Costa races towards redemption

Controversial Portuguese racer Rui Costa took a step towards redemption with victory on stage eight of the Tour de France.

Costa was involved in a post-stage punch up in the 2010 Tour with Carlos Barredo - a moment which became a YouTube hit - but today he showed his mettle in the saddle with a solo success on the 189-kilometre route from Aigurande to Super-Besse Sancy in the Massif Central.
Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) was second, with Cadel Evans (BMC Racing) third and Thor Hushovd (Garmin-Cervelo) 16th to retain the race leader's yellow jersey.
While the fight with Barredo grabbed headlines, Costa also attracted unwanted attention when he and his brother Mario tested positive for the banned stimulant methylhexaneamine at Portugal's time-trial Championships the previous month.
The duo's explanation that the adverse test was as a result of a contaminated supplement was eventually accepted - methylhexaneamine having proved problematic in recent years - and they were banned for four-and-a-half months.
Costa, who signed for Movistar in April, was overjoyed with his first Tour stage success and dedicated the win to team-mate Juan Mauricio Soler, who is recovering from a life-threatening accident at last month's Tour de Suisse.
The 24-year-old said: "Yes, the fight with Carlos was a bit ugly, but since then me and Carlos are good friends.
"After everything that happened I knew it would be difficult for me.
"Fortunately it all came out fine and I'm grateful to the people who gave me a second chance.
"I came to this Tour hoping to do something very well because winning a stage is always very complicated.
"When I got to one kilometre from the finish I thought it was going to be very difficult to win. I only really thought I could win when I got to 300m to go.
"Winning a stage of the Tour de France is a dream for me."
Costa triumphed after breaking away from the day's nine-man escape.
But while Costa forged forward alone with 4km to go, an intriguing battle for the yellow jersey was unfolding behind him.
Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana), who began the day 32 seconds behind Hushovd, gave chase, attacking the peloton.
But Vinokourov floundered, the Kazakh who was banned for blood doping earlier in his career suffering on the final ascent to Super-Besse Sancy, eventually finishing 22nd, 15 seconds behind.
Overall favourites, including defending champion Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-SunGard) and last year's runner-up Andy Schleck (Leopard Trek), were also prominent in the finale, finishing 15 seconds behind Costa and three behind stage one winner Gilbert.
Evans led the group of favourites across the line, attempting to succeed Hushovd in the race lead, but the Norwegian plumbed the depths of his energy reserves to hold onto the maillot jaune for another day.
World champion Hushovd, who claimed the race lead on stage two, said: "I really didn't believe that I could keep this yellow jersey.
"I knew that the final was very hard but I've got incredible form right now and also the motivation to keep the lead, so I'm very happy with the result today.
"I'm tired after this week. It takes a lot of energy out of you to always be up there and defending the jersey so I really did not believe I could manage this today."
Contador, meanwhile, looked ahead to tomorrow's 208km ninth stage from Issoire to Saint-Flour and next week's stages in the Pyrenees.
The 28-year-old Spaniard lies 20th overall, still one minute 42 seconds behind Hushovd after conceding more than a minute on last Saturday's chaotic opening stage.
He said: "It was important I could stay with Andy Schleck and the other favourites because I think everyone will be going on the attack in the Pyrenees, not just the Alps.
"Nobody's going to wait until the Alps and I'm not going to wait either."
Hushovd leads Evans by one second and Frank Schleck (Leopard Trek) is three seconds further back in third place.
Andreas Kloden (RadioShack) is fourth and Jakob Fuglsang fifth ahead of his Leopard Trek team-mate Andy Schleck, who sits 12 seconds behind.
HTC-Highroad duo Tony Martin and Peter Velits, David Millar (Garmin-Cervelo) and Gilbert complete the top 10, the Belgian champion lying 30 seconds behind Hushovd.