  km , ▁only ▁to ▁be ▁over h au led ▁by ▁the ▁spr inter s ▁around ▁ 3 0 ▁metres ▁from ▁the ▁line . ▁ ▁Mark ▁Cav end ish , ▁who ▁was ▁led ▁out ▁by ▁his ▁German ▁team - mate ▁Ger ald ▁C io lek , ▁held ▁off ▁late ▁attacks ▁from ▁Thor ▁H ush ov d , ▁Ó scar ▁Fre ire ▁and ▁Erik ▁Z abel , ▁and ▁pulled ▁away ▁from ▁his ▁riv als ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁metres ▁to ▁claim ▁glory ▁after ▁almost ▁five - and - a - half ▁hours ▁in ▁the ▁s addle . ▁ ▁Stage ▁ 6 ▁▁ 1 0 ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁— ▁A ig ur ande ▁to ▁Super - B esse ▁San cy , ▁ 1 9 5 . 5   km ▁ ▁This ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁mountain ▁stage ▁of ▁the ▁tour ▁through ▁the ▁Mass if ▁Central , ▁with ▁two ▁Four th ▁Category ▁clim bs ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁race ▁before ▁the ▁rid ers ▁crossed ▁the ▁Second ▁Category ▁Col ▁de ▁la ▁Cro ix - Mor and ▁after ▁ 1 5 8   km . ▁The ▁finish ▁is ▁at ▁the ▁ski ▁station ▁of ▁Super ▁B esse ▁on ▁the ▁s lop es ▁of ▁P uy ▁de ▁San cy ▁with ▁a ▁clim b ▁of ▁ 1 1   km ▁at ▁an ▁average ▁gradient ▁of ▁ 4 . 7 %, ▁including ▁the ▁final ▁ 1 . 5   km ▁with ▁a ▁maximum ▁gradient ▁of ▁ 1 0 %. ▁ ▁A ▁three - man ▁break away , ▁made ▁up