Greig Leach

Reversing his difficulties from the seventh stage of the Tour, Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) jumped into the early break and then road everyone off of his wheel with the exception of the Polish National Champion, Rafal Majka (Tinkoff). Majka may have once been the winner of the King of the Mountains competition, but he was unable to hold the wheel of the reborn Frenchman. The crowds on the top of the Col du Tourmalet are always thrilled to greet the leaders on the day, they were going wild to see a Frenchman on a French team leading the whole 198 riders up the Haute Catagorie climb. The Tour is truly an international event, both on the bike and on the side of the road. One fan roadside was waving a Japanese flag, as a Frenchman and a Pole labored up to the summit.