Weather: like yesterday, alternating between sun & coulds, sunny in valleys & cloudier in the cols.

Wind blowing lightly from the north.

Temperatures fro 8 to 12 C in the mountains, 18 C in valleys.

Action in stage 8:

In Luchon (km 110) escape of 9 riders since Aspin:

Joaquin Rodriguez
Unai Etxebarria
Denis Lunghi
Eladio Jiminez
Unai Osa
Constantino Zaballa
Joan Horach
Francisco Lara
Josef Jufre

The 9 leaders continue to mark points, at the expense of Cardenas.

First 2km of Portillon, Kelme in advance of peloton, Nozal & Galdeano in their wheels. Beltran just behind, follozed by Perez, Rasmussen just behind.

Breakaway group attains 6'15" lead, Once leads effort to reduce margin.

Gutierrez & Latasa of Kelme left behind, Bobby Julich dropped as well.

Cardenas approaches head of peloton, which is greatly diminished in size. Still 6' margin.

Sevilla in difficulty, drops behind peloton.

Aitor Gonzalez at head of peloton creates hole; Cardenas responds & forms advance group.

Heras responds in turn to form new group--

A. Gonzalez, Heras, Cardenas, Piepoli, A. Osa.

Galdeano, Nozal, & Beltran distanced bynew group.

Rasmussen emerges from peloton, leads descent, followed by A. Gonzalez group.

La Vuelta passes into Spain again. Leader group of 9 possess 3'30" lead.

Rasmussen joined by Heras & group going into valley.

The leading 9 hold their own as last ascension 21.8km) begins--the Plat de Beret.

Relaxed, the peloton takes opportunity to eat.

The real battle probably ahead, with especially long climb to come.

Virenqe leaves peloton, followed by Jose Luis Martinez.

Once dictates the peloton tempo coming out of the valley.

Jufre & Horrach all alone in front of breakaway group, threatening mountains orange jersey of Cardenas.

Lara fades from leqd group of 9.

Within lead group, attacks without letup, zigzag relay patterns ensue.

Group has 5'05" on the peloton--peloton seemingly very relaxed, at easy tempo: Sevilla rejoins peloton.

Virenque & Martinez maintain 1'07' advantage.

In the peloton, Cofidis is best represented with 5 riders, followed by:

Once--4
Euskaltel--3
Kelme--3
Domina--3
F. Bortolo--3
U.S. Postal--2
Lampre--1
Phonak--1

At 20 km mark, Virenqne & Martinez pursuing lead 8. Risk of hardship to follow tomorrow, in virtually no chance of catching leaders at this point.

Lara caught by Virenque & Martinez.

AT 13km group of 8 hold same margin.

Sastre attacks, succeeds briefly.

Serrano & Azevedo or Once set peloton pace,while Rodriguez leads group of 8.

Perez & Cardenas attack from peloton, followed by Unai Osa.

Now 5 in lead group:

Rodriguez, A. Osa,Horrach, Jufre & Jiminez.

Jiminez attacks, Rodriguez & Osa respond.

Perez, Cardenas &Osa rejoin Virenque.

Rasmussen joins Perez & Co., Virenque & Martinez fading.

Perez leads charge of group, 30" ahead of Galdeano & Nozal peloton.

A. Gonzalez attacks, but Heras in his wheels.

Beltran distanced by peloton.

Joquin Rodriguez wins at line followed by Aitor Osa.

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Stage classification

1 - Joaquin RODRIGUEZ once
2 - Aitor OSA
3 - ZABALLA
4 - JUFRE
5 - HORRACH
6 - ETXEBARRIA david
7 - LUNGHI
8 - Eladio JIMENEZ
9 - RASMUSSEN
10 - PEREZ
11 - CARDENAS
12 - OSA

General classification

1 - NOZAL
2 - GONZALEZ DE GALDEANO à 1'21"
3 - BELTRAN à 1' 34"
4 - FRIGO à 3' 07"
5 - HERAS à 3 ' 18"

Mountains

1÷ 127 HORRACH, Joan ESP MIL 91
2÷ 102 CARDENAS, Felix COL L2C 90
3÷ 86 OSA, Aitor ESP BAN 82
4÷ 48 PEREZ, Luis ESP COF 60
5÷ 53 JUFRE, Jos? ESP CRF 55
6÷ 28 RODRIGUEZ, Joaquin ESP ONE 45
7÷ 167 RASMUSSEN, Michael DEN RAB 34
8÷ 99 ZABALLA, Constantino ESP KEL 34
9÷ 73 ETXEBARRIA, Unai VEN EUS 31
10÷ 26 NOZAL, Isidro ESP ONE 23

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Pla de Beret