Tour of California 2014 - Stage 8

The 2014 Tour of California concluded with a 122.4 kilometre stage around Thousand Oaks. It was a lumpy profile but still had the potential to end in a sprint finish, it looked like a good opportunity for Mr California Peter Sagan to take his second win of the race. Bradley Wiggins went into the stage knowing he just had to finish in the peloton to win the Tour of California.

Mark Cavendish, who stated after the stage that he almost didn't start due to the lumpy profile, was distanced on the major climb of the day after a puncture, but soon got chasing with his teammates in order to try and make the sprint. Jack Bobridge of Belkin led a late race breakaway along with Eloy Tereul, Lucas Euser and Jens Keukeleire.

The group soon gained twenty seconds, but were reeled back in with five kilometres to go, by which time Mark Cavendish had reached the peloton and was lining himself up for the sprint finish. Peter Sagan was also circling with his Cannondale team, and Giant-Shimano were trying to set it up for their man John Degenkolb.

It was a quick finishing circuit, and Sagan would be disappointed to see the other quick men around him after his team had done so much work to get rid of Cavendish, Goss et al on the lumpier part of the course. Sagan was the first man to jump with two hundred metres, initially followed by Cavendish with Degenkolb coming up quickly on the right.

Cavendish won the stage, but not by much, his early celebration almost let Degenkolb overtake him for the win. Cavendish got away with it however, and won his second stage of the race. Sir Bradley Wiggins finished safely in the peloton to win his first Tour of California, becoming the first Briton to win the American stage race.