Frank Schleck may have finished back in 25th in today's mountain stage of the Tour de France but his time loss was not caused by a lack of strength on the climbs. Instead, a stupid mistake on a descent cost him dearly and he actually felt very good whenever the road ramped upwards.

The 161-kilometer stage eight was the first of three successive days in the Vosges Mountains as the Tour de France began its first taste of serious hills. It was a day where a breakaway might have a chance to survive, and it wasn't until 30 kilometers had been raced - the persistent attacks resulting in searing speeds - before a stubborn peloton would cede its grip and let five men ride up the road.

With the day’s breakaway finally set, the peloton eased back and the escapees steadily increased their lead. They were permitted a hefty margin, over 11 minutes lead at one point, as the looming ending climbs - all in the final 25 kilometers - would indubitably lessen the gap. 

“Everyone wanted to get in a break, and the speed after 40 minutes was impressive: 55kmh! When the break finally went we slowed down until the crazy weather started again," Schleck said. "It was super fast into the first climb. The team brought me a warm jacket and led me into the first climb very well.”

The leaders still had six and a half minutes in hand as they reached the foot of the Col de la Croix des Moinats (7.6kms at 6%), the first of three consecutive climbs.

The longest ascent in the Tour so far manifested damage on both the leaders and chasing peloton. The breakaway shattered with one solo rider, Blel Kadri (Ag2r-La Mondiale), emerging over the top, while Tinkoff-Saxo led the peloton with such brutal speed it quickly pared to a select group of climbers.

Kadri would hold his advantage to the line, securing the win, as the remaining four breakaway riders were brushed aside by the fast-charging peloton.

All looked good for Fränk Schleck until he encountered a problem on the descent off the penultimate climb.  Although he never crashed, he lost contact with the front group and would lose 90 seconds to them by the end.

“I felt very good on all the climbs, the first one was no problem, and I passed over the second climb, too," he said. "Then on the downhill I came out of my pedals. I almost crashed, and was gapped off. I was never able to close it."

Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) finished three seconds behind an aggressive Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) on the uphill finish (1.8kms at 10.3%) as they rounded out the top three for the stage. It was the first skirmish for the coveted maillot jaune, which Nibali successfully passed, but the war has just begun.

Both Haimar Zubeldia and Fränk Schleck moved up in the general classificaiton to 22nd and 28th places respectively, however, It will be the high mountain stages still to come that will begin the real sorting within the overall.

"I did not have any problems on the climbs," Schleck said. "Nothing changes after today, we will continue to stick to our team plan. Haimar and myself will go for the best GC possible, and the team will continue to fight for stage wins.”