For Team Giant-Shimano, today's mountain stage of the Tour de France was mostly about survival as Tom Dumoulin proved to be unable to follow the best. The good news was that John Degenkolb is feeling a lot better despite suffering from a muscle injury.

Tom Dumoulin was the highest finisher for Team Giant-Shimano at the end of a tough eighth stage of Le Tour de France today as the race hit the hills for the first time in the race.

The peloton headed to the Vosges hills today with the final stages of the day revealing the real difficulties. The teams of the GC favourites put the hammer down on the approach to the three final climbs and this had the rapid effect of decimating the peloton.

Blel Kadri remained ahead from the day’s early breakaway to take the stage win but behind him the race for the overall was unfolding and unfortunately Dumoulin couldn’t hold the pace on the uphills and slipped back eventually conceding over ten minutes overall.

“Today we were seeing how Tom would figure on a stage like this but he didn’t have the legs today,” said Team Giant-Shimano coach Christian Guiberteau. “As the GC isn’t a real objective for Tom he let go once he was struggling and came in easy.

“The team worked hard to get him into position at the base of the first climb and then after that everyone just came in easy to save their legs for another day.

“Tomorrow is going to be another tough day and with short time delays we will need to make sure that we don’t get caught out.”

John Degenkolb said from the team bus after the stage: “I felt a lot better today which was a relief. I’ve had a few difficult days but I am getting better just in time with some more opportunities for the team coming up next week.

“It was a nice stage today on beautiful roads and I could take this in a bit as I finished easy in the grupetto.”

Tom Dumoulin added: “Today was the opposite to yesterday – I felt good in the beginning but towards the end it got more and more difficult. In the end I couldn’t hold the front group and let go to ride my own race to the finish. I was feeling pretty empty so I don’t think that I had recovered from the long stage yesterday.

“In general though I am feeling pretty good after the first week of racing. It has been hard without an easy day and the weather has made that harder but I’m feeling good and it was nice to get a result yesterday. The morale is also really good in the team with the three wins already so we can be happy with that already.”

Dries Devenyns said of the day: “I tried to get in the break once early in the stage but without spending too much energy. Saving energy is key for me so that I can give as much as possible in the sprint stages when needed. So as a result I opted for the grupetto today.

“Overall so far we have to be happy with the Tour we have had with three stage wins already – it is hard to win at least one so we can be proud.”

Koen De Kort also commented: “I’m feeling pretty good after eight stages despite a few falls. My wounds are starting to heal nicely and the swelling and bruising on my knee and elbow have gone down no so there’s no complaints. I am trying to find my chance to get in a breakaway and apart from that saving energy where possible for these moves or for the next sprint opportunities.”