Stages
In previous years, the Tour started with a prologue, followed by a week of flat stages. The flat stages were dominated by the sprinters' teams, and the yellow jersey was worn by a sprinter who had a good prologue. At the presentation of the Tour de France 2008 schedule, Tour Director Christian Prudhomme announced that the 2008 Tour would be different: "We have wanted a first week of racing with much more rhythm. With no prologue, an uphill finish that will suit different types of sprinters at the end of stage one, with a short time trial on stage four and the first mountain at Super-Besse only 48 hours later, we have decided to change the scenario." The time bonuses at the end of each stage were removed, and there was 82 kilometres (51 mi) of time trials, less than usual.
The 2008 Tour de France was almost entirely in France, with only a small part in Italy.
| Stage | Date | Course | Distance | Type | Winner | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 July | Brest – Plumelec | 197.5 km (122.7 mi) | Flat stage | Alejandro Valverde (ESP) | ||
| 2 | 6 July | Auray – Saint-Brieuc | 164.5 km (102.2 mi) | Flat stage | Thor Hushovd (NOR) | ||
| 3 | 7 July | Saint-Malo – Nantes | 208.0 km (129.2 mi) | Flat stage | Samuel Dumoulin (FRA) | ||
| 4 | 8 July | Cholet – Cholet | 29.5 km (18.3 mi) | Individual time trial | Kim Kirchen (LUX) | ||
| 5 | 9 July | Cholet – Châteauroux | 232.0 km (144.2 mi) | Flat stage | Mark Cavendish (GBR) | ||
| 6 | 10 July | Aigurande – Super-Besse Sancy | 195.5 km (121.5 mi) | Transition stage | Alejandro Valverde (ESP) | ||
| 7 | 11 July | Brioude – Aurillac | 159.0 km (98.8 mi) | Transition stage | Luis León Sánchez (ESP) | ||
| 8 | 12 July | Figeac – Toulouse | 172.5 km (107.2 mi) | Flat stage | Mark Cavendish (GBR) | ||
| 9 | 13 July | Toulouse – Bagnères-de-Bigorre | 224.0 km (139.2 mi) | Mountain stage | Vladimir Efimkin (RUS) | ||
| 10 | 14 July | Pau – Hautacam | 156.0 km (96.9 mi) | Mountain stage | Juan José Cobo (ESP) | ||
| 15 July | Rest day | ||||||
| 11 | 16 July | Lannemezan – Foix | 167.5 km (104.1 mi) | Transition stage | Kurt Asle Arvesen (NOR) | ||
| 12 | 17 July | Lavelanet – Narbonne | 168.5 km (104.7 mi) | Flat stage | Mark Cavendish (GBR) | ||
| 13 | 18 July | Narbonne – Nîmes | 182.0 km (113.1 mi) | Flat stage | Mark Cavendish (GBR) | ||
| 14 | 19 July | Nîmes – Digne-les-Bains | 194.5 km (120.9 mi) | Flat stage | Óscar Freire (ESP) | ||
| 15 | 20 July | Embrun – Prato Nevoso | 183.0 km (113.7 mi) | Mountain stage | Simon Gerrans (AUS) | ||
| 21 July | Rest day | ||||||
| 16 | 22 July | Cuneo – Jausiers | 157.0 km (97.6 mi) | Mountain stage | Cyril Dessel (FRA) | ||
| 17 | 23 July | Embrun – Alpe d'Huez | 210.5 km (130.8 mi) | Mountain stage | Carlos Sastre (ESP) | ||
| 18 | 24 July | Bourg-d'Oisans – Saint-Étienne | 196.5 km (122.1 mi) | Transition stage | Marcus Burghardt (GER) | ||
| 19 | 25 July | Roanne – Montluçon | 165.5 km (102.8 mi) | Flat stage | Sylvain Chavanel (FRA) | ||
| 20 | 26 July | Cérilly – Saint-Amand-Montrond | 53.0 km (32.9 mi) | Individual time trial | Fabian Cancellara (SUI) | ||
| 21 | 27 July | Étampes – Paris (Champs-Élysées) | 143.0 km (88.9 mi) | Flat stage | Gert Steegmans (BEL) | ||
| Total: 3,559.5 km (2,211.8 mi) | |||||||
In the first week of the 2008 Tour de France, the stages were mostly flat. As traditionally in the Tour de France, this resulted in small breakaways of cyclists, and the sprinters' teams trying to get them back. In the first stage, the sprinters won, with Thor Hushovd winning the stage, but in the second stage, four cyclists managed to stay away. The fourth stage was a time trial, won by Stefan Schumacher, who took over the lead. In the fifth stage, the sprinters won the battle and Mark Cavendish won the stage.
The Massif Central mountains were visited in stage six and seven. In stage six, all the breakaways were caught, and the favourites stayed together and finished together. In stage seven, the same scenario, only now Luis León Sánchez managed to stay a few seconds ahead and win the stage. The eighth stage was a sprinter stage, won by Cavendish. Then, from stage nine, the Pyrénées were climbed. Riccardo Riccò broke away from the bunch on the final climb, and won the stage. On stage 10, a group of four with some main contenders escaped, and Leonardo Piepoli won the stage. Stage eleven had easier climbs, and a group of four riders, not important for the overall classification, were allowed to break away and win 14 minutes.
Stages twelve to fourteen were flat stages, and were dominated by the sprinters. Mark Cavendish won another two stages, and Oscar Freire took his first. In the fifteenth stage, a group of four cyclists escaped and stayed away, a similar thing happened in stage sixteen. In the seventeenth stage, Carlos Sastre placed his decisive attack for the general classification, and also won the stage. The eighteenth and nineteenth stage again saw breakaways of cyclists not important for the general classification. The twentieth stage, a time trial, was won by Stefan Schumacher who had also won the first time trial. The last stage was a sprinters' stage, won by Gert Steegmans.
Read more about this topic: 2008 Tour De France
Famous quotes containing the word stages:
“Whoe’er has travelled life’s dull round,
Where’er his stages may have been,
May sigh to think he still has found
The warmest welcome, at an inn.”
—William Shenstone (1714–1763)
“The four stages of man are infancy, childhood, adolescence and obsolescence.”
—Art Linkletter (20th century)
“Phlebas the Phoenician, a fortnight dead,
Forgot the cry of gulls, and the deep sea swell
And the profit and loss.
A current under sea
Picked his bones in whispers. As he rose and fell
He passed the stages of his age and youth
Entering the whirlpool.”
—T.S. (Thomas Stearns)