Michael Rasmussen won the eighth stage of the Tour de France on Sunday to take the overall lead in the race after a second day of grueling climbs in the Alps.
The Danish rider, the Tour's best climber for the past two years, crossed the finish line alone after the 165km run from Le Grand-Bornand to Tignes, which featured three Category 1 climbs and an uphill finish.
Rasmussen finished in 4 hours, 49 minutes, 40 seconds to win his third Tour stage and don the overall leader's yellow jersey for the first time in his four appearances. Iban Mayo of Spain was second, 2:47 behind, followed by Alejandro Valverde of Spain, 3:12 back.
PHOTO: AP
Rasmussen took the yellow jersey from German rider Linus Gerdemann, who had won the seventh stage on Saturday. Rasmussen holds a 43-second lead over Gerdemann and a 2:39 gap over Mayo.
The ride into the Alps had been expected to offer an early shake-out among the favorites, but two time-trials and the Pyrenees also lurk down the road in the three-week race that ends on July 29 on the Champs-Elysees in Paris.
"I'm a climber, and a pure climber," Rasmussen said. "If I have to go all the way, and take the yellow jersey all the way to Paris, I will have to climb faster than I have ever done in my life."
"There's still two more weeks of racing and I still have 110km of time-trialing to negotiate," he added. "And I think I've proven in the past that it's not exactly my specialty."
Most of the top riders stayed close to the overall lead, but contender Alexandre Vinokourov lost time as he continues to recover from knee injuries he sustained in a crash Thursday.
"The team was incredible today," Vinokourov said of his Astana teammates, who stayed with the Kazakh rider to keep him from losing too much time. "We tried to limit the damage."
"I'm holding onto hope," added Vinokourov, seen by many as the pre-race favorite.
He finished nearly four-and-a-half minutes behind Rasmussen and trails Rasmussen by 5:23 in the overall standings in 22nd place.
Among the favorites, Valverde is fourth overall, 2:51 behind the leader. Vinokourov teammate Andrey Kashechkin is 2:52 back, Cadel Evans of Australia trails by 2:53 and Christophe Moreau of France is 3:06 off the leader's pace.
It was a bad day for Gerdemann's T-Mobile team. The team's Australian leader, Michael Rogers, injured his shoulder in a crash and dropped out, as did British teammate Mark Cavendish, who crashed twice in earlier stages.
Australian rider Stuart O'Grady of Team CSC, who also crashed on Sunday, injured his back, quit the race, and was taken to a nearby hospital for tests.
Riders enjoy a rest day today before the last Alpine course, a 159.5km stage from the Val d'Isere ski station to Briancon, featuring the Iseran and Galibier passes, two ascents that are among the hardest in the three-week race.
? fan injured by rider
AP, TIGNES, France
An elderly man was in serious condition at a hospital on Sunday after being hit by German rider Patrik Sinkewitz after the eighth stage of the Tour de France, organizers said.
Sinkewitz was riding to his hotel after finishing the stage from Le Grand-Bornand to Tignes when he hit the 78-year-old man.
"While he was returning to his hotel, the T-Mobile rider Patrik Sinkewitz hit a spectator," Tour organizers said in a statement. "The spectator, who is in a very serious condition, has been taken to helicopter to a hospital near Grenoble."
Sinkewitz sustained facial injuries in the accident.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely