Postpublished at 16:15 British Summer Time 12 July 2014
Rob Hayles
Former Great Britain cyclist on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra
"Contador is looking calm and ready to pounce."
Summary
Blel Kadri wins stage eight
Spain's Alberto Contador second
Italian Vincenzo Nibali finishes third to retain lead
Stages covered 161km (100 miles) Tomblaine-Gerardmer La Mauselaine
Britain's Simon Yates involved in breakaway
Postpublished at 16:15 British Summer Time 12 July 2014
In the pelotonpublished at 16:14 British Summer Time 12 July 2014
Yellow jersey Vincenzo Nibali is still determinedly covering every twitch and spurt of Alberto Contador.
But he is outnumbered up there. Team-mates Michael Rogers and Nicolas Roche are lined up to drag Contador into range for a killer burst.
Postpublished at 16:12 British Summer Time 12 July 2014
Polkadot Jersey
ClassificationBlel Kadri is being roared through a narrow corridor of his fellow Frenchman by the side of the road. He is still climbing strongly and duly claims the second summit of the day - the Col de Grosse Pierre.
In the pelotonpublished at 16:09 British Summer Time 12 July 2014
Vasil Kiryienka ushers Team Sky leader Richie Porte to the front of the peloton.
Vincenzo Nibali is bobbing around at the front but former Sky rider Michael Rogers is piling on the pressure at the front for Alberto Contador and Tinkoff-Saxo.
In the breakpublished at 16:06 British Summer Time 12 July 2014
Sylvain Chavanel is leading the chase of Blel Kadri, but he has around a minutes to make up. Simon Yates is another 25 seconds behind Chavanel.
It is every man for himself now at the front. Twelve kilometres to go.
Postpublished at 16:05 British Summer Time 12 July 2014
Rob Hayles
Former Great Britain cyclist on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra"If your legs run out of energy now you will lose time hand over fist. It's not like being on a flat stage when you can roll along in the peloton. If you bonk on these hills you can lose minutes on your rivals."
In the breakpublished at 16:04 British Summer Time 12 July 2014
Image source, Getty ImagesThis is the face on the Most Wanted posters. Blel Kadri is searching for his first Tour de France stage win and the 27-year-old is as close as he has ever been, leading with just two shorts climbs to go and a good few seconds stashed away.
In the pelotonpublished at 16:01 British Summer Time 12 July 2014
Omega Pharma-Quick Step's Michal Kwiatkowski began the day 50 seconds off yellow, but he is finding it tough going today, lurking at the back of the peloton and shipping seconds.
Postpublished at 15:59 British Summer Time 12 July 2014
Rob Hayles
Former Great Britain cyclist on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra"I feel sure Kadri's going to take max points on the second climb too because it's only short. The middle section is extremely steep and I can't see anyone catching him before then. It looks like it will then be a case of trying to hold on for the stage win."
Postpublished at 15:58 British Summer Time 12 July 2014
Polkadot Jersey
ClassificationBlel Kadri crests the top of Col de le Croix des Moinats first to take on-road ownership of the polka-dot jersey from fellow Frenchman Cyril Lemoine.
Britain's Simon Yates is about a minute back from Kadri in third for the day.
In the pelotonpublished at 15:56 British Summer Time 12 July 2014
Yellow jersey Vincenzo Nibali looks a little short of friendly company at the front of the race. His Astana team have been crowded out by Tinkoff-Saxo. This could be a big chance for Alberto Contador to start making inroads into the general classification.
Postpublished at 15:54 British Summer Time 12 July 2014
With the breakaway scattered down the road, might they all be swallowed up together?
Four and a half minutes separates Blel Kadri from the peloton with 20km to go.
In the pelotonpublished at 15:53 British Summer Time 12 July 2014
Joaquim Rodriguez has proved all show, but not enough go. He has faded away once the incline kicks in.
Postpublished at 15:52 British Summer Time 12 July 2014
Rob Hayles
Former Great Britain cyclist on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra"Kadri is going to push on and try and get to the summit first and take the King of the Mountains jersey but the outlook for him to go on for the stage victory is difficult. If he can rejoin with Chavanel and Yates then they will have a better chance of reaching the finish."
In the breakpublished at 15:52 British Summer Time 12 July 2014
At the front, Blel Kadri has pushed on alone, moving clear of Sylvain Chavanel to take sole leadership of the stage.
Simon Yates now has two smaller targets to shoot down rather than one larger one.
In the pelotonpublished at 15:50 British Summer Time 12 July 2014
More moves being made further back as Tinkoff-Saxo decide there is no time like the present to start making up the two and a half minute gap that separate their leader Alberto Contador from yellow.
They leap off the front and are asking all the questions of Astana.
Postpublished at 15:49 British Summer Time 12 July 2014
Rob Hayles
Former Great Britain cyclist on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra"I can't believe it, Peter Sagan is going to be out the top five [for the first time in a stage] in this Tour de France."
In the breakpublished at 15:47 British Summer Time 12 July 2014
It is a two-three split at the front of the stage.
Blel Kadri and Sylvain Chavanel have cut Simon Yates, Niki Terpstra and Adrien Petit loose.
But Yates has set out to make up the difference. Can he bridge the gap?
In the pelotonpublished at 15:46 British Summer Time 12 July 2014
A little over five minutes back down the road, the pace is quickening.
The main teams are trying to ensure that their main men are well positioned when the road narrows at the start of the first climb.
Postpublished at 15:45 British Summer Time 12 July 2014
Rob Hayles
Former Great Britain cyclist on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra"Simon Yates is looking a little tired."