In the 2008 Tour de France, on stage 9, Lang broke from the peloton 22 kilometers into the stage. He shook off his two breakaway companions on the category 1 col de Peyresourde, with another big difficulty to come, the col d'Aspin. He was passed on the latter by Riccardo Ricco, who would win the stage only be excluded from the Tour later on for a positive test to the blood booster CERA. With his long break, Lang earned the most combative award for the stage, and raked in points for the best climber jersey, which he would wear from stages 12 to 14.