Stage 8 is 159km run from Ouarzazate to Tikhfist. The entire stage runs generally up hill but is punctuated by a series of short sharp climbs and is therefore probably the stage most suited to the puncheurs. Since we have only 36 seconds separating 1st and 9th it will be piviotal on the GC. While this race generally profiles as one for the climbers it looks like it will be decided on the punchiest stage. The climbing is completed with a sharp climb to the finish that includes ramps over 12% in the last kilometer.
Two of the best puncheurs on the favorites list, Meintjes and Yates, have substantial time to make up on the GC so that could stir the pot. Hirt is 1’05 behind. Other than those 3 all our race favorites are in the group with 36 seconds of race leader Dombrowski
The stage favorites are:
In addition to the GC battle we have 3 KOM sprints today as well as the climb to the finish which is a Cat 2. Our leaders are currently tied on points but Hacecky holds the lead based on GC. There are no points tomorrow so that jersey will be decided today.
6km in and we have 8 riders off the front. But Podium Ambition and Carlsberg are chasing, we have been here before, this could take a while.
The two groups are:
44 seconds ahead – Krizek Siddikov Ivanov Higuita
15km run and the chasing teams relent as 3 riders throw themselves into the gap: Garby Grashev Areruya
20km in and Podium Ambition decide they need a second rider in the break and Lawless counters an attack by Seibeb.
They have to close a 2’35 gap to the front 8, who are now together, and 33 seconds to the last 3 attackers. Seibeb is the first rider ahead with any KOM points but he would need to win all sprints in the stage and score at the finish to catch the leaders. His also the closest on GC at 8’22.
4km later we get another attack. This time it is Burke and Podium Ambition tacks a rider on again - Vanderpool.
We pass the first sprint point with 133k to go with no action. The climbing is concentrated in the 2nd half of the race after the 2nd Sprint point with 80km left in the stage.
With 120k km to go the break is all together 15 riders total. 3 for Podium Ambition, 2 for Swisslion, Iberia and Xero and their lead is 3’57.
The lead tops out at about 4’10 a few km later but then some of the GC teams decide that is too much and Repsol, Fablok, Campari and UBS start to work. Dombrowski will be happy enough to let the break take the bonus seconds but some of his chasers will want them in play.
With 98km to go they have it down to 2’45. Valio and Moser also contributing.
82km to go as the break crosses the second sprint point. It gets a lot harder from here, the first significant ramp is clearly visible. The peloton got as close as 1’45 before easing off, the lead is back up to 2’02 but the break has been working harder as well.
The GC teams aren’t interested in letting this break get away, they are immediately pushing the pace on the first climb. On the front it is: Kaczmarek Koishi Schäppi Teggart
The increase in pace quickly stretches the peloton and finds Martin badly placed,. Fiorelli trying to pace him back up. Ironic since his team is one of those on the front.
2.5 km to the first KOM point for the break, a Cat 3. Seibeb is pushing at the front of the break and Vanderpool has been dropped. The lead is down to 1’28 as Fablok chases with UBS.
Inside 1k to the top and Seibeb has gone early. Siddikov and Lawless have been dropped from the break.
Seibeb takes maximum points. None of the others seemed interested in contesting it. Fablok still driving hard behind.
With 62km to go the lead is 1’45, the dropped riders are all back in the peloton. And Martin is back where he should be. The break is about to tackle another series of sharp climbs. The peleton is down to 116 but none of the top riders is in any trouble.
With 55k to go the peleton has eased off the chase and the lead grows to 2’40. Bernal has been dropped from the break and is almost back in the peloton.
2km to the second KOM point, a Cat 2. Seibeb is at the back of the group, he needs to take top points here to have a shot at the KOM title.
But Seibeb doesn’t have anything left and he is dropped as Kennaugh takes maximum points. Higuita and Grashev also dropped.
The teams who want to chase in the peloton seem to have run out of riders and the lead is back to 3 minutes.
With 33km to go for the break we have the last KOM point in 6k and then a series of bump before the drag up to the finish. A few teams are still trying to chase but don’t seem to have the firepower. The lead has gone out to 3’30 and the Seibeb group is 1’57 behind.
The 8 riders left in the break are: Ivanov Areruya Kennaugh Burke Lastra Garby Krizek Petrovski
The peleton is down to 61 riders the highest place rider dropped is Cink in 46th
Kennaugh take the mountain points. Unless Teuns or Kolar can take points at the finish Hacecky has the KOM won. He likely won’t take more points as he has been working on the front for Fablok.
As the peloton crosses the KOM point the lead is back to 4’49 with about 25km to go.
It looks like the break will take this one which is good news for Contreras as it means the GC guys won’t take the bulk of the points on this stage. It is also good for Dombrowski who will just need to finish with the other members of the top 9 to keep his lead.
10km to go and the break has 3’49 on the peloton. Grashev is still in between but he won’t be for long.
From here the road slopes up gently to a sharp climb with 7k to go then a short descent and the climb to the finish.
As the peleton reaches the 10k to go banner there is a split and the front group is reduced to 39 riders. The highest placed riders caught out are 15th placed Russom, 16th placed Kolesnikov and 17th Sequera. But they are able to rejoin a little later.
Up front Garby attacks with 8 km to go.
By the top of the climb he is back in the group. The lead is 3’46. From the 5km banner ahead to the finish is a steady ramp.
On the same hill Kudus launches the first attack from the peloton.
5km to and Khederi and Yates are trying to track him down.
The peloton has split again and we have 30 riders up front. The highest placed rider dropped is 17th placed Vervaeke.
With 3 km to go Kennaugh attacks the break. Kudus is brought back to the peloton but immediately tries again. Hirt tries to go with him but can’t keep up.
With 2km to go Kennaugh has 20 seconds. The other are chasing but Garby is struggling.
Behind Kudus has 14 seconds and now Meintjes is leading the chase.
1km to go and Kennaugh’s lead is up to 42 seconds, he is just riding away from his companions. The gradient ramps up to 12% on the way to the line.
Behind Kudus has stretched the lead to 17 seconds.
But with 1km to go Kudus is flagging, he may have gone too early. If he loses time to Faglum Karlsson he will lose White as well. Kudos to Kudus nevertheless, he has been by far the most aggressive of the GC guys.
Up front Kennaugh is over a minute ahead of his companions while Ivanov has been dropped.
Under the 1k banner Dombrowski is well placed. There are 12 riders in the group. The top 10 except for Formolo are all there as well as Ji (12th) Meintjes (14th) and Yates (22nd). Formolo is 34 seconds back and trying to catch up. They are a minute behind the riders chasing Kennaugh.
Kennaugh is going to win Stage 8 of the Tour du Maroc. He destroyed his breakaway companions up the final climb.
In the GC group Dombrowski and Monsalve look strongest. The two of them along with Meintjes and Kudus have a gap on the rest of the group. Faglum Karlsson has been dropped, he won’t threaten the White jersey.
300 meters to go and Dombrowski is on the front. Yates, Hirt and Amador are in trouble.
Areruya takes 2nd, Krizek 3rd. No time bonuses for the GC guys.
Monsalve launches his sprint.
Burke takes 4th, Petrovski 5th, Ivanov 6th.
Lastra holds on for 7th, Monsalve edges Dombrowski for 8th as the first of the GC riders. But he wont't gain time on the Yellow jersey.
Meintjes takes 10th and Kudus 11th. They get the same time as Monsalve and Dombrowski. Looks like there will be a gap to the next group.
12th through 15th go to: Talansky Wellens Martin Ji
They are 24 seconds behind Dombrowski
After that another gap to Hirt (16th) then Amador (17th). They lose 46 seconds to the Yellow jersey.
Formolo finishes in 22nd just behind Yates but 1’18 behind the GC leader. He is also behind Garby, Sequera and Kolesnikov (18th to 20th)
But Faglum Karlsson is the biggest loser from the top 10 at the start of the day he finishes in 25th and loses 1’53 to Dombrowski.
So Dombrowski secures his GC lead and with only a sprint stage to he should be the winner of the 2019 Tour du Maroc.
Monsalve moves into 2nd and Talansky drops to 3rd. Kudus moves from 7th to 4th and secures the white jersey. Wellens and Martin both lose a spot on GC to Kudus. Formolo loses 3 spots and drops back to 9th while Faglum Karlsson drops from 9th to 14th.
Meintjes gains a few places back to 11th as does Yates who is up to 18th.
Dombrowski also regains the points jersey but has only a 2-point lead on Contreras ahead of tomorrow’s stage. Hacecky has won the mountain jersey based on a better GC position than Teuns, barring major time losses tomorrow.
Burke’s strong race mean Desigual gains time on Gazelle but not enough to take the team jersey from Gazelle.
Tour du Maroc 
