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Stage 8, Sunday, May 13: Sulmona - Lago Leceno, 229 km

The Race: The contenders were together when they reached the base of the final climb, the Colle Mollela. White Jersey Peter Stetina had just rejoined the front group after a puncture and when the pace got hot on the climb, Stetina showed the cost he paid for the effort to get back on. He was among the majority of the peloton's riders who were dropped, costing him his white jersey.

Katusha, Astana and Liquigas kept the speed high on the climb, high enough that maglia rosa Ryder Hesjedal was dropped from the front group for a moment, but he dug deep and clawed his way back. Near the top of the ascent Domenico Pozzovivo put in an unbelievable acceleration and quickly had a half-minute on the pack. Shortly thereafter Movistar rider Benat Intxausti took off after him, but no one was going to catch the little Italian climber. Joaquin Rodriguez's third place gave him 8 bonus seconds and moved him to second place, just 9 seconds behind Hesjedal.

None of the contenders seemed interested in doing anything more than not losing time, which allowed Hesjedal to regain the front group. He was vulnerable if a serious attack had been launched. But for now, Canada can rest easy.

Results:

1. Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago-CSF) 6hr 6min 6sec. 37.532 km/hr
2. Benat Inxausti (Movistar) @ 23sec
3. Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) @ 27sec
4. Thomas De Gendt (Vacansoleil) s.t.
5. Dario Cataldo (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) s.t.
6. Damiano Caruso (Liquigas) s.t.
7. Gianluca Brambilla (Colnago-CSF) s.t.
8. Bartosz Huzarski (NetApp) s.t.
9. José Rujano (Androni Giocattoli) s.t.
10. John Gadret (Ag2r) s.t.
11. Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Barracuda) s.t.
12. Paolo Tiralongo (Astana) s.t.
13. Rigoberto Uran (Sky) s.t.
14. Damiano Cunego (Lampre) s.t.
15. Michele Scarponi (Lampre) s.t.
16. Ivan Basso (Liquigas) s.t.
17. Roman Kreuziger (Astana) s.t.
18. Frank Schleck (Radio Shack-Nissan) s.t.
19. Sergio Henao (Sky) s.t.
20. Sergio Pardilla (Movistar) s.t.
21. Johann Tschopp (BMC) s.t.
22. Juan Manuel Garate (Rabobank) s.t.
23. Mikel Nieve (Euskaltel) s.t.
24. Eros Capecchi (Liquigas) s.t.
25. Sylvester Szmyd (Liquigas) s.t.

26. Tom Jelte Slagter (Rabobank) @ 1min 27sec
27. Giovanni Visconti (Movistar) s.t.
28. Daniel Moreno (Katusha) s.t.
29. Jon Izaguirre (Euskaltel) s.t.
30. Matteo Rabottini (Farnese Vini) s.t.
31. Ivan Velasco (Euskaltel) s.t.
32. Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Barrauda) s.t.
33. Marco Pinotti (BMC) s.t.
34. Sandy Casar (FDJ-Big Mat) s.t.
35. Gustav Erik Larsson (Vacansoleil) s.t.
36. Peter Stetina (Garmin-Barracuda) s.t.
37. Jan Bakelants (Radio Shack-Nissan) s.t.
38. Przemslaw Niemiec (Lampre) s.t.
39. Ivan Santaromita (BMC) s.t.
40. Serge Pauwels (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) s.t.
41. Bart De Clercq (Lotto-Belisol) s.t.
42. Oliver Zaugg (Radio Shack-Nissan) s.t.
43. Hubert Dupont (Ag2r) s.t.
44. Kevin Seeldrayers (Astana) s.t.
45. Marzio Bruseghin (Movistar) @ 1min 39sec
46. Francis De Greef (Lotto-Belisol) @ 1min 47sec
47. Matteo Monteguti (Ag2r) @ 2min 22sec
48. Jackson Rodriguez (Androni Giocattoli) s.t.
49. Julien Vermote (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) s.t.
50. Sergey Lagutin (Vacansoleil) s.t.

GC after Stage 8:

1. Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Barracuda) 32hr 23min 25sec
2. Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) @ 9sec
3. Paolo Tiralongo (Astana) @ 15sec
4. Roman Kreuziger (Astana) @ 35sec
5. Benat Intxausti (Movistar) s.t.
6. Ivan Basso (Liquigas) @ 40sec
7. Damiano Caruso (Liquigas) @ 45sec
8. Dario Cataldo (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) @ 46sec
9. Frank Schleck (Radio Shack-Nissan) @ 48sec
10. Eros Capecchi (Liquigas) @ 52sec
11. Rigoberto Uran (Sky) @ 53sec
12. Michjele Scarponi (Lampre) @ 54sec
13. Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago-CSF) @ 55sec
14. Sergio Henao (Sky) @ 1min 10sec
15. Damiano Cunego (Lampre) @ 1min 14sec
16. Sylvester Szmyd (Liquigas) @ 1min 16sec
17. Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Barracuda) @ 1min 18sec
18. Sergio Pardilla (Movistar) @ 1min 20sec
19. Peter Stetina (Garmin-Barracuda) @ 1min 20sec
20. Daniel Moreno (Katusha) s.t.
21. Johann Tschopp (BMC) @ 1min 28sec
22. Thomas De Gendt (Vacansoleil) @ 1min 30sec
23. Marco Pinotti (BMC) @ 1min 43sec
24. Juan Manuel Garate (Rabobank) @ 1min 44sec
25. Bartosz Huzarski (NetApp) @ 1min 47sec
26. Serge Pauwels (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) @ 1min 54sec
27. Giovanni Visconti (Movistar) @ 2min 1sec
28. Jan Bakelants (Radio Shack-Nissan) @ 2min 3sec
29. Kevin Seeldrayers (Astana) @ 2min 15sec
30. Marzio Bruseghin (Movistar) @ 2min 24sec
31. Tom Jelte Slagter (Rabobank) @ 2min 26sec
32. Gustav Erik Larsson (Vacansoleil) @ 2mn 26sec
33. John Gadret (Ag2r) @ 2min 38sec
34. José Rujano (Androni Giocattoli) @ 2min 39sec
35. Przemyslaw Niemiez (Lampre) @ 2min 41sec
36. Gianluca Brambilla (Colnago-CSF) s.t.
37. Oliver Zaugg (Radio Shack-Nissan) @ 2min 42sec
38. Sandy Casar (Lotto-Belisol) @ 2min 50sec
39. Bart De Clercq (Lotto-Belisol) @ 2min 52sec
40. Ivan Santaromita (BMC) s.t.
41. Francis De Greef (Lotto-Belisol) @ 3min 17sec
42. Mikel Nieve (Euskaltel) @ 3min 18sec
43. Diego Ulissi (Lampre) @ 3min 23sec
44. Branislau Samoilau (Movistar) @ 3min 24sec
45. Volodymir Gustov (Saxo) @ 3min 27sec
46. Sergey Lagutin (Vacansoleil) @ 3min 39sec
47. Grischa Niermann (Rabobank) @ 3min 55sec
48. Hubert Dupont (Ag2r) @ 4min 10sec
49. Thomas Rohregger (Radio Shack-Nissan) @ 4min 44sec
50. Ivan Velasco (Euskaltel) @ 4min 54sec

Points Competition

1. Matthew Harley Goss (GreenEdge): 65 points
2. Mark Cavendish (Sky): 55
3. Miguel Angel Rubiano (Androni Giocattoli): 36
4. Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago-CSF): 35
5. Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha): 30

Climbers' Competition

1. Miguel Angel Rubiano (Andorni Giocattoli): 24 points
2. Michal Golas (Omega Pharma-Quick Step): 16
3. Paolo Tiralongo (Astana): 9
4. Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago-CSF): 9
5. Cesare Benedetti (NetApp): 7

Young Rider

1. Damiano Caruso (Liquigas) 32hr 24min 10sec
2. Rigoberto Uran (Sky) @ 8sec
3. Sergio Henao (Sky) @ 25sec
4. Peter Stetina (Garmin-Barracuda) @ 38sec
5. Tom Jelt Slagter (Rabobank) @ 1min 41sec

Withdrawals

Dennis Van Winden (Rabobank)
Daniele Bennati

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Stage 8 map and profile

Stage 8 map

Stage 8 profile

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Photos from stage 8:

Before the start: White Jersey Peter Stetina and Pink Jersey Ryder Hesjedal

Ivan Basso signs autographs

Panorama

Miguel Minguez leads the day's break.

Peter Stetina on Ryder Hesjedal's wheel

The sprinters don't enjoy these days of heavy roads. Marck Cavendish finished 21 minutes behind Pozzovivo.

Michele Scarponi

Both Liquigas and Astana spent a lot of time at the front during the final climb.

The move that won the day. Domenico Pozzovivo attacks near the end of the final climb.

Benat Intxausti went after Pozzovivo, but couldn't close the gap.

With happy fans alongside, you can see how small Pozzovivo is.

A perfectly timed attack gave perfect results.

Intxausti barely held off the pack.

Joaquin Rodriguez wins the field sprint.

Ryder Hesjedal got in trouble near the top of the last climb, but the other contenders failed to put him top the sword.

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