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Poels crosses the top of the climb for a point. There are reportedly around 17 riders chasing him.
Benoot, Quintana, Cattaneo, Valverde, Kragh Andersen in this group between Poels and the peloton.
Kragh Andersen is brought back by a chase group on the climb. Poels still ahead.
The lorry has reportedly been moved now, so no trouble ahead.
80km to go / 70km done
Soren Kragh Andersen (DSM) is chasing Poels.
They’re hitting the fourth-cat Côte de Menthonnex-en-Bornes now.
35 seconds from Poels to the peloton. It still hasn’t slowed up here. An average speed of 48kph so far.
Michael Woods among those trying to attack from the peloton.
88km to go / 62km done
Poels crosses the top of the climb alone, 40 seconds up on the peloton.
Attack from Elissonde as he tried to make it away from the peloton.
More riders trying to get away from the peloton without much success.
Poels has 30 seconds on the peloton.
Roglič dropping from the group he was in.
The third-cat Côte de Copponex now and Wout Poels attacks.
94km to go / 56km done
The main peloton is coming back to that break now. Around 10 seconds back.
McNulty is the UAE man up there.
Kwiatkowski is in that front group but not Carapaz as far as I can see. Another UAE rider is up there. They’re 25 seconds up on the peloton.
Around 20 men off the front here.
A large group of riders off the front, including Pogacar.
100km to go / 50km done
New attacks going at the front after the intermediate sprint.
ISN reports a sponsor lorry (Cochounou) stuck on the Côte de Mont Sassonex (not Colombière). Hopefully it can be moved quickly.
There is a truck stuck on the final climb:Our osteopath Joe reported a problem on the Col de la Colombière. A truck got stuck and no one is able to pass.#TdF2021 pic.twitter.com/S3dhXUUXXaJuly 3, 2021
Roglič is in a group of around 2, 1:50 down. The Thomas group is over four minutes down.
86 points for Colbrelli now. He’s up to sixth place in the points classification.
Matthews moves to second place on 113 points.
Cavendish still leads on 168 points.
Colbrelli kicks off the sprint from third wheel. Matthews reacts but can’t pass.
The Italian champion takes the 20 points ahead of the Australian.
20 points on offer, then 17 and 15.
Matthews vs Colbrelli coming up!
2km to the sprint point.
Crash for Miguel Angel Lopez (Movistar) but he’s back up and running.
BikeExchange chase Mohoric for their man Matthews.
112km to go / 38km done
6km to the intermediate sprint. Mohoric back on the front. Still no breakaway.
Latour is in Roglič’s group of dropped riders, 1:30 down. Thomas’ group of dropped riders is 3:45 down.
Porte is pushing on. Pogacar in third wheel and on the radio.
Up front it’s a battle among the versatile sprinters as the intermediate sprint nears. Michael Matthews among those active along with Colbrelli.
All together still, and now Ineos are pushing at the front.
Roglič 40 seconds down now. He’s on his own. Thomas’ group is 2:40 down.
There doesn’t seem like much point in them continuing this race unless they can recover and help their teammates in the Pyrenees…
Sonny Colbrelli makes a move.
120km to go / 30km done
Roglič is dropped from the peloton on these rolling roads.
Yet more attacks but nothing sticks. Michael Gogl crashes in the peloton.
Two minutes between the front of the race and the dropped riders.
Pierre Latour and Rafal Majka – a key man for Tadej Pogacar – aren’t in the front group.
130km to go / 25km done
Nans Peters (AG2R) makes a move. Others follow. Still no break.
Colbrelli also pushing on. The intermediate sprint is up in 25 kilometres.
Mohoric in his polka dots is leading the peloton down the descent.
1:30 between Thomas and the peloton. He’s in a large group of dropped riders.
Thomas’ group is 1.4 kilometres behind the front group at the moment. Quite a bit of distance.
Michael Woods has reportedly crashed.
136km to go / 14km done
It’s all back together at the front now.
Poels is 20 seconds up on the peloton as he starts the wet descent.
Geraint Thomas is in trouble already! Not good for Ineos.
Sepp Kuss, Michael Woods, Kenny Elissonde, Mattia Cattaneo, Sergio Henao, and Stefan De Bod are chasing with Geoghegan Hart.
145km to go / 5km done
Poels on his own out front now. Geoghegan Hart has dropped back and has several other riders with him.
A number of riders dropped very early on, with all the usual suspects like the sprinters, lead-out men and Chris Froome.
Tao Geoghegan Hart and Wout Poels on the move now.
150km to go
And we’re off! Attacks from the start on the climb.
There’s climbing from the off today with the Fôret d’Echallon, though it is uncategorised. It should be a nice springboard for the breakaway.
The riders are rolling out of Oyonnax now.
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We’re 20 minutes away from the start of the stage now.
Jumbo-Visma have no hope of challenging for yellow in Paris any more, but they will try to take it from Mathieu van der Poel with Wout van Aert today. Meanwhile, Jonas Vingegaard is likely to be their GC leader going forward. Here’s the squad warming up ahead of today’s stage.
🇫🇷 #TDF2021 Uphill start = @tacx time🌪 pic.twitter.com/6TZXAHHnS9July 3, 2021
Thomas was briefly dropped on one of yesterday’s climbs though, and said he was still struggling with his shoulder injury afterwards.
Carapaz, meanwhile, went on the attack for almost 15km but ended up taking no time at the finish.
We should see the first battle between Ineos Grenadiers and Tadej Pogačar today. The Slovenian is now the overwhelming favourite for Tour victory and with Roglič out of the GC picture, the combined efforts of Richard Carapaz and Geraint Thomas might be all that can stop him repeating.
Not the best weather at the start as teams sign on for the day.
It’s raining here today in Oyonnax ☔️Il pleut à Oyonnax aujourd’hui ☔️#TDF2021 pic.twitter.com/pHBEajTw1AJuly 3, 2021
Here’s our report on yesterday’s stage 7, which saw Primož Roglič fall out of overall contention.
Linus Gerdemann (2007), Frank Schleck (2009), Rui Costa (2013), and Julian Alaphilippe (2018) have all won in the town.
Today’s final climb of the Col de la Colombière has also been a regular feature at the race, having been included on the route eight times since the turn of the millennium.
Today’s stage runs 150 kilometres through the Alps to Le Grand-Bornard, a regular fixture at the Tour de France.
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of stage 8 of the Tour de France, the first day in the Alps.
