TOUR OF BRITAIN: LEQUATRE SEALS VICTORY IN LIVERPOOL

Geoffry Lequatre Tour of Britain 2008 winner

Stage eight photo gallery>>

Frenchman Geoffroy Lequatre secured overall success in the Tour of Britain in Liverpool on Sunday.

The Agritubel rider and his team controlled the racing during the final 110km stage, letting a three rider-break take away the bonus seconds at the first sprint in Southport.

Steve Cummings (Barloworld) gained a second in a sprint on the high-speed finishing circuit in Liverpool but he failed to gain any other seconds and so finished second, five seconds behind Lequatre.

Ian Stannard (Great Britain) did manage to pick up three seconds in the last intermediate sprint and so snatched third place overall from Ireland?s Dan Martin (Garmin). He finished 14 seconds behind Leqautre to secure his place in the Great Britain team for the world championships in Varese, Italy, later this month.

PETACCHI WINS SPRINT

Alessandro Petacchi (LPR) won the sprint in Liverpool to take his third sprint in his comeback race after his ban for overuse of his asthma inhaler. The CSC team led out the sprint for Matt Goss but Petacchi was faster and stronger on the slightly descending finish. Kiwi Julian Dean (Garmin-Chipotle) was second and Robbie Hunter (Barloworld) was third.

BRITISH STRENGTH IN DEPTH

Four British riders finished in the top 10 overall, confirming the growing strength in depth of British riders based in Europe and of the British based teams. 47 year-old Malcolm Elliot (Pinarello) was in the break that rode into Liverpool, while Rob Hayles (Great Britain) again raced his heart out and fought for fifth place in the sprint despite crashing during the six finishing laps in the centre of Liverpool.

TOUR OF BRITAIN: STAGE EIGHT RESULTS
Blackpool - Liverpool
1. Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) LPR Brakes in 2h 19min 25secs

2. Julian Dean (NZl) Garmin-Chipotle

3. Robert Hunter (RSA) Barloworld

4. Matt Goss (Aus) CSC-Saxo Bank

5. Rob Hayles (GB) Great Britain

6. Chris Sutton (Aus) Garmin-Chipotle

7. Roger Hammond (GB) Columbia

8. Juan Van Heerden (RSA) MTN Energade

9. Russell Downing (GB) Pinarello-Canditv

10. Kenny Lisabeth (Bel) An Post all at same time.

FINAL OVERALL CLASSIFICATION
1. Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra) Agritubel 27h 21min 49secs

2. Steve Cummings (GB) Barloworld at 5secs

3. Ian Stannnard (GB) Great Britain at 14secs

4. Dan Martin (Ire) Garmin-Chipotle at 15secs

5. Gabriele Bosisio (Ita) LPR Brakes at 16secs

6. Benny De Schrooder (Bel) An Post at 20secs

7. Daniel Fleeman (GB) An Post at 25secs

8. Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Topsport at 29secs

9. Emilien Berges (Fra) Agritubel at 50secs

10. Russell Downing (GB) Pinarello-Canditv at 1min 25secs

FINAL POINTS CLASSIFICATION

1. Matthew Goss (Aus) CSC-Saxo Bank

2. Julian Dean (NZ) Garmin-Chipotle

3. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Columbia

FINAL SPRINTS CLASSIFICATION

1. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Columbia

2. Danilo Di Luca (Ita) LPR Brakes

3. Giairo Ermeti (Ita) LPR Brakes

FINAL MOUNTAINS CLASSIFICATION

1. Danilo Di Luca (Ita) LPR Brakes

2. Ben Swift (GB) Great Britain

3. Kristian House (GB) Rapha-Condor-Recycling.co.uk

Tour of Britain 2008

Geoffroy Lequatre and Steve Cummings (behind)

Tour of Britain 2008

Alessandro Petacchi wins in Liverpool

Photos by Andy Jones Stage eight photo gallery>>

Swipe to scroll horizontally
TOUR OF BRITAIN 2008 LINKS

STAGE REPORTS

Stage seven: Boasson Hagen takes third stage

Stage six: Petacchi wins in Newcastle Gateshead

Stage five: Boasson Hagen wins again

Stage four: Boasson Hagen snatches victory in Stoke on Trent

Stage three: Agritubel take control over Exmoor

Stage two: Aussie Goss wins in Newbury

Stage one: Petacchi wins in Westminster

NEWS

Hamilton crashes out of contention in Tour of Britain

Comment: Why Hamilton, Botero and Sevilla should not start

Tour of Britain boss defends inviting Rock Racing

Behind the scenes at the Tour of Britain

No Cavendish at Tour of Britain

Tour of Britain on TV

PHOTO GALLERIES

Stage eight

Stage five

Stage four

Stage three

Stage two

Stage one

GUIDE

Tour of Britain 2008 preview

Tour of Britain 2008 start list

EXTERNAL LINK

Tour of Britain official website: www.tourofbritain.co.uk.

Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Founded in 1891, Cycling Weekly and its team of expert journalists brings cyclists in-depth reviews, extensive coverage of both professional and domestic racing, as well as fitness advice and 'brew a cuppa and put your feet up' features. Cycling Weekly serves its audience across a range of platforms, from good old-fashioned print to online journalism, and video.