and welcome to VeloNews.com's Live Coverage of the eighth stage of the 95th edition of the Tour de France, a 172.5-kilometer race from Figeac to Toulouse.

This is what race organizers call a transitional stage, one linking two days of climbing. The sprinters will be hoping that this one could go their way, but it contains a lot of nagging uphills, four of them categorized, on a winding course between Figeac (population 10,500) and Toulouse, a city of 440,000. The hills are non-stop through the southern foothills of the Massif Central as the route skips across the Lot, Aveyron, Viaur, Ceret and Tarn valleys in the opening 115km. There are some rollers in the final 20km, but the run-in to the center of Toulouse is mostly on wide, straight avenues favorable to a mass-sprint finish on the Boulevard Lascrosses.

No less than 24 Tour stages have finished in Toulouse, the most recent being five years ago when Spaniard Juan Antonio Flecha (still with Rabobank) got away from a small breakaway group on the run-in to the finish on an airfield to the east of town. There was also a solo winner in 1985, when Frenchman Frederic Vichot pulled into the downtown finish three minutes clear of the peloton. Vichot's teammate Sean Kelly won the field sprint that day.

The last time there was an all-out sprint for the stage win was in 1978, when Frenchman Jacques Esclassan out-kicked Dutchman Jan Raas and Belgian Freddy Maertens.

riders are nearing the end of the day's 4.8km neutral zone and racing should begin shortly. We can expect the usual early attacks. Let's see who's feeling frisky today.

left the start today, meaning we've lost 10 since the start a week ago. The big news was yesterday's exclusion of Manuel Beltran of Liquigas. He apparently tested positive for EPO. Last we heard he was cooling his jets at the police station in Aurillac. The rest of the team, however, was permitted to start today. Tour policy allows the team to continue unless there is evidence of an organized effort on the part of the team to encourage doping.

One rider who we will miss today is Magnus Backstedt. The Garmin rider missed the time cut yesterday, so he was cut from the Tour. It was a tough day for big Maggy. He finished more than half-an-hour behind the day's stage winner.

we have the first attack from the field. Seven riders have slipped of the front at three km. The peloton doesn't seem to be in the mood to let this bunch go, though.

If you have a question, comment or complaint, feel free to hit the "Contact our editors" link below the Live Update Window and we'll try to answer your questions, post some of your comments or address your concerns.

are back in the peloton. Interestingly, one of the riders out front was Garmin's Will Frischkorn, who appears to be in the mood for another long day off the front.

the peloton is all together, but we can expect to see someone charge of the front to score points atop the Cote de Loupiac.... and there they go. Three riders are trying for those points.

We'll try to find out who scored those KOM points. There are three climbs remaining:The Category 3 Cote de Macarou, which summits at 36.5km
The Cat. 4 Cote de la Guionie (52.5km)
The Cat. 3 Cote du Port de la Besse (70.5km).

The three escapees grabbed top points on the Cat. 4

1. David De La Fuente (Saunier Duval), 3 points
2. Simon Gerrans (Credit Agricole) 2 points
3. Egoi Martinez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) 1 point

Martinez and Gerrans tried to maintain their advantagem but are now back in the peloton, but a new group has emerged. We don't have IDs yet.

the leaders are in the town of Encastrades at 16km. The 10 escapees are still very close to the peloton.

While the Italian team has been allowed to continue the Tour, Vuelta organizers announced today that the entire squad will be excluded from their race if Manuel Beltran's B sample comes back positive.

And so it goes.

back in the peloton, which is now at the 20km mark.

Roland from Canada writes:

Hi guys - great coverage - especially for a guy like me in the Canadian wilderness who has no cable/satellite connection.

My question: When did High Road become Columbia - and did the name change reflect a sponsorship change?

Hello Roland,

We're glad that you at least have 'net access.

High Road (which emerged from the ashes of the T-Mobile team) operated under the High Road name until it landed a title sponsor. Columbia Sportswear signed on just before the Tour, and the team made the rapid kit change to reflect that. It's a good sign, just as it is that Slipstream secured a title sponsor in Garmin at about the same time.

The peloton is heading to the town of Farrou. The field is still together.

the peloton is still holding together.

The weather is a bit on the rough side today. The roads are wet and it's really pouring at the finish in Toulouse. The wind - which we incorrectly ignored in yesterday's report - is strong today. There is a 20kph sidewind. That could be a factor later in the stage.

are taking a dig. Cofidis is chasing. The team appears to be interested in keeping Sylvain Chavanel in position for climber's points.

Overall KOM
1. David De la Fuente (ESP), SDV at 28pts
2. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA), COF at 27
3. Thomas Voeckler (FRA), BTL 27
4. Luis Leon Sanchez (ESP), GCE at 24
5. Riccardo Ricco (ITA), SDV at 20
6. Alejandro Valverde (ESP), GCE at 18
7. Josep Jufre (ESP), SDV 18
8. Cadel Evans (AUS), SIL at 16
9. Frank Schleck (LUX), CSC at 14
10. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA), LIQ 14

The break is up to 12 riders now. We still have no IDs from race radio, suggesting that the gap is still less than 30 seconds.

Wait... make that 14.

At 33km, we still have a small gap, a fact underscored by the addition of new riders in the break.

Ted in Georgia writes to ask

I have a question about Beltran. What is a 'counter' sample or 'b' sample and how is it different than the 'a' sample? I'm wondering why he would think that his 'b' sample is going to come back negative if they were taken at the same time, or are they?
Thanks,
Ted

Yes, they are taken at the same time. Samples are divided into two separate containers. The B sample is tested to confirm the original test, a requirement of the World Anti-Doping Agency standards, and a practice that had been in place for many years prior to the creation of WADA.

At 35km, the peloton is back together, but we're now on the slopes of the Cat. 3 Cote de Macarou, so we can expect more attacks, especially from the KOM crowd.

is coming apart on the climb. We have four riders off the front, with one unidentified climber charging to the top of the Cote de Macarou.

1. Laurent Lefevere (Bouygues Telecom) 4points
2. David De La Fuente (Saunier Duval) 3pts
3. Yoann Le Boulanger (Francaise des Jeux) 2pts
4. Sandy Casar (Francaise des Jeux) 1pt

is still out front. He's now 30 seconds ahead of the field as he rides through the town of Le Vidalou, while the rest of the KOM point winners are back in the peloton.

is trying to get a gap, but his advantage has been trimmed to 20 seconds at the 39km mark.

Lefevere is heading into the town of Les Alets and has bumped his lead to 44 seconds. Remember there is another climb coming up soon, so he's trying to at least score some more KOM points.

Lefevere courses through Les Alets and has bumped his lead to 1:01.

Laurent Lefevre is in 122nd place on GC, some 36:58 out of the lead.

The race is coming up on its highest point of the day, the Cat. 4 KOM at Cote de la Guionie. The line is at 583 meters. Then it's a rolling downhill ride into Toulouse.

With Lefevere 1:25 up the rode, Amets Txurruka (Euskatel-Euskadi) gives it a go.

Txurruka and Pineau, who went off in pursuit of Lefevere.

Riblon, Txurruka, Pinea are working together now in pursuit of Lefevere.

Lefevere still clear from his pursuants by more than a minute. Columbia is on the front of the pack behind.

Laurent Lefevre (Bouygues Telecom) leads three chasers by 1:30

Behind are

Jerom Pineau (Bouygues Telecom)

Amets Txurruka (Euskatel-Euskadi)

Christophe Riblon (AG2R)

The field, led by Columbia, is 2:30 behind Lefevre.

He now has a 3:00 lead on the peloton.

Over the day's third KOM

On average, for the first hour of racing.

The Basque rider was doing most of the work on the climb.

Uncontested, of course. He's just rolling along alone through Carmaux.

Follow through the sprint line in Carmaux.

We're having navigational issues with our map. We need a Garmin!

Lefevre is enjoying a downhill ride of a few Ks.

From there, Lefevre will start the Cat. 3 climb up Cote du Port de la Besse.

Although Lefevre isn't giving an inch on his three chasers - the gap is holding at 1:30 - the pack isn't overly concerned with any of the four men. The gap is nearly five minutes between the peloton and the trio.

With 105km to go in today's stage.

With his teammate Lefevre up there, Jerome Pineau has the luxury of sitting on Txurruka and Riblon in the break.

He is headed up the Cat. 3 climb alone. Some have speculated that he doesn't have a radio on, and therefore doesn't know he has a teammate trying to come across. Seems unlikely, though, doesn't it?

With a 1:40 gap on his three chasers.

On the fourth KOM of the day.

Cold and very wet conditions await the riders in Toulouse. And the roads aren't exactly dry for Lefevre as he continues to go it alone. His team car has pulled up along him. That should clarify the situation regarding his chasing teammate behind.

In fact, it seems like a lot of riders have been getting punctures today.

Lefevre is coming into La Moutette. The sprint at Carmaux is at 85km.

Is the gap between Lefevre and the pack, which Columbia continues to lead in a calm singlefile line.

The umbrellas are out by the side of the road. There are a few rain jackets coming out in the field, too.

Overall after stage 7

1. Kim Kirchen (LUX), Team Columbia at 28:23min40sec

2. Cadel Evans (AUS), Silence-Lotto at at0:06

3. Stefan Schumacher (GER), Gerolsteiner at 0:16

4. Christian Vande Velde (USA), Garmin-Chipotle at 0:44

5. Denis Menchov (RUS), Rabobank at 1:03

6. Alejandro Valverde (ESP), Caisse d'Epargne at 1:12

7. David Millar (GBR), Garmin-Chipotle at 1:14

8. Stijn Devolder (BEL), Quick Step at 1:21

9. Oscar Pereiro (ESP), Caisse d'Epargne 1:21

10. Thomas Lovkvist (SWE), Team Columbia 1:21

11. Samuel Sanchez (ESP), Euskaltel-Euskadi at 1:27

12. Carlos Sastre (ESP), CSC at 1:34

13. Frank Schleck (LUX), CSC at 1:56

14. Andy Schleck (LUX), CSC at 1:58

15. Bernhard Kohl (AUT), Gerolsteiner at 2:03

16. Maxime Monfort (BEL), Cofidis at 2:07

17. Damiano Cunego (ITA), Lampre at 2:09

Or something to that effect. After a chat with his team car, Lefevre appears have eased off a bit to wait for the three guys who have been trying to bridge up for some time now.

Breakaways are easier with a little help...

VIRTUAL yellow, that is. He's the current leader on the road. Of course Columbia will not let that stand. he and his breakaway partners are just being giving a leash to go have some fun before the race gets down to business toward the end.

A reader writes in:

What is the point of sending a good rider to “monitor” a breakaway? Yesterday, Sanchez was sent forward to “protect Valverde’s position”. Unlike the green and polka dot competitions, there are no points to steal in daily stages for the yellow. Unless he was instructed to throw his musette bag at Jufre, how does Sanchez’ presence “protect” his team leader?

I know Sanchez ultimately won, but like Hincapie’s initial role in the Tour stage he won, his orders were changed as the stage progressed. I just don’t get the initial order: to bridge up and monitor.

Thanks for the great coverage.

Penny O’Hara

Atlanta, Georgia

Well, Penny, the basic idea is this: When teams have a rider, any rider, in a breakaway, then they are no longer responsible to lend a hand in the chase. So you're right, it's not like the monitor can knock a dangerous rider off his bike. But, by having someone up in the move, the team can benefit from the work of other teams, who will be forced to go to the front of the pack to chase down the break. Does that make sense?

With Lefevre (finally) sitting up, the four men at the front of the race have come together.

1. Christophe Riblon (AG2R) 6 points

2. Laurent Lefevre (Bouygues Telecom) 4 points

3. Amets Txurruka (Euskatel-Euskadi) 2 points

With the two Bouygues Telecom riders together with the Euskaltel and AG2R guys up front, the pack has started to gain. The gap is no under 5 minutes.

Team High Road recently became Team Columbia, sponsored by the outdoor clothing company Columbia Sportswear. With the rainy weather being what it often can be in pro racing (like today), it can't hurt to be sponsored by a company from the Pacific Northwest. Those guys know rain gear.

Another reader writes:

Thanks for the great coverage! I just wanted to say that I'm very excited to see Christian Vande Velde sitting in 4th for GC! Go Christian!

Brad Reeser

York, PA

Not too shabby, eh? With VN's world headquarters sharing Christian's hometown of Boulder, Colorado, we can vouch that there are more than a few people similarly psyched about his Tour.

Lunchtime. This should allow the breakaway to open their gap up a bit more.

A Bouygues Telecom rider got sideways coming through at the back of the feedzone. He's up and on his way now.

As we pass nearby Albi, here's a story from last year's Tour. Albi hosted a time trial, which Astana's Alexander Vinokourov won ahead of Evans. With Vino later thrown out of the Tour, Evans was formerly awarded the win. By email. Here's hoping that everyone who wins stages this year gets to stand on the podium and do it properly.

As the race continues to roll south by southwest. No one is thrilled by the rain.

With a lead of just more than five minutes.

For those of you just going in, here is the current situation:

We have four men off the front with a 5:08 lead over the peloton, which is lead by Columbia.

The four are Laurent Lefevere and Jerome Pineau (Bouygues Telecom), Amets Txurruka (Euskatel-Euskadi) and Christophe Riblon (AG2R).

We've left the big climbs for the day, and the four have 72km left to ride into Toulouse.

It's raining.

Although today is considered a 'between stage,' tomorrow's stage 9 from Toulose to Bagneres-de-Bigorre could really shake things up. The 224km haul features no less than 7 categorized climbs, including two Cat. 1 mountains in the latter part of the race. It will be interesting to see how well race leader Kim Kirchen can handle the climbs and the inevitable attacks.

Back on the road, Lefevre, Txurruka, Riblon and Pineau have a lead of 5:21.

Pulls out his rear wheel, gets a change, and off he goes.

With 67km still to go, it is still very much in the best interests of the three riders ahead to let their fourth man get back on and share the workload.

As of this morning, here is the KOM standings:

1. David De la Fuente (ESP), SDV at 28pts

2. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA), COF at 27

3. Thomas Voeckler (FRA), BTL 27

4. Luis Leon Sanchez (ESP), GCE at 24

5. Riccardo Ricco (ITA), SDV at 20

6. Alejandro Valverde (ESP), GCE at 18

7. Josep Jufre (ESP), SDV 18

8. Cadel Evans (AUS), SIL at 16

9. Frank Schleck (LUX), CSC at 14

10. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA), LIQ 14

Today's race shouldn't change this competition much.

No more categorized climbs today. But riders will face two bumps near the finish, at Gamil (22km to go) and Castelmaurou (13km to go).

Back in the pack, Thor Hushovd must have given his boys the nod. The green and white men of Credit Agricole have gone forward to lend a hand in the chase. Today will likely be a sprinter's romp in Toulousse.

As of this morning, the green jersey competition looked like this:

1. Kim Kirchen (LUX), COL at 97 points

2. Oscar Freire (ESP), RAB at 91

3. Thor Hushovd (NOR), C.A at 90

4. Alejandro Valverde (ESP), GCE at 87

5. Erik Zabel (GER), MRM at 72

6. Robert Hunter (RSA), BAR at 66

7. Cadel Evans (AUS), SIL at 62

8. Riccardo Ricco (ITA), SDV at 55

9. Mark Cavendish (IDM), COL at 51

10. Romain Feillu (FRA), AGR at 49

Here are the guys we called definite contenders before the Tour kicked off.

1. Kim Kirchen (LUX), Team Columbia at 28:23min40sec

2. Cadel Evans (AUS), Silence-Lotto at at0:06

5. Denis Menchov (RUS), Rabobank at 1:03

6. Alejandro Valverde (ESP), Caisse d'Epargne at 1:12

12. Carlos Sastre (ESP), CSC at 1:34

13. Frank Schleck (LUX), CSC at 1:56

17. Damiano Cunego (ITA), Lampre at 2:09

Questions for the long haul.

1. Kim Kirchen (LUX), Team Columbia at 28:23min40sec

Kirchen can climb, but can he time trial with Evans?

5. Denis Menchov (RUS), Rabobank at 1:03

The Russian can climb and time trial. Can his Rabobank team defend?

6. Alejandro Valverde (ESP), Caisse d'Epargne at 1:12

Balaverde has alerady shown his enthusiasm and good form. He won the Dauphine Libere with good climbing and solid time trialing (which has always been a weakness). However, the Dauphine TT was a hilly affair. Can Valverde put the power down in the Tour's final time trial on stage 20?

12. Carlos Sastre (ESP), CSC at 1:34

13. Frank Schleck (LUX), CSC at 1:56

Can the CSC climbers make up time on Cadel in the mountains and maintain in the time trial?

17. Damiano Cunego (ITA), Lampre at 2:09

Can the Italian come back from his rough start at this year's Tour?

A reader writes:

Thanks for the coverage. Question, do the riders use different tires on a rainy day like today than on dry days?

Michael

Cambridge, MA>/blockquote>

Yes, they often do. Check out our tech editor's story on that here.

Voigt, Ciolek, maybe two others go down

But they're all up and riding again. Stage 6 winner Riccardo Ricco was also involved in the spill.

Thor is thinking of the final sprint, and the gap has come way down to 3 minutes.

The gap is now 2:30 to the four off the front. Looks like game over soon for those guys.

To refresh, Laurent Lefevre (Bouygues Telecom) rode alone for the better part of some time today, with three guys chasing. He seemingly had no idea that his teammate, Jerome Pineau, plus Amets Txurruka (Euskatel-Euskadi) and Christophe Riblon (AG2R) were trying to come across. When his team car finally made its way up to him, Lefevre sat up and the four came together. They worked well together for a while in the rain, but the peloton is now in the process of setting things up for a sprint finish.

Ricco has made it back into the caravan. He has three teammates pacing him back up to the pack after his crash.

He should rejoin the back before the full-gas run into the finish begins.

Led by Credit Agricole, the field has pulled within a minute of the four-man break.

Neither the GC rider's team, Columbia, nor the sprinter's teams, want the catch to happen to soon. That will just mean more attacks. So they'll likely want to keep the break out there just a little bit longer.

With 40km to go.

Down from the arrow-point shape of the hard chase. It's now a more relaxed affair with guys a few wide across the road.

Rolling through the wet streets of Rabastens, the four leaders have a 50-second gap.

At the start, most riders weren't too interested in talking about the news of Manuel Beltran's alleged positive test for EPO. But David Millar (Garmin-Chipotle) had this to say:

"It amazes me that people express surprise when a rider tests positive. This has been going on for 10 years, and it's not just going to stop overnight. It's not just cycling, it's professional sport, and it's never going to go away completely."

Here's the order in which the break rolled through the sprint in Rabastens.

1. Laurent Lefevre (Bouygues Telecom)

2. Amets Txurruka (Euskatel-Euskadi)

3. Jerome Pineau (Bouygues Telecom)

As the break gets closer, we have a few riders jumping clear from the pack. Trying to ID them.

He's going alone at 30km to go, trying to bridge to four up the road.

Erik Zabel's teammate is now in no man's land, halfway between the break and the peloton.

With 27km to go, the four only have 40 seconds to the peloton, with Terpstra caught in between.

Liquigas is helping. Columbia is right behind, and likely relieved to finally be off the front.

And is caught.

Is on of the oldest, and most decorated, sprinters in the bunch. Check out his details here.

Lefevre has been out in the wind since about 35km into the 172.5km day. The gap to him and his three breakaway companions who joined him earlier in the day is just under a minute.

The breakaway tops over a little rise. They have one more to tackle en route to the finish.

Although not pouring, it's not exactly dry for the riders, or at the finish.

Back in the States, a man who arguably should be riding in the Tour de France is riding in the Cascade Cycling Classic. Check out the latest report.

Is fast and flat. Wide open for the last 450 meters. With the rain pouring down, the fewer dicey turns through painted corners the safer for the riders.

The peloton is singlefile. The breakaway has just passed under the 15km to go banner with a 40-second gap.

The pace Liquigas is setting up front is hurting some guys in the back.

In the break, Txurruka has a go on the final rise before the finish.

And Txurruka claws his way up. But Riblon and Lefevre are struggling behind.

Liquigas is driving the front.

The other two are dangling about 10 seconds behind. The peloton is 47 seconds back.

Pineau has his tucked on the back of his head. There's really no good option with the rain. Visibility just isn't good with the water falling down and being sprayed up from the wheels.

Filippo Pozzato, riding in his fourth Tour, was one of our staff picks for the finish today. Liquigas also has Francesco Chicchi up there for the finish.

Txurruka and Pineau are holding their lead, currently at 40 seconds, as Riblon and Lefevre are caught.

Looks like race leader Kirchen wasn't happy with the rate at which the gap was (or wasn't) falling, and put his Columbia boys on the front.

Rain has stopped. But it's still sopping wet out here.

Credit Agricole and Gerolsteiner riders are also up there, keeping the pace simmering.

22 seconds is the gap with 6km to go.

Txurruka and Pineau are not giving up their gap without a fight.

14 seconds is the gap under the 5km to go banner.

The end is nigh.

Could be dicey for the field near the end.

Mark Cavendish loves a good sprint finish, and Columbia is eager to tee him up.

Still fighting.

It's all together with 2.5km to go

Is the order of the blue train.

Kim Kirchen, in his yellow jersey, is in the train, too. Right in front of Ciolek and then Cavendish. All teh boys are getting in on this fight.

You know McEwen wants in on this one, too. He hasn't got one yet.

Quick Step on teh front with 1.5km to go, as Columbia loses control.

The front is flying, everyone else went through very gingerly.

Singlefile now

for Rabobank

But Mark Cavendish comes around for an easy win.

But that's how the young Brit made it look by taking the win by two bike lengths... over his teammate Gerald Ciolek. Piece of cake.

Team Columbia's strong train served two purposes today: setting up Cavendish for a stomping win, and keeping Kirchen nice and cozy in yellow.

As the start of the day.

1. Mark Cavendish (Columbia)

2. Gerald Ciolek (Columbia)

3. Jimmy Casper (FDJ)

4. Oscar Freire (Rabobank)

5. Robert Forster (Gerolsteiner)

6. Erik Zabel (Milram)

7. Gert Steegmans (Quick Step)

8. Sylvain Chavanel (Cofidis)

9. Thor Husvhovd (Credit Agricole)

10. Robbbie Hunter (Barloworld)

To VeloNews.com's live coverage of stage 8 of the 95th Tour de France. Hop on over to our main site for a complete report, results and photos, which we'll have up just as soon as we can.