Latest from stages 8a & 8b of the Tour of Britain on Sunday September 18
The final day of the Tour of Britain, in front of amazing crowds in the centre of London saw British riders Alex Dowsett (Time Trial) and Mark Cavendish crown a great week long race with victories on the final two stages. Lars Boom won the overall from Steve Cummings, who finished second and Jan Barta who finished third.
HTC-HighRoad Report
The HTC-Highroad men’s squad for the Tour of Britain finished in top form on Sunday, putting Mark Cavendish across the line in first and earning him the points jersey. Cavendish finished part one of stage eight just thirteen points down, making the win in part two mandatory for winning the jersey. Sport director, Allan Peiper couldn’t be happier with the day’s result.
“Cav had a good ride in the time trial,” said Peiper, “The points competition was a priority for him so he was riding for good placement in the final stage.”
“Rabobank was doing a lot of the work at the front today, and Team Sky was also controlling,” Peiper continued, “But by the last kilometer Renshaw and Eisel were on top of it, and dropped Cav off in the usuall fashion for the last time. The crowds were great today, it was a spectacular finish for Cav in his home country, as well as for the team to finish a long tour on a high note.” This marks the five hundred and seventh win for team HTC-Highroad since 2008, and the eleventh win this year for Cavendish.
Photo Album for Stage 8A and 8B – Click here to view on Flickr
The Day in Photos
British Time Trial Champion Alex Dowsett took some high profile scalps like Lars Boom in the time trial making his non-selection for the World Time Trial Championships that much more puzzling.
Alex Dowsett gets his time trial underway
Ronan McLaughlin of An Post Dolan Bikes attacks straight out of the blocks in the final stage criterium.
Ronan McLaughlin opens up a gap while in the background, Kristian House attacks to bridge to the Irish rider.
The bunch controlled the gap very well with the lead for the leading duo never getting much above 40 seconds.
Ronan McLaughlin attacked Kristian House and then the Rapha rider returned the compliment going through the bell lap with a slender lead and the question was , in the wet, could he hold off the bunch. He wasn’t with the long straights on the Embankment playing into the peloton’s favour.
It has to be done! The peloton pass by Big Ben during the final stage.
POST RACE QUOTES
Lars Boom, Rabobank, Winner of the IG Markets Gold Jersey
“It was awesome. London is a very nice city. It’s a lovely country, I didn’t expect that. The public was awesome, a lot of cheering so it was a great week for us.
“My most memorable moment was the first stage, the circuit, the small roads, the rain – it was awesome. I wanted to win this morning, I felt confident on the halfway so I lost a little bit. Our team was very good this week, I was confident with them behind me so there was no problem.
“It’s different riding with six guys in the team. You see that HTC – Highroad are a bit less strong than normally maybe. We had a really good team with the guys who were here and I was feeling confident everyday.â€
Geraint Thomas, Sky ProCycling, Winner of The Prostate Cancer Charity Points Jersey
“We wanted to win the race and crashing on Stage Six didn’t help, and with Lars (Boom) sprinting so well we were always up against it. We thought that after a fifth this morning, I moved ahead of Cavendish so we thought we may as well go for it and try and get on the podium. Fortunately we did and the lads did a great job.  (Ben) Swift took me to the line. I had to get fifth if Cav won and fortunately I got fourth.”
Geraint Thomas reminds Hugh Porter he only fell off once in the Tour!
“A lot of ups and downs this week, quite literally as well. Every day we got stuck in and attacked the race. We learned a lot from last year and definitely improved from there. With only a couple of pro tour teams here everyone looks to us to control the race and make it hard so we’re making no excuses and I think we did well. Hopefully we can come back next year and win that gold jersey.
“Unbelievable support this week, especially the stage in Wales. We finished ten miles from my home in Cardiff where I grew up so it was great to ride on those roads in front of so many of my mates and fans was unbelievable. The crowds across the whole week are getting bigger all the time.â€
Jonathan Tierman Locke, Rapha Condor Sharp, Winner of the Skoda King of the Mountains Jersey
“I moved up two spots today (in general classification) so I am pretty happy with that. A bit disappointed I didn’t pick off another guy to get fifth place but if you’d said at the start of the week I’d sign for sixth place and Skoda King of the Mountains then I would definitely be happy with that.
“All the team have been scoring and helped keep me up there and out of trouble. Today when I punctured they brought me back from there so I owe a lot of it to them.
“My most memorable moment was my home stage for sure. Riding up Haytor Rocks with all the crowds was brilliant. People cheering my name, I’ve never had anything like that before.â€
Mark Cavendish, Team HTC – Highroad, Winner of TfL London Stage 8b
“I didn’t want to take too many risks today with the Worlds coming up. It was a wet finish and I saw (Ben) Swift lose his wheel on the second last corner so I backed off on the last corner and ended up 20 metres behind coming out the last corner. I thought it was too far back to get it but I went for it anyway and I came through on the line.
“It’s been really good to come away with three stage wins this week, can’t get much better. Not only that we go three first and second placings which is superb. Since 2007 and this year, to see how much The Tour has grown is amazing. It’s great to see all the support.
“It’s been perfect preparation for me for next week. The Vuelta looked too hard with too many crashes. I was able to control my training and I won two stages which was good.â€
Pieter Ghyllebert, AN Post – Sean Kelly, Winner of Yodel Sprints Jersey
“It was a wonderful week for me and the whole team. I loved the beautiful stages we did. Almost every day we were involved in the break so for the whole team it’s fantastic. It was a bit of a tough start with the weather but other than that it was very nice.â€
Steve Cummings, Sky Procycling, Second Overall
It was no suprise after Cummings had given Alex Dowsett such a good challenge in the British Time Trial Championships that he rode a time trial good enough for fouth in the stage and a result that lifted him to second overall.
“I think this time I was well beaten, whereas last time was different as I was so close. I’m happy with the overall position, my conditions good and that’s just racing, sometimes you have to lose.
“It was great. Alex did a fantastic time trial and everyone did really well, so I’m happy. I liked the Caerphilly stage up Caerphilly Mountain at the end. The harder stages I like, a little climb before the finish.
“My characteristics don’t really suit this race as I’m not fast enough in a sprint, but a guy like Ben Swift or G (Geraint Thomas) can be up there in the finishing straight. You need to be able to take the bonus seconds and unfortunately that’s what lets me down a little bit.”
Jan Barta, Team NetApp, Third Overall
“Before the time trial start I wasn’t sure about how it all will turn out because it was hard for me to estimate the time trial qualities of the other top ten riders. So I started putting in everything I had.
“My efforts got rewarded and I am happy that I finished this tour third overall. It was a tough week to all of us due to the weather conditions in the beginning of The Tour, but everything was very well organized so we had a great time, too. I hope I can come back next year to do even better.”
Jelle Wallays, UNISON Best Young Rider
“It was a very good race, a good organisation, but the weather was not so good!
“I’m very happy to win, it’s good for me. I worked up to this race, and now Friday is the World Championships for me and I hope I can do something there. In this race I have been a little bit sick because I have a cold, but we will see for Denmark.â€
TEAM SKY RACE REPORT
Team Sky finished off the Tour of Britain in style with Alex Dowsett taking victory in the London time trial while Steve Cummings secured second overall.
The eight-day race culminated in a double-header on the streets of London with Dowsett getting the day off to a great start with victory on the 8.8-kilometre course by five seconds.
The victory was significant for Dowsett as it came in his first race since claiming the British National Time Trial Championship, allowing the 22-year-old to wear his national colours in his home race.
Cummings also used the time trial to great effect to propel himself up the leaderboard, moving into second place overall, 36 seconds back on Lars Boom (Rabobank).
The Brit consolidated that position as the event finished with an evening circuit race which saw Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad) sprint to victory as Boom sewed up the overall while Geraint Thomas claimed the points jersey. Team Sky also comfortably secured the teams classification in their home race.
Stage winner Dowsett said: “Everything just clicked. I recceed the course twice and even when I got up this morning I knew that my legs weren’t going to feel as bad as they had done the last few days. It’s been a hard tour for all of us, always trying to put Lars Boom on the back foot so we’ve been attacking all the time and it takes it out of you. Yesterday was a slightly easier stage, being flat and quite controlled gave my legs a chance to come round. Once I got going I knew my legs were good and I could do a good ride.
“It’s amazing; it’s one of those things I would hopefully tell my children in years to come. It’s going to take a while to sink in. London has been pretty kind to me, it’s amazing.â€
Amazing – only one word needed for the crowds who lined the route in their tens of thousands for both stages.
Second placed Cummings added: “It’s a good result. Obviously with it being our home race it would be good if we could have won. We didn’t really have a lot of good luck throughout the race. I crashed, G (Geraint Thomas) crashed and then we came up against a really strong rider in Lars Boom on that terrain. But overall it’s pretty good.
“Today was great. It was a fantastic result from Alex. That was really special and obviously G got the points jersey today because he didn’t half have a bad crash. To get up and still do that was a great achievement.
“It was a really good atmosphere today. Every year it seems to be getting better and better – more and more people and supporters. It’s been like that everywhere this race not just London.â€
FINAL DAY RESULTS (Full Results)
Stage 8b
1   Mark Cavendish   HTC Highroad      1h 59′ 13”
2   Mark Renshaw   HTC Highroad      st
3   Robert Förster   UnitedHealthcare      st
4   Geraint Thomas   Sky ProCycling      st
5   Ben Swift   Sky ProCycling      st
6   Giacomo Nizzolo**   Leopard Trek      st
7   Tobyn Horton   Motorpoint      st
8   Andrew Fenn**   An Post – Sean Kelly      st
9   Dan Craven   Rapha Condor – Sharp      st
10   Stijn Neirynck   Topsport Vlaanderen      st
11   Cesare Benedetti   Team NetApp      st
12   Michael Matthews**   Rabobank      st
13   Jonathan McEvoy**   Motorpoint      st
14   Iker Camano   Endura Racing      st
15   Linus Gerdemann   Leopard Trek   at   0′ 5”
16   Roger Hammond   Team Garmin – Cervelo      st
17   Boy Van Poppel   UnitedHealthcare      st
18   Marcin Bialoblocki   Motorpoint      st
19   Daniel Lloyd   Team Garmin – Cervelo      st
20   Jelle Wallays**   Topsport Vlaanderen      st
21   Gediminas Bagdonas   An Post – Sean Kelly      st
22   Chris Jones   UnitedHealthcare      st
23   Stijn Joseph   Topsport Vlaanderen      st
24   Karl Menzies   UnitedHealthcare      st
25   Mark McNally**   An Post – Sean Kelly      st
26   Jan Barta   Team NetApp      st
27   Liam Holohan   Team Raleigh      st
28   Rene Mandri   Endura Racing      st
29   Thor Hushovd   Team Garmin – Cervelo      st
30   Jonathan Tiernan Locke   Rapha Condor – Sharp      st
31   Dominic Klemme   Leopard Trek      st
32   Franck Bouyer   Team Europcar      st
33   Bartosz Huzarski   Team NetApp      st
34   Gael Le Bellec   Team Raleigh      st
35   Alex Wetterall   Endura Racing      st
36   Andy Tennant   Rapha Condor – Sharp      st
37   James Sampson   Motorpoint      st
38   Michael Rogers   Sky ProCycling      st
39   Lars Boom   Rabobank      st
40   Jack Bauer   Endura Racing      st
41   Joost Posthuma   Leopard Trek      st
42   Peter Williams   Motorpoint      st
43   Stephen Cummings   Sky ProCycling      st
44   Andreas Dietziker   Team NetApp   at   0′ 12”
45   Julian Dean   Team Garmin – Cervelo      st
46   Zak Dempster   Rapha Condor – Sharp      st
47   Russell Hampton   Sigma Sport-Specialized      st
48   Gabriel Rasch   Team Garmin – Cervelo      st
49   Will Clarke   Leopard Trek      st
50Â Â Â Jan-Bert Lindeman**Â Â Â Vacansoleil – DCMÂ Â Â Â Â Â st
51   Tom Last   Sigma Sport-Specialized      st
52   Tom Murray   Sigma Sport-Specialized      st
53   Richard Handley**   Team Raleigh      st
54   Lars Bak   HTC Highroad      st
55   Bram Tankink   Rabobank   at   0′ 16”
56   Mathew Hayman   Sky ProCycling   at   0′ 19”
57   Rory Sutherland   UnitedHealthcare   at   0′ 20”
58   Simon Richardson   Sigma Sport-Specialized      st
59   Jamie Sparling   Team Raleigh      st
60   Alexandre Pichot   Team Europcar      st
61   Wouter Sybrandy   Sigma Sport-Specialized      st
62   Leopold Koenig   Team NetApp   at   0′ 23”
63   Kenny De Ketele   Topsport Vlaanderen   at   0′ 24”
64   Preben Van Hecke   Topsport Vlaanderen      st
65   Bernhard Eisel   HTC Highroad      st
66   Jonathan Clarke   UnitedHealthcare      st
67   Mathieu Claude   Team Europcar      st
68   Rik Flens   Rabobank   at   0′ 54”
69   Damien Gaudin   Team Europcar   at   0′ 55”
70   Pieter Ghyllebert   An Post – Sean Kelly   at   1′ 2”
71   Ronan McLaughlin   An Post – Sean Kelly   at   1′ 21”
72   Yohann Gene   Team Europcar   at   1′ 26”
73   Matt Brammeier   HTC Highroad   at   1′ 40”
74   Alex Dowsett   Sky ProCycling      st
75   Steve Lampier   Sigma Sport-Specialized   at   1′ 48”
76   Anthony Charteau   Team Europcar   at   1′ 59”
77   Coen Vermeltfoort   Rabobank   at   2′ 7”
78   Mark Cassidy   An Post – Sean Kelly   at   2′ 20”
79   Kristian House   Rapha Condor – Sharp   at   2′ 59”
FINAL OVERALL
1   Lars Boom   Rabobank      2h 57′ 35”
2   Stephen Cummings   Sky ProCycling   at   0′ 36”
3   Jan Barta   Team NetApp   at   0′ 55”
4   Linus Gerdemann   Leopard Trek   at   0′ 57”
5   Jonathan Tiernan Locke   Rapha Condor – Sharp   at   1′ 3”
6   Iker Camano   Endura Racing   at   1′ 7”
7   Jelle Wallays**   Topsport Vlaanderen   at   1′ 12”
8   Joost Posthuma   Leopard Trek   at   1′ 13”
9   Leopold Koenig   Team NetApp   at   1′ 19”
10   Daniel Lloyd   Team Garmin – Cervelo   at   1′ 25”
11   Michael Rogers   Sky ProCycling   at   1′ 30”
12   Geraint Thomas   Sky ProCycling   at   1′ 55”
13   Mark Cavendish   HTC Highroad   at   2′ 23”
14   Boy Van Poppel   UnitedHealthcare   at   2′ 52”
15   Andrew Fenn**   An Post – Sean Kelly   at   2′ 53”
16   Dominic Klemme   Leopard Trek   at   3′ 2”
17   Jan-Bert Lindeman**   Vacansoleil – DCM   at   3′ 10”
18   Dan Craven   Rapha Condor – Sharp   at   3′ 18”
19   Bram Tankink   Rabobank   at   3′ 39”
20   Rory Sutherland   UnitedHealthcare   at   3′ 52”
21   Michael Matthews**   Rabobank   at   4′ 14”
22   Lars Bak   HTC Highroad   at   5′ 3”
23   Stijn Neirynck   Topsport Vlaanderen   at   5′ 14”
24   Russell Hampton   Sigma Sport-Specialized   at   5′ 17”
25   Mathew Hayman   Sky ProCycling   at   6′ 55”
26   Alex Dowsett   Sky ProCycling   at   8′ 20”
27   Jack Bauer   Endura Racing   at   8′ 58”
28   Bartosz Huzarski   Team NetApp   at   9′ 22”
29   Julian Dean   Team Garmin – Cervelo   at   9′ 37”
30   Gabriel Rasch   Team Garmin – Cervelo   at   9′ 40”
31   Alexandre Pichot   Team Europcar   at   9′ 41”
32   Thor Hushovd   Team Garmin – Cervelo   at   9′ 49”
33   Simon Richardson   Sigma Sport-Specialized      st
34   Gediminas Bagdonas   An Post – Sean Kelly   at   9′ 57”
35   Anthony Charteau   Team Europcar   at   10′ 15”
36   Jonathan McEvoy**   Motorpoint   at   10′ 41”
37   Rene Mandri   Endura Racing   at   11′ 7”
38   Zak Dempster   Rapha Condor – Sharp   at   11′ 14”
39   Marcin Bialoblocki   Motorpoint   at   11′ 19”
40   Liam Holohan   Team Raleigh   at   11′ 27”
41   Roger Hammond   Team Garmin – Cervelo   at   12′ 8”
42   Gael Le Bellec   Team Raleigh   at   12′ 13”
43   Chris Jones   UnitedHealthcare   at   12′ 29”
44   Bernhard Eisel   HTC Highroad   at   13′ 6”
45   Giacomo Nizzolo**   Leopard Trek   at   13′ 20”
46   Kristian House   Rapha Condor – Sharp   at   13′ 40”
47   Robert Förster   UnitedHealthcare   at   13′ 52”
48   Franck Bouyer   Team Europcar   at   13′ 55”
49   Andy Tennant   Rapha Condor – Sharp   at   14′ 11”
50   Wouter Sybrandy   Sigma Sport-Specialized   at   14′ 35”
51   Karl Menzies   UnitedHealthcare   at   14′ 47”
52   Richard Handley**   Team Raleigh   at   14′ 53”
53   Cesare Benedetti   Team NetApp   at   15′ 17”
54   Alex Wetterall   Endura Racing   at   15′ 36”
55   Ben Swift   Sky ProCycling   at   15′ 39”
56   Preben Van Hecke   Topsport Vlaanderen   at   16′ 3”
57   Mark Renshaw   HTC Highroad   at   16′ 18”
58   Mathieu Claude   Team Europcar   at   16′ 33”
59   Will Clarke   Leopard Trek   at   16′ 38”
60   Kenny De Ketele   Topsport Vlaanderen   at   16′ 47”
61   Andreas Dietziker   Team NetApp      st
62   Pieter Ghyllebert   An Post – Sean Kelly   at   16′ 59”
63   Ronan McLaughlin   An Post – Sean Kelly   at   17′ 12”
64   Peter Williams   Motorpoint   at   17′ 30”
65   Tom Last   Sigma Sport-Specialized   at   17′ 36”
66   James Sampson   Motorpoint   at   17′ 38”
67   Steve Lampier   Sigma Sport-Specialized   at   18′ 16”
68   Mark McNally**   An Post – Sean Kelly   at   18′ 19”
69   Jamie Sparling   Team Raleigh   at   18′ 32”
70   Yohann Gene   Team Europcar   at   18′ 38”
71   Matt Brammeier   HTC Highroad   at   19′ 38”
72   Tobyn Horton   Motorpoint   at   20′ 53”
73   Tom Murray   Sigma Sport-Specialized   at   21′ 19”
74   Damien Gaudin   Team Europcar   at   22′ 9”
75   Stijn Joseph   Topsport Vlaanderen   at   25′ 26”
76   Mark Cassidy   An Post – Sean Kelly   at   32′ 2”
77   Rik Flens   Rabobank   at   34′ 7”
78   Coen Vermeltfoort   Rabobank   at   35′ 27”
79   Jonathan Clarke   UnitedHealthcare   at   36′ 56”
POINTS
1   Geraint Thomas   Sky ProCycling
2   Mark Cavendish   HTC Highroad
3   Lars Boom   Rabobank
KOM
1   Jonathan Tiernan Locke   Rapha Condor – Sharp
2   Russell Hampton   Sigma Sport-Specialized
3   Stephen Cummings   Sky ProCycling
SPRINTS
1.   Pieter Ghyllebert   An Post – Sean Kelly
2.   Gediminas Bagdonas   An Post – Sean Kelly
3.   Ronan McLaughlin   An Post – Sean Kelly
Stage 8a, TfL London Stage Individual Time Trial
1 Alex Dowsett (GB, Sky Procycling) 10:14:73
2 Lars Boom (Ned, Rabobank)  @ 0:05
3 Lieuwe Westra (Ned, Vacansoleil DCM) same time
4 Steve Cummings (GB, Sky Procycling) @ 0:09
5 Geraint Thomas (GB, Sky Procycling) @ 0:16
6 Alex Wetterall (Swe, Endura Racing) @ 0:19
7 Michael Rogers (Aus, Sky Procycling) same time
8 Thor Hushovd (Nor, Garmin Cervelo) @ 0:23
9 Damien Guadin (Fra, Europcar)  @ 0:25
10 Joost Posthuma (Ned, Leopard Trek) @ 0:26
Overall General Classification, after Stage 8a
1 Lars Boom (Ned, Rabobank)  24:58:17
2 Stephen Cummings (GB, Sky ProCycling)Â @ 0:36
3 Jan Barta (Cze, Team NetApp) @ 0:56
4 Linus Gerdemann (Ger, Leopard Trek) @ 0:57
5 Leopold Koenig (Cze, Team NetApp) @ 1:01
6 Jonathan Tiernan Locke (GB, Rapha Condor Sharp) @ 1:03
7 Jelle Wallays (Bel, Topsport Vlaanderen) @ 1:12
8 Iker Camano (Spa, Endura Racing) same time
9 Joost Posthuma (Ned, Leopard Trek) @ 1:13
10 Daniel Lloyd (GB, Team Garmin – Cervelo) @ 1:25
Live Updates
(If the text updates are not visible in your browser, go to http://twitter.com/aussielarry)
2011 Tour of Britain – Stage by Stage
1. Peebles to Dumfries, 170km (Sunday September 11)
2. Kendal to Blackpool, 138km (Monday September 12)
3. Stoke-on-Trent to Trentham Gardens, 140km (Tuesday September 13)
4. Welshpool to Caerphilly, 180km (Wednesday September 14)
5. Exeter to Exmouth, 180km (Thursday September 15)
6. Taunton to Wells, 146km (Friday September 16)
7. Bury St Edmunds to Sandringham, 200km (Saturday September 17)
8a. London 9km individual time trial (Sunday September 18)
8b. London 90km criterium (Sunday September 18)
