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TOUR DE FRANCE - STAGE 8
GUILLAUME MARTIN JOINS THE BREAKAWAY DURING THE FIRST STAGE IN THE ALPS.

The leader of the Cofidis team joined the breakaway of the day with Simon Geschke. He was distanced in the final and finished 8th and 2nd Frenchman of the day. Tomorrow, before a well-deserved rest day, another particularly tough alpine stage will be on the program.

This was a day for the brave. The road that rises for the first time in this Tour de France, the Alps, its excitement and the rain, so familiar since the start. The Cofidis team, which has been very active in the “Grande Boucle” since the beginning, wanted to take part in the celebration. And, so they did. After a good battle to join in Simon Geschke, winner of the Tour de France in 2015, and his leader, Guillaume Martin, took part in the day's breakaway.

In a particularly lively stage, the norman runner was one of the organizers of the day. Offensive and determined, he was left behind in the final but hung on until the end. Guillaume Martin crossed the line in 8th position, 3 min 3 sec from the winner, Dylan Teuns. Tomorrow, 144.9 km will be covered between Cluses and Tignes. The second alpine stage promises to be just as dense with five passes on the program including the Cormet de Roselend and the climb to Tignes, ideal terrain to shine before a well-deserved rest day.

THE STAGE OF COFIDIS IN BRIEF

Simon Geschke launches an attack. He manages to join the breakaway group, together with Guillaume Martin.

The breakaway group, which includes the German rider and his leader, joins the yellow jersey group.

Guillaume Martin attacks on the Сôte de Copponex and breaks away from the peloton. 

A group of riders breaks away, including Valverde and Yates. Guillaume Martin is in it.

Guillaume Martin finishes the stage alongside Aurélien Paret-Peintre, 3 min 3 sec behind the winner, Dylan Teuns.

THEY SAID

Guillaume MARTIN : « It was a crazy race, just like the Tour de France has been since the beginning. As for me, I wanted to be an active participant in this stage. I put a lot of effort to join the breakaway, probably a bit too much to compete for the victory at the end. I am still happy with my performance. I finished the stage really exhausted, but all together it was a very intense day. Pogacar was once again very impressive, what he has just achieved is phenomenal. I'm going to do everything I can to recover before tomorrow's stage. We are waiting to see the weather because it could be another complicated day »  

Bingen FERNANDEZ, sports director : « It was a very fast stage. Weather conditions were not good, it rained from the start until the end of the day. Due to lack of wind in the beginning of the day the breakaway was never really solid until the middle of the race. 
We put Guillaume in it, nobody was really dangerous in the general classification, so it was a matter of pedal power. And it was all going well. At the end, we found an incredible Pogačar who caught us. We did a good stage, but the frontrunners were stronger than us. »

STAGE 9
CLUSES - TIGNES (144,9 KM)

COFIDIS, BEHIND THE SCENES
By Mathilde L'Azou / Team Cofidis