In short
| Stage winner | Rémy DI GREGORIO |
 (yellow/white jersey) |
Moises DUENAS NEVADO |
 (green/white jersey) |
Bruno NEVES |
 (red polka dotted jersey) |
Sergio PARDILLA |
All classifications
| Stage |
|---|
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• Individual time• Individual points • Best climber • Best team |
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| Overall |
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• Individual time• Individual points • Best climber • Best team |
Stage by stage
| 1 | Thursday 31 August | 130 km |
| Charleroi - Charleroi | ||
| 2 | Friday 1 September | 180.5 km |
| Charleroi - Mont-Saint-Martin | ||
| 3 | Saturday 2 September | 144.5 km |
| Mont-Saint-Martin - Moyeuvre-Grande | ||
| 4 | Sunday 3 September | 149 km |
| Yutz - Metz | ||
| 5 | Monday 4 September | 151 km |
| Metz - Nancy | ||
| 6 | Tuesday 5 September | 161.5 km |
| Nancy - La Bresse | ||
| 7 | Wednesday 6 September | 163 km |
| La Bresse - Ornans | ||
| 8 | Thursday 7 September | 143.5 km |
| Salins-Les-Bains - Saint-Genis-Pouilly | ||
| 9 | Friday 8 September | 24.5 km |
| Chamonix-Mont-Blanc - Finhaut | ||
| 10 | Saturday 9 September | 145.5 km |
| Saint-Nicolas-La-Chapelle - Marcinelle-en-Montagne | ||
| Total | 1393 km | |
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The race
Thursday 7 September 2006| stage 8 | Salins-Les-Bains - Saint-Genis-Pouilly - 143.5 km |  |
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Di Grégorio the strongest
8th stage: Salins-les-Bains – Saint-Genis-Pouilly. 143,5 kilometres. On the day: 3 climbs and 2 intermediate sprints. Official start given at 12h34 for the 108 riders still in the race. Di Grégorio managed to outsprint Deignan after a breakaway that had started at kilometre 30. In the overall standing, Duenas Nevado keeps his yellow jersey.
The film of the stage
Straight from the start, the race proved to be nervous. Several riders tried to take off without however managing a decent gap. On the line of the first bonus sprint in Le Pasquier (km 16) De Gendt (UDB), Pichot (BTL) and Riblon (A2R) made it in the first positions with the pack only 30†behind. They were finally to be caught. Eventually at kilometer 30, Deignan (A2R), Levarlet (FRA), Roche (COF), Vorganov (ODB), Van der Linden (JAC), Gene (B TL), Di Gregorio (FDJ), Sladkov (JAR), Morizot (AUB), Mestre (POR), Kvachuk (UKR) and Opryshko (UKR) took off together from the pack. They made it to the top of the Côte de Le Voisinal (km 43) led by Di Gregorio, Mestre and Deignan with a 40†advantage on the peloton. The gap then stabilized until Gene decided to attack at kilometer 68. He was immediately chased by Deignan, Levarlet and Di Gregorio. At kilometre 80, Van der Linden, Mestre and Opryshko managed to catch up with the leading group. They could enjoy a 1’ lead on Roche, Vorganov, Sladkov and Morizot while the peloton remained 1’30 adrift.
Gradually Roche, Vorganov, Sladkov and Morizot moved closer. They were only 45†behind when starting the climb up the Col de la Vie Neuve Mairie while Pardilla also decided to break away from the pack, 1’50 adrift. Deignan tried his luck, immediately followed by Di Grégorio as several riders started suffering: Van der Linden and Mestre were at 35’’, Levarlet and Opryshko at 1’10, Gene, Pardilla, Roche, Sladkov and Morizot at 1’40 and the pack at 2’55. Slowly but surely, the Riche group started closing in on Levarlet and Opryshko. Levarlet and Sladkhov were again dropped.
At the top of the Col de la Vie Neuve Mairie (km 99), Di Gregorio clinched the most mountain points ahead of Deignan. At 1’30 were Pardilla, Mestre, Morizot, Roche, Van der Linden. At 2’30: Sonnery, Sladkov, and Levarlet. At 2’40: Zubero (ORB). At 2’50: Opryshko. At 3’10: the peloton.
At the onus sprint in La Joux (km 105,5), Deignan beat Di Grégorio while their advantage had reached 1’35 on their first followers led by Mestre. In the climb up the Côte de Mijoux, Di Grégorio and Deignan kept their lead. At the top, Di Grégorio made it first in front of Deignan and 1’25 ahead of the Roche group while the pack was 2’00 adrift.
With 20 kilometres to go, the peloton moved closer : at 1’20 and 10 kilometres later, that gap had dropped to 45’’ with all the other front riders having been caught.. The two leading men still had the firm intention of making it clear to the finish line and increased their pace to keep a decent advantage. On the line, Di Grégorio clinched stage victory while Sprick proved to be the fastest of the pack sprint for third spot, 39†behind the day’s winner.
In the overall standing, Duenas Nevado keeps his yellow jersey, Neves is still in green. On the other hand, Pardilla captures the best climber’s polka-dot jersey.