The opening kilometres are fast if not rapid, as the peloton flies across forested meadows...
The successful escape is led by Sebastian Minard, they've gained four minutes in 20-kilometres...
Mark Cavendish has switched roles at Omega to lead the chase for Tony Martin...
World Champion Rui Costa is Tony Martin's biggest threat today - can he topple the race-leader..?
Nathan Brown gobbles down an energy bar in the escape - they've pushed their lead out to six-minutes as well..!
The peloton has mountains on its mind as it hurtles down towards Lac Leman...
Cavendish is still pounding out the miles in front, still keeping the gap to a reasonable margin...
The hilltop town of Romont beckons the peloton...
The escape has been held up at a train crossing - they lose over one-minute of their advantage here...
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The peloton crosses a river with the Dents du Midi high above them...
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Greg Rast leads the escape along the wind-blown valley towards Verbier, but the peloton is going even faster behind them...
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Danilo Wyss has split the escape as the climb to Verbier begins - he'll soon drop everyone and go it alone...
Michael Morkov chases for Roman Kreuziger on the climb - the gap is down to about two minutes only...
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Wyss has a one-minute lead over his ex-escapers, can he win this presitgious stage..?
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Reto Hollenstein leads an IAM move that should unsettle a few non-climbers...
Tony Martin is still there in the group, watching all the moves ahead of him..
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Tom Danielson has had to come to the rescue of Tom-Jelte Slagter - the Garmin team leader is in dire trouble and will lose over three-minutes today...
Andy Schleck is starting to crack as well, but he'll lose just a few minutes today...
Louis Meintjes attacks with Bjorn Thurau - they'll catch Wyss but then get caught themselves...
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Bauke Mollema puts in a little dig, as all eyes turn back to see where Tony Martin is...
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Tony Martin is still there, and still looking as solid as anyone else...
Matthias Frank gives his best shot in the last few kilometres, but this too goes no-where...
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Roman Kreuziger attacks, only to see a Green Edge cyclist stuck to his wheel...
Kreuziger continues to pull hard, creating a 12-man group in front...
Johan Chaves was the Green Edge rider with Kreuziger - and it is he who now attacks in the last minutes of the climb..!
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Johan Chaves wins stage eight for Orica-Green Edge - and brings another Colombian element to the sport..!
Tony Martin finishes seventeen seconds later, but keeps his race-lead for the last day of the race...