generic Tour de France 2022 LIVE result: Wout van Aert wins stage 8 in Lausanne sprint finish
Belgian Wout van Aert won the eighth stage of the Tour de France on Saturday, a hilly 186.3-km ride from Dole to Lausanne.
The Jumbo-Visma rider prevailed in a reduced bunch sprint at the top of the Cote du Stade Olympique, a 4.8-km effort at an average gradient of 4.6%.
Australian Michael Matthews was second while Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia retained the overall leader’s yellow jersey by finishing third, picking up a four-second time bonus in the process.
Sunday’s ninth stage is a 192.9-km mountainous trek from Aigle, Switzerland, to Chatel.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
Hilly 186km route from Dole, France to Lausanne, Switzerland
Tadej Pogacar continued in yellow jersey with half-a-minute lead
Wout van Aert sprints to stage victory for second win of 2022 Tour
Wout van Aert wins stage 8!
16:37 , Lawrence Ostlere
An exhausted Michael Matthews has a microphone shoved under his nose:
“I was pinned,” says the Australian. “On a sprint like this two days ago I went too early. Second again! Wout van Aert was just too good. Hopefully I’m knocking on the door of that stage win.”
Wout van Aert wins stage 8!
16:34 , Lawrence Ostlere
Michael Matthews surges first and Pogacar follows, but doesn’t have the sprint in his legs to get by. Then Van Aert appears around the outside and he does have the power, sealing his second stage win of the Tour in a charge to the line! Superb.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
16:33 , Lawrence Ostlere
200m to go: Wout van Aert is right on Pogacar’s shoulder... Michael Matthews is there too, so many talented riders...
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
16:32 , Lawrence Ostlere
500m to go: Rafal Majka carried Pogacar to the finish yesterday and he is putting in another huge shift on the front here. Still no attacks, this is going down to the final few metres...
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
16:31 , Lawrence Ostlere
1km to go: UAE Emirates bring two of Pogacar’s teammates to the front to try and control this finish. It’s 12% gradient here and it’s all slowing down, with fans roaring on both sides of the road, before the final 4% stretch to the line...
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
16:30 , Lawrence Ostlere
1.5km to go: We near the final turn and rise to the line. Pogacar is on third wheel, but there are about 25 riders in this front group with their eyes on the prize...
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
16:29 , Lawrence Ostlere
2km to go: Nairo Quintana and Tom Pidcock are also up there – all sorts of different types of riders are in the mix here. No one has attacked off the front yet...
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
16:27 , Lawrence Ostlere
3km to go: Plenty of riders are losing contact with the contenders for the stage win at the front – the pace is high. Tadej Pogacar is right up there in yellow, and Wout van Aert’s green jersey is close by. Jonas Vingegaard and Primoz Roglic are close by too, as is Michael Matthews.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
16:25 , Lawrence Ostlere
4km to go: Matthieu van der Poel is done, as is Mads Pedersen, among a series of riders who’ve slipped off the back of the bunch. Pogacar is right at the front, without his teammates, not that that’s ever stopped him before.
Finally, Fred Wright has been swallowed up by the peloton.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
16:23 , Lawrence Ostlere
6km to go: Fred Wright, the 23-year-old Londoner in his second Tour de France, leads the stage by 25 seconds as the busy peloton battles for position into the finish. Wright has just begun the steep ascent to the line.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
16:21 , Lawrence Ostlere
The break collapses! Mattia Cattaneo has given all he’s got and he fades off the back of the last man standing at the front, Fred Wright of Bahrain Victorious.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
16:20 , Lawrence Ostlere
9km to go: Ineos come to the fore of the peloton now – could Tom Pidcock have a go at a stage like this one? They have begun the climb towards the finish at the Stade Olympique in Lausanne. The break is 36 seconds clear.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
16:16 , Lawrence Ostlere
12km to go: The gap down to just 40 seconds now, and the teams are shuffling and jostling to get to the front of the peloton and be in position for the stage win today.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
16:12 , Lawrence Ostlere
15km to go: Mattia Cattaneo and Fred Wright are still working hard to try and win this stage, but their lead is now down to 50 seconds as the road flattens out on the edge of Lausanne.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
16:08 , Lawrence Ostlere
18km to go: It has not been a thriller up to now, but we are starting to get to the business end of this stage and it could well be a blockbuster finish between some of the big stars.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
16:05 , Lawrence Ostlere
25km to go: This long, slow descent to the final climb of the day continues and as the breakaway duo near Lausanne, their lead is shrinking. It’s now down to just over a minute, and that may not be enough to hold of the peloton.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
15:54 , Lawrence Ostlere
33km to go: Mattia Cattaneo and Fred Wright are pushing hard to try and hold off the chasing peloton but the gap is getting smaller, if anything. BikeExchange and Jumbo-Visma are still working hard on the front, but UAE Emirates and Ineos are not doing nearly as much work now, happy to let the other teams expend the energy.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
15:44 , Lawrence Ostlere
40km to go: The two-man breakaway of Mattia Cattaneo (QuickStep) and Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious) has lost a little bit of time to the peloton, with their lead cut down to 1min 45ec.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
15:41 , Lawrence Ostlere
Thibaut Pinot has suffered a nasty crash, first falling in the pack while climbing and then getting hit in the face while a team official tried to hand a rider a bidon.
General classification (top 10)
15:26 , Lawrence Ostlere
Here is how the battle for the yellow jersey is shaping up, before stage eight:
Pogacar
Vingegaard +35”
Thomas +1’10”
A. Yates +1’18”
Gaudu +1’31”
Bardet +1’32”
Pidcock +1’35”
Powless +1’37”
Mas +1’43”
Martinez +1’55”
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
15:19 , Lawrence Ostlere
And Frison’s done. He falls off the pace of the breakaway and has to let Mattia Cattaneo and Fred Wright push on together.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
15:15 , Lawrence Ostlere
65km to go: The breakaway has upped the pace after Mattia Cattaneo signalled to put their foot to the floor. He obviously had word in his ear that the peloton was resting up briefly for loo breaks and refuelling. They have increased their gap quickly to two minutes once more, although it does look like Frederik Frison is struggling to stick with Cattaneo and Wright.
The Tour de France enters Switzerland!
15:06 , Lawrence Ostlere
In to the fourth country of this Tour – Denmark, France, Belgium and now Switzerland. The finish at Lausanne is 70km away.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
15:04 , Lawrence Ostlere
This is all set up for a thrilling finish once the break is reeled in. Lots of the big stars will fancy themselves to win today, from more natural sprinters like Michael Matthews to more comfortable climbers like Primoz Roglic and everyone in between.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
14:57 , Lawrence Ostlere
The breakaway is running out of gas here, perhaps they know the game is up. Their lead is down to 1 min 10 sec.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
14:49 , Lawrence Ostlere
85km to go: So here’s where things stand as we reach the top of the Cote des Rousses, with two more categorised climbs to go. A three-man breakaway made up of Mattia Cattaneo (QuickStep), Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious) and Frederik Frison (Lotto-Soudal) went off up the road early but the peloton has not allowed them to escape too far, and their advantage is only around two minutes, which could easily be eaten up over the second half of this stage.
The reason for that is that Jumbo-Visma and BikeExchange in particular have been determined to turn today into a bunch finish for their men Wout van Aert and Michael Matthews respectively, so they have kept the pace on the front of the peloton high.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
14:43 , Lawrence Ostlere
Rigoberto Uran drops back to his team car to receive some bandaging on his right arm after he was caught up in that early crash.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
14:34 , Lawrence Ostlere
A reminder of the news this morning, which affects Tadej Pogacar’s UAE Team Emirates:
Geoffrey Bouchard and Vegard Stake Laengen became the first Tour de France riders to pull out of the race with COVID-19, their teams said on Saturday.
Shortly after Bouchard’s withdrawal, UAE Team Emirates said Norwegian Laengen, a team mate of overall leader Tadej Pogacar, had tested positive.
“Vegard tested negative yesterday morning during the routine internal team testing protocol. But he reported sore throat symptoms late last night,” team doctor Adriano Rotunno said.
“The COVID-19 antigen test was positive, and the diagnosis was confirmed on a PCR test this morning. As per protocol, for his, the team, and the peloton’s safety he will be withdrawn from the race.”
Frenchman Bouchard, 30, won the mountains classification at the 2019 Vuelta a Espana and in last year’s Giro d’Italia.
“During the (seventh) stage (on Friday) I did not feel well. It’s a huge disappointment because we were just getting to my favourite terrain, the mountains,” AG2R-Citroen’s Bouchard said in a team statement.
AG2R-Citroen said that the rest of their squad, from whom Bouchard had been isolated, were negative for COVID-19.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
14:25 , Lawrence Ostlere
100km to go: The breakaway of Mattia Cattaneo (QuickStep), Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious) and Frederik Frison (Lotto-Soudal) has stabilised at around 1 min 50 sec for the timebeing.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
14:24 , Lawrence Ostlere
Mathieu van der Poel has not looked in good shape this week, perhaps suffering a hangover from the Giro, but the brilliant Dutchman says he is starting to feel better in his legs. He said earlier: “I think yesterday was a big improvement already on the first days. So I think I have to try and hold this good feeling, then maybe in the second week I can ride a bit more offensively.”
Can he win today? “I don’t think so. Maybe it’s difficult to predict, though we also have Jasper [Philipsen] who’s doing really well. I think he already showed that he’s in great form and he has a really good sprint, so if he feels good today we will ride for him.”
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
14:16 , Lawrence Ostlere
107km to go: The break leads by less than two minutes from the peloton for the first time a long while. The main bunch continues to ride a high pace as they bridge from the first categorised climb towards the second of the day, and towards the Swiss border.
A reminder of what occurred yesterday, as Tadej Pogacar won a dramatic finale atop La Planche des Belles Filles:
Tadej Pogacar turns the screw with thrilling stage seven win at Tour de France
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
14:05 , Lawrence Ostlere
“It looks like we could have a group sprint in Lausanne today,” says Bradley Wiggins, riding on a motorbike through the peloton for Eurosport. “I thought the breakaway would get away today but, I tell you what, the pace of this peloton today...”
The break’s lead has been cut right down to around 2 min 20 sec.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
13:57 , Lawrence Ostlere
Jumbo-Visma sporting director Frans Maassen on Jonas Vingegaard’s strong ride yesterday, where he finished second to Tadej Pogacar on the line: “He was a bit disappointed, he thought he would take this stage, but of course we are really happy. It was a fantastic stage, we were there with four riders in the first 20.”
On Primoz Roglic managing his injury after crashing on stage five: “It was really good to see that he was there because afer his crash you don’t feel that good, but being third on that stage it gives us that confidence and hope.”
On Wout van Aert potentially winning today’s stage: “We’ll take it day by day, of course yesterday he had an easy day, he took some rest at the start of the climb. Today could be another day but of course the break could go to the end so it’s difficult to have a bunch sprint today.”
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
13:52 , Lawrence Ostlere
120km to go: The break’s lead has been cut slightly by the hard-working peloton, led by BikeExchange and Jumbo-Visma. BikeExchange will fancy Michael Matthews for this lumpy stage win today, while Jumbo will think Wout van Aert can win it.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
13:49 , Lawrence Ostlere
The breakaway of Mattia Cattaneo (QuickStep), Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious) and Frederik Frison (Lotto-Soudal) are making their way up the first categorised climb of the day, the Cote du Marechet (2.1km, 5.7%).
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
13:46 , Lawrence Ostlere
Meanwhile, at the women’s Giro today:
#GiroDonne22 💕🇮🇹
WHAT. A. RIDE! 👑@FaulknerKristen takes the Queen Stage in STYLE! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/HDtsxyEaYo— Team BikeExchange-Jayco (@GreenEDGEteam) July 9, 2022
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
13:31 , Lawrence Ostlere
133km to go: The breakaway trio of Cattaneo, Wright and Frison have a lead of just over three minutes from the main bunch.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
13:29 , Lawrence Ostlere
After the breakaway passes through the intermediate sprint line, the fast men move off the front of the peloton to battle for the remaining points. Wout van Aert, the man with a big lead for the green jersey, is just pipped by Jasper Philipsen, with Fabio Jakobsen trailing behind them, none of which matters too much – Van Aert’s stranglehold on green remains.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
13:18 , Lawrence Ostlere
A reminder of our breakaway trio: Mattia Cattaneo (QuickStep), Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious) and Frederik Frison (Lotto-Soudal).
Catteneo, 31, is an Italian rider who finished 12th in last year’s Tour and has never won a grand tour stage. Englishman Wright is 2 and is riding in his second Tour – he finished second in last year’s British Championship road race and seventh in the Tour of Flanders in the spring. Frison, 29, has some good time trial pedigree, so overall it a strong trio, albeit one without experience of winning a stage. Whether they are allowed to go and contest the win by the peloton today remains to be seen.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
13:12 , Lawrence Ostlere
145km to go: The intermediate sprint is coming shortly. The peloton has slowed slightly, with Jumbo-Visma reluctant to put in too much work all on their own, and now BikeExchange are helping out with the workload. Even so, this three-man breakaway has been allowed to move 3 min 30 sec up the road.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
13:02 , Lawrence Ostlere
Here’s a look at what’s coming up for the rest of the race – a tough hilly stage tomorrow before the second rest day, and then the serious mountains of the Alps and Pyrenees await:
Tour de France 2022 stage-by-stage guide
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
12:55 , Lawrence Ostlere
Now this is interesting – Jumbo-Visma have come to the front of the peloton to keep the breakaway on a tight leash. They might have designs on a Wout van Aert stage win, but they risk expending energy only to dangle the carrot of the day’s victory to Tadej Pogacar, who will fancy winning on this hilly finish if the break is caught and therefore gaining bonus seconds to increase his overall lead to Jumbo’s Jonas Vingegaard. Let’s see how this plays out.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
12:51 , Lawrence Ostlere
Breaking: Kevin Vermaerke has abandoned the race. A pity – the American was one of those right at the heart of that crash.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
12:49 , Lawrence Ostlere
Ben O’Connor has asked for medical assistance. The Australian Ag2R rider finished fourth last year and was in good form coming into the Tour after impressing at the Criterium du Dauphine, but he crashed on the cobbles of stage five and it looks like his Tour may be nearing an end.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
12:47 , Lawrence Ostlere
160km to go: The peloton has really slowed its pace and that has allowed the breakaway to open up a gap of almost two minutes from the bunch. It is still very early days, but could the day’s winner come from this trio? A reminder of the breakers:
Mattia Cattaneo (QuickStep), Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious) and Frederik Frison (Lotto-Soudal).
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
12:44 , Lawrence Ostlere
UAE Emirates come to the fore of the peloton with Tadej Pogacar’s yellow jersey up there too, and they wave the bunch to slow down, accepting the breakaway can go. Pogacar asserting his authority here.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
12:37 , Lawrence Ostlere
A three-man breakaway had formed just before the crash, and they are now around 30 seconds clear up the road. The trio are Mattia Cattaneo (QuickStep), Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious) and Frederik Frison (Lotto-Soudal).
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
12:34 , Lawrence Ostlere
A crash in the peloton! One went down in the middle of the bunch and a whole load of riders went down in a domino effect. Nairo Quintana, Peter Sagan and even race leader Tadej Pogacar were knocked over there, although Pogacar was going very slowly when he fell and is quickly back on his bike, as is most of the pack.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
12:27 , Lawrence Ostlere
Magnus Cort, wearing the polka dot jersey, is the latest to attack off the front of the peloton, but he’s quickly reeled in and it’s all a bit cagey so far.
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
12:22 , Lawrence Ostlere
Stage eight is under way! Some early mini attacks from Pierre Rolland and Kristian Sbaragli, but the bunch is quickly back as one.
Pogacar’s teammate Laengen ruled out with Covid
12:18 , Lawrence Ostlere
Some news this morning:
Geoffrey Bouchard and Vegard Stake Laengen became the first Tour de France riders to pull out of the race with COVID-19, their teams said on Saturday.
Shortly after Bouchard’s withdrawal, UAE Team Emirates said Norwegian Laengen, a team mate of overall leader Tadej Pogacar, had tested positive.
“Vegard tested negative yesterday morning during the routine internal team testing protocol. But he reported sore throat symptoms late last night,” team doctor Adriano Rotunno said.
“The COVID-19 antigen test was positive, and the diagnosis was confirmed on a PCR test this morning. As per protocol, for his, the team, and the peloton’s safety he will be withdrawn from the race.”
Frenchman Bouchard, 30, won the mountains classification at the 2019 Vuelta a Espana and in last year’s Giro d’Italia.
“During the (seventh) stage (on Friday) I did not feel well. It’s a huge disappointment because we were just getting to my favourite terrain, the mountains,” AG2R-Citroen’s Bouchard said in a team statement.
AG2R-Citroen said that the rest of their squad, from whom Bouchard had been isolated, were negative for COVID-19.
Stage eight map and profile
12:15 , Lawrence Ostlere
The riders are on their bikes as they roll towards the official start, which could be quite frantic as they battle to get in the breakaway. Let’s have a look at what they are faced with today:
General classification before stage 8
12:14 , Lawrence Ostlere
Here is how the battle for the yellow jersey is shaping up:
Pogacar
Vingegaard +35”
Thomas +1’10”
A. Yates +1’18”
Gaudu +1’31”
Bardet +1’32”
Pidcock +1’35”
Powless +1’37”
Mas +1’43”
Martinez +1’55”
Stage 7 recap: Tadej Pogacar turns the screw
12:00 , Lawrence Ostlere
Tadej Pogacar won a thrilling, agonising finish to stage seven atop the brutal La Planche des Belles Filles yesterday, as the reigning Tour de France champion made another major statement in his quest for a third successive yellow jersey.
Tadej Pogacar turns the screw with thrilling stage seven win at Tour de France
Tour de France 2022 – stage 8
11:56 , Lawrence Ostlere
Hello and welcome along to live updates from stage eight of the Tour de France.
