Critérium du Dauphiné stage 8 – Live coverage

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the final stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné and another day in the mountains.

Around 10 minutes until the riders roll out in La Léchère-les-Bains to start today's stage.

A lot more climbing ahead of the riders today, with six categorised climbs on the route, including the HC-rated Col de Joux Plane.

There's climbing from the very start with the fourth-cat Côte d'Esserts-Blay starting 100 metres into the stage. Will the break establish itself there or will we see another fast, long fight to get away?

The peloton have set off to begin the 147km stage. They're in the neutralised zone now.

A reminder of what happened yesterday on La Plagne. Richie Porte took over the yellow jersey after taking second on the stage, with Alexey Lutsenko and Geraint Thomas now in second and third. Mark Padun won the stage after attacking on the climb.

Read the full stage 7 report here

Porte will look to defend his yellow jersey today while new KOM leader Lawson Craddock might have a battle on his hand to win the blue and white polka dot jersey.

Sonny Colbrelli, meanwhile, is set to win the green jersey if he makes it to Les Gets. David Gaudu and Aurélien Paret Peintre are separated by five seconds in the white jersey battle.

A look at the start.

147km to go

And we're off! The peloton has started stage 8.

A climb from the start as the riders tackle the two-kilometre, four per cent slopes of the Côte d'Esserts-Blay.

Julien Bernard (Trek-Segafredo) and Franck Bonnamour (B&B Hotels p/b KTM) are among the first attackers.

It's Michael Schwarzmann (Bora-Hansgrohe) who takes a point for first over the summit. A small crash in the peloton takes down a handful of riders but they're up and running again.

144km to go / 3km done

A group of 20 plus is off the front on the descent as gaps appear after the fast start.

Mads Würtz Schmidt (ISN) has abandoned the race after a crash.

Stage 7 winner Mark Padun is among the riders on the attack at the moment.

136km to go / 11km done

Warren Barguil, Kenny Elissonde, Pierre Rolland, Nils Politt and Jorga Arcas are also attacking after making the break yesterday.

Jonas Vingegaard is also in the move, along with several others. More riders chase.

Michael Valgren (EF Education-Nippo) is among the chasers. We'll get a full list of names if this move establishes itself as the day's main break.

Tim Wellens and Patrick Konrad are also up there among the attackers.

127km to go / 20km done

The peloton has sat up now, with Ineos Grenadiers in charge. 4:40 to the break and we'll work on a full list of names of those out front.

The break: Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ), Guillaume Martin (Cofidis), Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma), Jorge Arcas, Imanol Erviti (Movistar), Patrick Konrad, Nils Politt (Bora-Hansgrohe), Dorian Godon (AG2R Citroën), Warren Barguil (Arkéa Samsic), Harry Sweeny (Lotto Soudal), Mark Padun (Bahrain Victorious), Julien Bernard, Kenny Elissonde (Trek-Segafredo), Pierre Rolland
Franck Bonnamour (B&B Hotels p/b KTM), Sander Armée (Qhubeka Assos)

Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal), Michael Valgren (EF Education-Nippo), Martijn Tusveld (Team DSM), Jan Bakelants (Intermarché-Wanty Gobert) are chasing.

117km to go / 30km done

The riders are on the second-cat Côte d'Héry-sur-Ugine currently. It's 10.2km long at five per cent. 

Five minutes for the break at the moment. No time check to the chasers at the moment.

Three major climbs in this first half of the stage with the Côte d'Héry-sur-Ugine, another second-cat of the Col des Aravis, and then the first-cat Col de la Colombière.

The chase group is 1:45 behind the break. Wellens is further back on his own.

The Tour de Suisse kicks off later today, with another eight days of racing coming straight up. We'll have the usual full live coverage, news and reports – all in our race hub page. 

Here's the latest from the race – Tom Dumoulin talking about his return to racing, time away from the sport, and future goals

The chasers are closing in though, as the leaders crest the climb.

A scene from the early stages of today's race.

Padun took five points over the top of the climb, with Politt and Bonnamour next in line. 

The Ukrainian is on 20 points now, 13 down on KOM leader Craddock. With three more climbs to come before the last one – HC-rated Joux Plane – he can take the jersey today.

A short descent and then they're climbing again to the base of the Aravis.

107km to go / 40km done

Fabio Jakobsen (Deceuninck-QuickStep) has abandoned the race.

A look at the next two climbs on the course.

The Valgren chase group is around 30 seconds down on the break currently.

The leaders hit the 6.7km, 7 per cent Aravis.

ISN are working at the head of the peloton. They have nobody in the break and nobody in the GC battl here.

The chasers are still closing in on the break, meanwhile.

97km to go / 50km done

The Valgren group has made it to the break midway up the Aravis.

3:45 back to the peloton now.

Having made it across, Bakelants is now dropped from the break as the riders get closer to the top of the climb.

Another five points for Padun over the top of the Aravis and he now has 25, eight behind Craddock. Valgren was second on the climb.

92km to go / 55km done

Four minutes back to the peloton at the top and now it's a long descent.

Bakelants made it back to the break on the descent and now the group passes through Le Grand-Bornand before heading back uphill for the Colombière.

Three minutes back to the peloton as the riders tackle the lower slopes of the 11.7km Col de la Colombière.

The second and final stage of the Tour de Suisse Women has just concluded.

Read about what happened here

Hideto Nakane (EF Education-Nippo) abandons the race. He was among those attempting to break away early on.

Movistar are in control of the peloton, meanwhile.

Bora-Hansgrohe riders Patrick Gamper and Michael Schwarzmann have also left the race. The latter worked hard to set up the break earlier. Politt and Konrad remain out front for the team.

Sweeny drops from the break. Ineos are on the front of the peloton now.

A reminder of the current GC top 10...

1 Richie Porte (Aus) Ineos Grenadiers 25:28:06
2 Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana-Premier Tech 0:00:17
3 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers 0:00:29
4 Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:33
5 Jack Haig (Aus) Bahrain Victorious 0:00:34
6 Miguel Angel Lopez Moreno (Col) Movistar Team 0:00:38
7 Ion Izagirre Insausti (Spa) Astana-Premier Tech
8 Ben O'Connor (Aus) AG2R Citroën Team 0:01:00
9 David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:01:12
10 Aurélien Paret Peintre (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team 0:01:17

The break is just a couple of kilometres from the top of the climb now.

A shot of the break from earlier today, with Barguil and Vingegaard leading the way.

AG2R duo O'Connor and Paret-Peintre shine on Critérium du Dauphiné summit La Plagne

Young climbers both leap into the top 10 at Dauphiné and hoping to stay there on Sunday's final stage

63km to go / 84km done

The break crosses the summit and it's another 10 points for Padun. He has 35 now and leads the KOM classification. Valgren, Politt and Barguil followed the Ukrainian over the top.

2:50 later, the peloton cross.

Another long descent for the riders now and there'll be some time in the valley before they tackle the Joux Plane.

The riders are out in the Alps among the snow-capped peaks today.

50km to go / 97km done

Padun is in the KOM lead with 35 points currently. Craddock is second on 33, and Valgren is in 26.

Around three minutes between the break and peloton as the riders approach the third-cat Côte de Châtillon-sur-Cluses.

A bike change for race leader Porte, but there's no drama. He quickly gets back to the peloton.

The gap still hangs around the 3:00-3:20 mark.

45km to go / 102km done

The break are on the Côte de Châtillon-sur-Cluses climb now. More points for Padun?

Ineos back in control on the front of the peloton after Porte's mechanical.

Politt and Martin took the two and one point over the top. 

There's a three-minute gap with 32 kilometres to go to the top of the Joux Plane.

Here's a look at Porte's bike change.

36km to go / 111km done

Nils Politt has a go from the break on this flat section of road in the valley.

The break is back together now. Ineos' work at the front of the peloton has brought the gap down to 2:50.

30km to go / 117km done

The break are 1km from the intermediate sprint and not much further from the foot of the Joux Plane.

Politt now putting in work for Konrad on the front. Here's a look at the climb – 11.6km at 8.6 per cent and it gets tougher towards the top.

Konrad is 20th on GC, 2:51 down. He just took the three bonus seconds and could move up quite a lot if the break holds this to the finish.

Job done for Politt as the climb starts. Bonnamour, Tusveld, Erviti and Bakelants out the back too.

Padun is pushing on already! Martin and Konrad are not far behind but the rest of the break are gone.

Ineo, Jumbo and Trek are on the front of the peloton as they hit the climb.

Green jersey Colbrelli drops out the rear as they start climbing – he has made it over some serious climbing with the peloton so far today

27km to go / 120km done

No Movistar on the front yet. They must have a plan for López today, surely.

Ben Hermans (ISN) and Nairo Quintana (Arkéa-Samsic) jump away from the peloton.

Fabio Aru drops from the peloton along with KOM jersey holder Craddock and Chris Froome.

Padun is 30 seconds clear out front already.

Quintana and Hermans are less than 10 seconds up on the peloton.

3:10 for Padun (and 45 seconds on the break!) as the peloton absorbs some of the dropped breakaway riders.

Steven Kruijswiijk (Jumbo-Visma) jumps across to Quintana and Hermans.

24km to go / 123km done

Kruijswijk flies past the two attackers.

Kruijswijk is 15th at 1:35 currrently. Quintana a spot lower at 1:44.

The Dutchman has 30 seconds on the peloton.

Ineos remain in control of the peloton. Nothing from Movistar yet.

50 seconds for Padun though. He's looking very good here.

21km to go / 126km done

The peloton is slimming down all the time but there have been no moves since Kruijswijk went.

Kwiatkowski pulls off the front, his work done. Quintana is dropped now, too. 4.5km from the top.

Vingegaard and Konrad are the only men left of the original break chasing Padun now. Kruijswijk passes several men as he rides on, including Barguil.

1:10 from Padun to the chasers now. He's 3:30 up on the break.

Padun out in front once again.

The Movistar men from the break put in some work on the front of the peloton.

19km to go / 128km done

2.5km to go to the top of the climb now. 

1:25 for Padun over the chase, 3:15 to Kruijswijk, 3:30 to the peloton.

Padun's second win doesn't look in doubt now. As soon as he got away from his breakmates it looked like a win might be on the cards.

Kruijswijk is caught by the peloton.

Three men left for Ineos including Porte as the group rolls on.

Valverde drops.

18km to go / 129km done

Tao Geoghegan Hart and Geraint Thomas work on the front.

Padun is 1.5km from the top.

Kruijswijk dropped.

Attack from López.

He's barely getting a gap here, just getting a few seconds ahead.

17km to go / 130km done

Padun makes it over the top, his KOM title in the bag now and the stage win surely to follow. He's still 3:20 up on the peloton as Aurelien Paret-Peintre drops from the group.

Attack by Jack Haig now.

Haig is 34 seconds down on GC and sweeps up some breakaway stragglers. Ineos lurk not far behind.

No time check for Haig yet as the peloton cross the top.

11km to go / 136km done

1:45 between Padun and the chasers. Three minutes back to the peloton.

Inside the final 10km for Padun now. Still some descending to go.

Haig has a few men with him just ahead of the peloton. Izagirre and Lutsenko are there.

Lutsenko is 17 seconds down on Porte on GC.

Porte is with Gaudu, Lopez and O'Connor in the chase.

Thomas crashes on the descent! He loses it on a corner but he's back up and running quickly.

The Welshman just slid out on a corner there.

Porte's group is almost back with the Haig group.

6km to go

Up front, Padun is still pushing on alone. This is an extended coronation for the Ukrainian.

Porte and Lutsenko groups are together now.

Padun, Vingegaard and Konrad are set to grab all the bonus seconds at the finish as things stand. 

The Porte group is two minutes down on Padun. Not sure where Konrad and Vingegaard are at the moment.

5km to go

Thomas hasn't made it back yet. He'll be falling in the GC with so many big hitters in Porte's group, though Porte's win is the main concern for Ineos.

Now the Porte group are looking around a bit as they head through Morzine.

4km to go

Thomas around 30 seconds down, reportedly.

O'Connor pushes on at the front. Izagirre has a go in response. Porte chases.

Lutsenko sticks to Porte as he makes the catch.

Porte, Izagirre, Lutsenko, Gaudu, O'Connor, Haig, Lopez, Kelderman in this group.

Haig tries to go now. Porte is sticking with Lutsenko.

3km to go

Now O'Connor goes again! Lutsenko chases and Porte follows.

All back together now. Lutsenko looks around.

Thomas is coming back now!

He's made it back now. The Ineos 1-3 is back on.

Thomas moves to the front straight away.

O'Connor goes again! He has enjoyed a strong race.

2km to go

Padun in no trouble out front, still two minutes up.

O'Connor is a minute down on overall, but 22 seconds off Lopez and Izagirre in sixth and seventh.

1.5km to go

Not long for Padun now.

O'Connor has 10-15 seconds here.

1km to go

Flamme rouge for Padun. It's in the bag now.

Just over four hours of action so far. Padun blows a kiss and waves at the camera.

Mark Padun (Bahrain Victorious) wins stage 8 of the Critérium du Dauphiné, his second win in two days!

Back to O'Connor now, who is still pushing on. Konrad and Vingegaard are presumably in the final kilometre now but we haven't seen them since Padun rode away.

Thomas and Porte control the group as they ride towards the line.

Vingegaard and Konrad come to the line now, in that ordeer. 1:36 down.

O'Connor takes fourth at 1:58.

The Porte group is led home by Gaudu at 2:10.

Richie Porte (Ineos Grenadiers) is the 2021 Critérium du Dauphiné champion!

An action-packed finish but in the end there was no change in the GC as Porte takes it.

O'Connor gains 13 seconds but not enough to move up.

Today's winner, Padun.

Here's what I could understand from Padun's post-stage interview. Hard to get everything, but sounds like he hadn't been fuelling properly in the past..

"It's a dream, something really incredible. After yesterday's victory it was so unbelievable. I tried to forget about yesterday and do whatever I should  today. The plan was to go with the break and probably be caught before the last climb and then help Jack in GC.

"I was in the break and then I heard from the climb that I can go for the polka dot jersey, so why not? I went, went, and then I had it. And then if I had two minutes before the last climb, I could go for the last climb as well, and we did. It was something incredible. I have to thank Jesus because it was a blessing from him.

"Honestly it's also that I've had a lot of problem with my weight in the past and then in the first stages I suffered from the post-altitude camp effect. Also I've been always feeling good and feeling empty and didn't understand why I felt really bad, so I went full gas on eating like I did in previous times and unexpectedly, I missed the energy."

Here's what GC winner Porte had to say after today's stage.

"This race, having been second here twice and once year losing second in the last kilometre, to finally win it I'm just over the moon. All the sacrifices, time away from my wife and two kids, is worth it. This team Ineos Grenadiers were just absolutely brilliant today.

"I know the descent of the Joux Plane well and we've done it many, many times, so decided to do it at my own pace. When I saw Geraint crash it wasn't ideal for the last six kilometres. He has some pretty bad road rash, but he'll be tip top for the Tour.

"I'm under no illusions as to what my job is at the Tour, but to win this race means so much to me. It's a race I've always enjoyed and to finally win it at 36 years old is a sweet moment."

Padun celebrates on the podim.

Our brief stage 8 report is up now. Read it here

We have live coverage of the first stage of the Tour de Suisse up and runnning now. Check it out here

We'll have more news and reaction from this race coming in throughout the afternoon, too.

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