Albi, Jul 6: Five things to know as the Tour de France enters its eighth stage on Saturday:
1. SLOGGING SPRINTERS -- The sprinting stars faded in Friday's Stage 7. While they've each won a stage already, Britain's Mark Cavendish and German pair Andre Greipel and Marcel Kittel were left behind over four mid-grade climbs. The one top sprinter who does get over the ascents easier, Slovakia's Peter Sagan, won the stage. After more than 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) of racing, only two finishes have pitted the best sprinters against one another. They'll be even more inconspicuous in the mountains this weekend.
