Tour De France / Tobias Gourlay / 09 July 2011 /

Tobias Gourlay has identified two Spaniards with the talent and the need to do well on Saturday's bumpy ride from Aigurande to Super Besse

Mark Cavendish won his second stage of the 2011 Tour in Chateauroux yesterday. To find today's winner, as the race enters the Massif-Central, this column's going to have to think a little harder.

For 150km on Saturday the riders will wind their way towards a second-category climb up the Col de la Croix Saint-Robert, the toughest mountain of the Tour so far. Then there's a technically demanding descent and a sharp third-category climb to the finish in Super Besse.

History suggests the stage's final 40km are not hard enough to split the peloton cleanly. Instead, if the result from the 2008 stage that finished in Super Besse is a reliable form guide, the riders will just be strung out a little, with small time gaps between them.

Alberto Contador ([6.0]) should not pass up an opportunity to pull back some of the 90 seconds he has lost to Andy Schleck. He is the favourite to win the stage and his undisputed status as the world's best climber justifies his position in the market.

Cadel Evans is just behind Contador at [7.4] and will be again at the finish, unless the Spaniard messes up his dart for the line again, and then at [9.4] there is Philippe Gilbert, who might not have the full support of his team.

Samuel Sanchez ([30.0]) is another Spaniard with time to make up. He's an excellent climber on a team full of little men that didn't do very well in the team time trial. He is a minute behind Contador, who may or may not feel obliged to chase his attacks, and now is his (first) time to strike.

Best Bet: Back Alberto Contador @ [6.0] to be Stage 8 Winner
Recommended Bet: Back Samuel Sanchez @ [30.0] to be Stage 8 Winner

Follow Tobias on Twitter: @tobiasgourlay

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