val d’Isère followedby 10km of climbing out of the valley to Tignes).
The last 2km are flat before the finish line. The final two climbs aren’t particularly steep, but that was the case with the 2006 Tour’s summit finish at Pla de Beret, and it proved very decisive.
HISTORY: This is the first time a stage has finished at the alpine ski resort of Tignes, but the Tour has twice had finishes at nearby Val d’Isère.
In 1963 Spain’s Fernando Manzaneque won the stage in a solo break, while his compatriot Federico Bahamontes took over the yellow jersey. In 1996, in an uphill 30.5km time trial from Bourg St. Maurice, Russia’s Evgeni Berzin was fastest by 35 seconds over runner-up Bjarne Riis.
FAVORITES: Top contenders Vinokourov, Valverde, Klöden, Carlos Sastre (CSC), Cadel Evans (Predictor-Lotto), Levi Leipheimer (Discovery Channel) and Denis Menchov (Rabobank) all have to show their best form in the finale. But the stage winner is more likely to be the survivor of a long-distance break — perhaps two-time defending KOM champ Michael Rasmussen (Rabobank).
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