GERARDMER, France - Blel Kadri earned France its first Tour de France win this year on stage eight, a 161-km trek from Tomblaine, as race leader Vincenzo Nibali showed a first glimpse of weakness on Saturday.
Nibali retained the yellow jersey by finishing third, three seconds behind Spaniard Alberto Contador.
Twice Tour winner Contador attacked on the last ascent and the Italian could not respond after team mate Jakob Fuglsang was dropped in the final climb.
American Andrew Talansky, who crashed on Friday, hit the tarmac again on the slippery descent from the Col de la Grosse Pierre with less than 10-km to go.
The Garmin-Sharp rider lost more than two minutes to Nibali and Contador, dropping to 16th overall.
Australian Richie Porte, promoted to Team Sky leader after defending champion Chris Froome pulled out injured following a crash, finished fourth in the stage ahead of French hope Thibaut Pinot.
“I think it is going to be a duel between Nibali and Contador. I'm still a bit behind,” said FDJ.fr rider Porte who is third overall, one minute 58 seconds behind Nibali, with Dane Fuglsang in second spot 1:44 off the pace.
Contador is sixth, 2:34 adrift of Nibali, just behind fellow Spaniard Alejandro Valverde. – Reuters