As it happened: GC riders battle out stage 8 in summit finish sprint

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UAE Team Emirates took control from the start and rode all the way to allow Pogačar to sprint for his third stage win

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Buongiorno and welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of stage 8 of the 2024 Giro d'Italia!

It is time to go climbing again. As we come to the penultimate stage of the opening week of the 2024 Giro d'Italia. Today, the riders will take on six climbs with only three catagorised and a summit finish on the famous Prati di Tivo.

Tadej Pogačar (UAD) now has a gap of +2'36" on Dani Martinez (BOH) and +2'46" over Geraint Thomas (IGD). This may be a done deal in the GC already. However, this is the Giro. It is never ever as simple as the Tour of the Vuelta may be. Anything can still happen. 

Just one DNS to speak of so far today and that is the European champion of Christophe Laporte (TVL). His and his team's luck have deserted them this season.

The jerseys going into today:

The weather for today's stage...

This could be a perfect day for a big breakaway to go all the way. It really depends on the composition of the group and what Pogačar along with his team of UAE Team Emirates want to do. 

Riders like Rubio (MOV), Chaves (EFE), Steinhauser (EFE), V. Paret-Peintre (DAT), Piganzoli (PTK), Pellizzari (VBF), Quintana (MOV), Storer (TUD) and several others could be looking to jump into top 10 in the general classification as well as fight for a stage win. 

The peloton have started the neutral zone. 

Here is some more information about Visma-Lease a Bike's Christophe Laporte who abandoned this morning. Click the link below...

All pink for Pogačar (UAD) and all white for Plapp (JAY)... The Pink Panther and the Milky Bar Kid! 

152km to go

Five UAE Team Emirates on the front of the peloton already. 

Crash!

Attack

DSM-Firmenich-PostNL chase the break down. 

Attack

Mechanical

UAE Team Emirates are chasing furiously behind as this group is just too big. 

Dropped

Attack

A large Grupetto has now formed with almost all the sprinters as well as, surprisingly, Ganna (IGD). 

Over the top of the first uncategorised climb and the main break has been caught with just the two leaders left clear. UAE Team Emirates aren't going to be keen to let Steinhauser (EFE) go clear as he is 16th at +5'56".

140km to go

Tobias Foss (IGD) is trying to bridge across to the leaders. As is Martin Mercellusi (VBF).

Attack

Several riders are still trying to fire across to the leaders but the peloton aren't happy with the latest composition of this new chase group. 

Onto the Forca Capistrello. 16.3km at an average of 5.6% with kicks of around 9%. 

Dropped

The leading trio have been caught and we have a group of maybe 25 riders. 

Attack

New leading quad:

A huge group now has a growing gap as the UAE Team Emirates riders are not able to control the race. They still lead the peloton, but Pogačar only has Majka and Novak with him now. 

Großschartner has rejoined Pogačar, Novak and Majka on the front as Bjerg is dropped after his big Olympic qualifier effort yesterday. 

Attack

The best time on Strava for Forca Capistrello is 40'16" set by Matteo M back in March 2014. He may be seeing his time be demolished today with the pace these riders are going. 

The chasing breakaway group catches the leaders but it is splitting up into a more manageable size as Alaphilippe (SOQ) breaks the group again. Bardet (DFP) is up there with his compatriot. 

120km to go

The gap from the leaders back to the peloton has now gone over a minute for the first time. Four riders now with Pogačar (UAD) at the front of the bunch. 

Mechanical

Attack in chase group

Valentin Paret-Peintre (DAT) pings across to the leaders very nicely. He looks very goo today. 

KoM

110km to go

100km to go

It has been a rapid first hour and a half.

The chasing group make it back to the leaders and the break is now made up of 14 riders with +1'54" back to the UAE Team Emirates led peloton. 

Mechanical

Puncture

The break are not working well together at all. So many trying to sit on and save the legs. 

80km to go

Rear puncture

Martin Marcellusi (VBF) took the intermediate sprint. There has been no confirmation on the points as of yet. 

70km to go

Simon Geschke (COF) has made it back to the breakaway after his puncture. He had to put in a big chase there and may suffer later because of it. 

60km to go

Mikkel Bjerg (UAD) has single handedly brought the time gap down to +1'15". The break aren't pushing that hard according to the data being shown, though. Similar wattage to the peloton, which means the peloton have the advantage on the leaders.  

Great to see this fabulous jersey and bike of the African continental champion, Henok Mulubrhan (AST), in the breakaway today. 

Three riders going for the InterGiro sprint. Of course, three, two and one bonus seconds available. 

Heading onto the Croce Abbio now. 7km to the top of the climb. 

Attack in break

Dropped from break

The attacking stalls in the break and that allows De Marchi (JAY) and Alaphilippe (SOQ) get back in. 

Apparently the time gaps are 20" to 30" less than the graphics say they are. 

40km to go

KoM

Now onto the descent towards the base of the Prati di Tivo. 

UAE Team Emirates bring Pogačar up to fifth wheel with Majka on his wheel working as sweeper for the moment. Bjerg, Laengen, Novak and Großschartner all in front of him. 

30km to go

The time gap drops inside a minute for the first time. 

20km to go

Final climb

Dropped from break

Dropped from peloton

Dropped from peloton

Magnus Sheffield (IGD) is the rider leading the breakaway as multiple riders have lost touch including Quintana (MOV) and Mulubrhan (AST). 

Dropped from peloton

Attack in break

Dropped from break

JP Lopez (LTK) is yoyoing on and off the back of the peloton. Meanwhile, in the break, Verre (ARK) is caugh as Bardet (DFP) and V. Paret-Peintre (DAT) lead the break. 

10km to go

Attack in break

Dropped from peloton

Caught

Schachmann (BOH) swings off and is dropped after a big effort for Martinez who only has Aleotti left with him. 

Valentin Paret-Peintre (DAT) is doing a brilliant ride, here. +22" on the Novak (UAD) led peloton with 7.5km to go. 

Bonus sprint

Dropped

5km to go

Großschartner (UAD) swings off and Majka (UAD) takes over the pacing in the GC group. V. Paret-Peintre (DAT) is clinging onto his lead now by just 8".

Dani Martinez (BOH) loses Giovanni Aleotti (BOH) whoswings off and is dropped by the GC group.

4km to go

Michael Storer (TUD) is actually lasting the longest of the breakaway riders as he is still in the GC group. 

3km to go

Majka (UAD) ramping up the pace again as he receives instructions from Pogačar (UAD). 

2km to go

Attack

That attack splits the group in half. 

Attack

Attack

Flamme Rouge

500 metres to go as Majka (UAD) is leading once again. 

250 metres to go as the sprint is being readied. 

Tadej Pogačar (UAD) wins stage eight of the Giro d'Italia 2024. Three stage wins for him and yet more time gained on the rest. 

Stage 8 top 10

Geraint Thomas on his performance: "Much better from me today. (It was like) night and day." Said the Welshman. "I wasn't able to sprint with those guys."

Tadej Pogačar (UAD) says his team was really up for the stage win today, especially after Bjerg made it back in after the first major climb. Also, Pogačar is looking forward to the sprint stage tomorrow followed by the first rest day of the race. 

Read our race report by clicking HERE and keep it in your tabs as more info is added in the next hour or so. including quotes and the up-to-date General Classification, as well. 

General Classification after stage 8

That brings our live updates of stage 8 of the 2024 Giro d'Italia to a close. Thank you very much for following along. Hopefully you will be back again for the stage into Napoli tomorrow. But for now, it's goodbye and have a lovely rest of your Saturday. 

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