Stage 8

The road

At the start

The hardest day so far, in the Jura

A third straight win for Kittel, this one by millimetres over Boasson Hagen, and still nothing has changed at the front: Froome, then Thomas at twelve and Aru at fourteen. Today the road finally goes up — 192 kilometres into the Jura on narrow roads, the category-one Combe de Laisia les Molunes beginning 23 kilometres out and steepest at its summit, then six kilometres down and three more up to Station des Rousses.

How it was won

1. 191 km to go

   A blazing breakaway

   On a furiously fast day the big early break shatters and reforms on the Col de la Joux, two and a half minutes clear of a Sky-led peloton.

2. 254 km to go

   Van Avermaet jumps

   On the Côte de Viry, Van Avermaet, Barguil and Bakelants leap away, forcing the day’s decisive selection off the front.

3. 317 km to go

   Calmejane attacks

   On the final cat.1 climb Lilian Calmejane jumps clear of the lead group; only Nicolas Roche can chase, and only briefly.

4. 44 km to go

   Fighting the cramp

   Alone on the saw-edged run-in, Calmejane seizes with cramp but grits through it, refusing to let Gesink’s pursuit catch him.

5. 5At the line

   Calmejane survives

   Lilian Calmejane holds on for his first Tour de France stage win, 37 seconds ahead of Robert Gesink.

The result