Along with Casar, Efimkin and Mikel Astarloza, he had made a decisive break on the final climb, up the Col d'Agnes, then held off the peloton on a long descent to the finish line and fighting it out for the stage win.

BBC: Sanchez secures stage eight win

"This is very serious, Joe, " he told retired US Air Force Col Joe Kittinger, whose records he was attempting to break, and who was acting as his radio link in mission control at Roswell airport.

BBC: Skydiver Felix Baumgartner breaks sound barrier