Everyone knew he would attack. Everyone knew he would go for the victory on Alpe d'Huez!
 
And he did it: Carlos Sastre won the queen stage of the 2008 Tour de France - after 210 kilometers from Embrun to the legendary finish at the top of Alpe d'Huez the petite Spanish rider was able to celebrate both the victory and the Yellow Jersey, which he took over from teammate Fränk Schleck, who is now second in the general classification.
  
"What a fantastic team! I’m almost lost for words. They were amazing and both our GC riders and the rest of the guys made an absolutely world class effort out there today," said a jubilant Bjarne Riis after the stage.
 
Carlos Sastre took two minutes and three seconds on Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel), who was second in the stage in the same time as Andy Schleck, while the other favorites followed 10 seconds later with Fränk Schleck in fifth place.
 
The day’s result puts Sastre 1.24 ahead of Fränk Schleck, while Bernhard Kohl (Gerolsteiner) and Cadel Evans (Silence-Lotto) are 1.33 and 1.34 behind "Carlito" as Sastre is called by his teammates. This is the first time in his career that Sastre gets to wear the Yellow Jersey in Tour de France and it was his second victory in the world’s greatest cycling race.
 
As per usual Sastre was quick to give all the credit for his victory to the team.
 
"I owe it all to the team. They all worked so hard for me - from Nicki and Stuart on the first mountains to Fabian, Volodymir, Jens and Kurt on the next ones and of course also Andy and Fränk, who not only allowed me to attack early but afterwards fought like tigers so I could get a decent sized gap," said a happy Carlos Sastre after the stage.

Stage 17: July 23, 2008: Tour de France: Embrun - L'Alpe d'Huez (210.5 km):
1 Carlos Sastre (Spa) CSC-Saxo Bank      06:07:58
2 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi               2.03
3 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team CSC - Saxo Bank                            
4 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne              2.13
5 Frank Schleck (Lux) Team CSC - Saxo Bank                           
6 Vladimir Efimkin (Rus) AG2R La Mondiale                         2.15
7 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence - Lotto                                  
8 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank                                       
9 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30           
10 Bernhard Kohl (Aut) Gerolsteiner                                  
11 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas                                 3.11
12 Tadej Valjavec (Slo) AG2R La Mondiale                          3.36
13 Stéphane Goubert (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale                        3.50
14 David Moncoutié (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone        4.57
15 Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) Agritubel                                5.16
16 Sandy Casar (Fra) Française des Jeux                           5.25
17 Dmitriy Fofonov (Kaz) Crédit Agricole                          5.28
18 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre                                    5.32
19 Amaël Moinard (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone          5.40
20 Kim Kirchen (Lux) Team Columbia                                6.01
21 Mario Aerts (Bel) Silence - Lotto                                 
22 Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Team Columbia                        6.08
23 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Crédit Agricole                      6.59
24 Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank                                  9.22
25 Gorka Verdugo Markotegi (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                 
26 David Arroyo Duran (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                     10.12
27 Laurent Lefèvre (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                            
28 Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Rabobank                                10.17
29 Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Lampre                                  10.42
30 Cyril Dessel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale                           10.44
31 Christopher Froome (Ken) Barloworld                           11.41
32 Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank                                12.05
33 Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                          12.10
34 David López García (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                     14.21
35 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Silence - Lotto                      16.08
36 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Silence - Lotto                           
37 Pierrick Fédrigo (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                           
38 Mikel Astarloza Chaurreau (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi               
39 Peter Velits (Svk) Team Milram                                17.10
40 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Milram                                      
41 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas                                17.21
42 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30             18.19
43 Stefan Schumacher (Ger) Gerolsteiner                          18.52
44 Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) Team CSC - Saxo Bank                   19.10
45 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Lampre                                 20.24
46 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Quick Step                                   
47 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team CSC - Saxo Bank                  22.13
48 Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team CSC - Saxo Bank                      
49 Martin Elmiger (Swi) AG2R La Mondiale                         23.08
50 Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale                              
51 Christophe Le Mével (Fra) Crédit Agricole                     24.18
52 Florent Brard (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone             
53 Christian Knees (Ger) Team Milram                                 
54 Maxime Monfort (Bel) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone            
55 Egoi Martinez De Esteban (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                
56 Amets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                          
57 John-Lee Augustyn (RSA) Barloworld                                
58 Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                  
59 Markus Fothen (Ger) Gerolsteiner                                  
60 Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) Team Columbia                               
61 Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Quick Step                              
62 Marco Velo (Ita) Team Milram                                      
63 Joost Posthuma (Ned) Rabobank                                     
64 Bram Tankink (Ned) Rabobank                                       
65 George Hincapie (USA) Team Columbia                               
66 José Luis Arrieta Lujambio (Spa) AG2R La Mondiale                 
67 Yoann Le Boulanger (Fra) Française des Jeux                       
68 Gianpaolo Cheula (Ita) Barloworld                                 
69 Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Lampre                                  24.37
70 Rémy Di Grégorio (Fra) Française des Jeux                     24.39
71 Marco Marzano (Ita) Lampre                                    27.55
72 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC - Saxo Bank                         28.02
73 Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Spa) Quick Step                    28.05
74 Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Rabobank                                 
75 Leonardo Duque (Col) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone            
76 Björn Schröder (Ger) Team Milram                                  
77 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) Lampre                                31.48
78 Daniele Righi (Ita) Lampre                                        
79 Trent Lowe (Aus) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30                     
80 Marcus Burghardt (Ger) Team Columbia                          35.45
81 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Team CSC - Saxo Bank                     38.00
82 Robert Hunter (RSA) Barloworld                                    
83 Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Liquigas                                    
84 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Silence - Lotto                               
85 Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra) Agritubel                                 
86 Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Liquigas                                   
87 Steven De Jongh (Ned) Quick Step                                  
88 Sébastien Rosseler (Bel) Quick Step                               
89 Sebastian Lang (Ger) Gerolsteiner                                 
90 Arnaud Gérard (Fra) Française des Jeux                            
91 Aleksandr Kuchynski (Blr) Liquigas                                
92 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team Columbia                                
93 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Quick Step                                   
94 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Quick Step                                   
95 Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Gerolsteiner                              
96 Ralf Grabsch (Ger) Team Milram                                    
97 Martin Müller (Ger) Team Milram                                   
98 Ronny Scholz (Ger) Gerolsteiner                                   
99 José Iván Gutierrez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                        
100 Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale                         
101 Stef Clement (Ned) Bouygues Telecom                              
102 Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30              
103 Nicki Sørensen (Den) Team CSC - Saxo Bank                        
104 Xavier Florencio Cabre (Spa) Bouygues Telecom                    
105 Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre                                         
106 Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Rabobank                      
107 Massimiliano Mori (Ita) Lampre                                   
108 William Bonnet (Fra) Crédit Agricole                             
109 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Crédit Agricole                              
110 Brett Lancaster (Aus) Team Milram                                
111 David Le Lay (Fra) Agritubel                                     
112 Stéphane Augé (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone            
113 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone         
114 Johann Tschopp (Swi) Bouygues Telecom                            
115 Murilo Fischer (Bra) Liquigas                                    
116 Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                           
117 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Crédit Agricole                               
118 David Millar (GBr) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30                  
119 Christophe Brandt (Bel) Silence - Lotto                          
120 Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone          
121 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Française des Jeux                        
122 Rémi Pauriol (Fra) Crédit Agricole                               
123 Eduardo Gonzalo Ramirez (Spa) Agritubel                          
124 Jérémy Roy (Fra) Française des Jeux                              
125 Ruben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                     
126 Iñaki Isasi Flores (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                     
127 Juan José Oroz Ugalde (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                  
128 Wim Vansevenant (Bel) Silence - Lotto                            
129 Dario David Cioni (Ita) Silence - Lotto                          
130 Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner                                
131 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                           
132 Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra) Crédit Agricole                           
133 Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                     
134 Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) Française des Jeux                       
135 Julian Dean (NZl) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30                   
136 William Frischkorn (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30            
137 Danny Pate (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30                    
138 Robert Förster (Ger) Gerolsteiner                                
139 Adam Hansen (Aus) Team Columbia                                  
140 Frederik Willems (Bel) Liquigas                                  
141 Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Rabobank                               
142 Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Team Columbia                                
143 Nicolas Portal (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne                            
144 José Vicente Garcia Acosta (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                
145 Sven Krauss (Ger) Gerolsteiner                                   
146 Arnaud Coyot (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne                              
147 Leif Hoste (Bel) Silence - Lotto                                 
148 Niki Terpstra (Ned) Team Milram                                  
149 Freddy Bichot (Fra) Agritubel                                    
150 Romain Feillu (Fra) Agritubel                                    
HD Jimmy Casper (Fra) Agritubel                                      

Overall rankings after stage 17:
1 Carlos Sastre Candil (Spa) Team CSC - Saxo Bank      74:39:03
2 Frank Schleck (Lux) Team CSC - Saxo Bank                        1.24
3 Bernhard Kohl (Aut) Gerolsteiner                                1.33
4 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence - Lotto                               1.34
5 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank                                    2.39
6 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30        4.41
7 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne              5.35
8 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi               5.52
9 Tadej Valjavec (Slo) AG2R La Mondiale                           8.10
10 Vladimir Efimkin (Rus) AG2R La Mondiale                        8.24
11 Kim Kirchen (Lux) Team Columbia                                8.35
12 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team CSC - Saxo Bank                       10.15
13 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas                                12.13
14 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre                                   12.26
15 Sandy Casar (Fra) Française des Jeux                          17.08
16 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Crédit Agricole                     22.59
17 Amaël Moinard (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone         23.01
18 Mikel Astarloza Chaurreau (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi           23.22
19 Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Team Columbia                       24.29
20 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas                                25.39
21 Dmitriy Fofonov (Kaz) Crédit Agricole                         25.49
22 Stéphane Goubert (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale                       28.05
23 Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank                                29.10
24 Maxime Monfort (Bel) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone        34.48
25 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Silence - Lotto                       35.07
26 Stefan Schumacher (Ger) Gerolsteiner                          40.08
27 Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Lampre                                  42.32
28 Cyril Dessel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale                           42.44
29 David Arroyo Duran (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                     43.23
30 Christian Knees (Ger) Team Milram                             43.48
31 Mario Aerts (Bel) Silence - Lotto                             43.54
32 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Lampre                                 44.34
33 Pierrick Fédrigo (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                       49.09
34 Markus Fothen (Ger) Gerolsteiner                              58.44
35 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Quick Step                             1.02.29
36 Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Rabobank                              1.03.18
37 George Hincapie (USA) Team Columbia                         1.08.28
38 Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                        1.09.40
39 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC - Saxo Bank                       1.11.31
40 Eduardo Gonzalo Ramirez (Spa) Agritubel                     1.14.51
41 Christophe Le Mével (Fra) Crédit Agricole                   1.18.54
42 Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Lampre                                1.20.02
43 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Milram                                1.21.08
44 David Moncoutié (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone     1.22.57
45 Marco Velo (Ita) Team Milram                                1.23.49
46 Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi            1.23.58
47 Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) Team CSC - Saxo Bank                 1.24.15
48 Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) Team Columbia                         1.25.32
49 John-Lee Augustyn (RSA) Barloworld                          1.30.13
50 Rémy Di Grégorio (Fra) Française des Jeux                   1.31.10
51 Egoi Martinez De Esteban (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi          1.32.31
52 Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Rabobank                 1.33.01
53 David López García (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                   1.33.08
54 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30           1.33.10
55 Amets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                    1.37.07
56 Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) Agritubel                             1.38.12
57 Johann Tschopp (Swi) Bouygues Telecom                       1.38.37
58 Leonardo Duque (Col) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone      1.39.26
59 Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale                        1.43.55
60 José Iván Gutierrez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                  1.44.50
61 Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team CSC - Saxo Bank                1.46.27
62 Peter Velits (Svk) Team Milram                              1.47.21
63 Bram Tankink (Ned) Rabobank                                 1.47.36
64 Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank                               1.50.18
65 Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                1.53.33
66 Nicolas Portal (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne                       1.54.18
67 Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Liquigas                              1.54.48
68 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone    1.54.52
69 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team CSC - Saxo Bank                1.56.20
70 Dario David Cioni (Ita) Silence - Lotto                     1.59.07
71 David Millar (GBr) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30             2.00.16
72 Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Rabobank                           2.00.57
73 Marco Marzano (Ita) Lampre                                  2.01.12
74 José Luis Arrieta Lujambio (Spa) AG2R La Mondiale           2.02.15
75 Martin Elmiger (Swi) AG2R La Mondiale                       2.03.33
76 Joost Posthuma (Ned) Rabobank                               2.04.14
77 Gorka Verdugo Markotegi (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi           2.04.51
78 Yoann Le Boulanger (Fra) Française des Jeux                 2.05.46
79 Trent Lowe (Aus) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30               2.07.07
80 Murilo Fischer (Bra) Liquigas                               2.08.37
81 Sebastian Lang (Ger) Gerolsteiner                           2.09.38
82 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Crédit Agricole                         2.09.50
83 Rémi Pauriol (Fra) Crédit Agricole                          2.10.56
84 Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Quick Step                        2.11.09
85 David Le Lay (Fra) Agritubel                                2.13.01
86 Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) Française des Jeux                  2.15.36
87 Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra) Agritubel                           2.18.24
88 Christopher Froome (Ken) Barloworld                         2.18.32
89 Laurent Lefèvre (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                      2.20.51
90 Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner                           2.22.25
91 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Silence - Lotto                    2.22.28
92 Gianpaolo Cheula (Ita) Barloworld                           2.23.56
93 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                      2.27.57
94 Ronny Scholz (Ger) Gerolsteiner                             2.28.58
95 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) Lampre                              2.29.30
96 Stef Clement (Ned) Bouygues Telecom                         2.29.37
97 Ruben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi                2.30.12
98 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Quick Step                             2.31.46
99 Danny Pate (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30               2.34.12
100 Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Spa) Quick Step                 2.35.55
101 Sébastien Rosseler (Bel) Quick Step                        2.38.58
102 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Crédit Agricole                         2.39.02
103 Björn Schröder (Ger) Team Milram                           2.45.17
104 Xavier Florencio Cabre (Spa) Bouygues Telecom              2.49.38
105 Juan José Oroz Ugalde (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi            2.51.56
106 William Bonnet (Fra) Crédit Agricole                       2.52.12
107 Iñaki Isasi Flores (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi               2.52.23
108 Martin Müller (Ger) Team Milram                            2.52.24
109 Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Team Columbia                          2.53.36
110 Robert Hunter (RSA) Barloworld                             2.59.16
111 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Quick Step                            3.00.27
112 Julian Dean (NZl) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30             3.01.11
113 Adam Hansen (Aus) Team Columbia                            3.01.41
114 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Française des Jeux                  3.02.51
115 Daniele Righi (Ita) Lampre                                 3.03.47
116 Frederik Willems (Bel) Liquigas                            3.04.42
117 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Team CSC - Saxo Bank                  3.06.08
118 Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone    3.08.04
119 Aleksandr Kuchynski (Blr) Liquigas                         3.08.32
120 Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre                                   3.08.55
121 Robert Förster (Ger) Gerolsteiner                          3.09.51
122 Arnaud Coyot (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne                        3.10.03
123 Freddy Bichot (Fra) Agritubel                              3.10.30
124 Nicki Sørensen (Den) Team CSC - Saxo Bank                  3.11.31
125 Niki Terpstra (Ned) Team Milram                            3.12.33
126 Florent Brard (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone      3.13.01
127 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Silence - Lotto                        3.15.22
128 Romain Feillu (Fra) Agritubel                              3.16.02
129 Massimiliano Mori (Ita) Lampre                             3.16.04
130 Jérémy Roy (Fra) Française des Jeux                        3.16.52
131 Steven De Jongh (Ned) Quick Step                           3.17.42
132 Ralf Grabsch (Ger) Team Milram                             3.17.48
133 Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Gerolsteiner                       3.18.11
134 Marcus Burghardt (Ger) Team Columbia                       3.18.48
135 Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Liquigas                            3.21.17
136 Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Rabobank                         3.22.07
137 Christophe Brandt (Bel) Silence - Lotto                    3.22.11
138 Leif Hoste (Bel) Silence - Lotto                           3.22.38
139 Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30        3.22.41
140 William Frischkorn (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30      3.24.44
141 Arnaud Gérard (Fra) Française des Jeux                     3.25.03
142 Brett Lancaster (Aus) Team Milram                          3.25.50
143 Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra) Crédit Agricole                     3.27.00
144 José Vicente Garcia Acosta (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne          3.31.04
145 Stéphane Augé (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone      3.31.33
146 Sven Krauss (Ger) Gerolsteiner                             3.31.45
147 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team Columbia                         3.33.22
148 Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale                   3.33.38
149 Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                     3.39.23
150 Wim Vansevenant (Bel) Silence - Lotto                      3.45.21

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