The final stage of the 2008 Tour de Taiwan was a 60 lap criterium around Taipei City Hall. The race was opened by Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin who led the VIP ride before the race itself began. The stage was won by Polish cyclist Marek Wesoly of Merida Europe Team in a time of 1:22:10.
As in previous stages, the day got underway with some speeches and a short ceremony for the winners from Stage 7. Then the VIPs headed the field as they set out on a formation lap.
The days racing saw a fast pace set, as Health Net presented by Maxxis rider John Murphy, Team Type 1’s Shawn Milne and Meitan Hombo-GDR’s Takashi Miyazawa battled for the overall tour win. The stage however belonged to the Merida Europe Team, with Polish riders Marek Wesoly and Krzysztof Jezowski crossing the line first.
Stage 8 Results
1 Marek Wesoly (Pol) Merida Europe Team                                1.22.10
2 Krzysztof Jezowski (Pol) Merida Europe Team
3 Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Team Meitan Hompo-GDR
4 Shawn Milne (USA) Team Type 1
5 Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) AISAN Racing Team
6 Yoshiyuki Abe (Jpn) Team Skil-Shimano
7 Mifune Masahiko (Jpn) e-MA Cycling Team
8 John Murphy (USA) Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis
9 Sung Baek Park (Kor) Seoul City Cycling Team
10 Mohd Zahit Mohd Sayuti (Mas) Malaysian National Team
The final standings in the overall classification saw John Murphy claim the yellow jersey, holding off Shawn Milne’s challenge to take the tour by 10 seconds. Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) of Team Meitan Hompo-GDR, Peter McDonald (Aus) Drapac Porsche Development Program Team and Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) AISAN Racing Team rounded out the top five.
Overall Classification Final Results
 1 John Murphy (USA) Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis   17.59.32
2 Shawn Milne (USA) Team Type 1Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 0.10
3 Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Team Meitan Hompo-GDRÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 0.14
4 Peter McDonald (Aus) Drapac Porsche Development Program Team
5 Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) AISAN Racing Team                                 0.16
6 Wong Kam-Po (HKg) Hong Kong Pro Cycling Team                            0.23
7 Erik Hoffmann (Nam) Giant Asia Racing Team                              0.24
8 Mateusz Mroz (Pol) Merida Europe Team                                   0.30
9 Sung Baek Park (Kor) Seoul City Cycling Team                            0.31
10 Yoshiyuki Abe (Jpn) Team Skil-Shimano                                  0.34
11 Thijs Braber (Ned) Ruiter Dakkapellen Wielerteam                       0.36
12 Shinri Suzuki (Jpn) Team Skil-Shimano                                  0.37
13 Alex Coutts (GBr) Giant Asia Racing Team
14 Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Team Meitan Hompo-GDRÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 0.41
15 Kuan Hua Lai (Tpe) Giant Asia Racing Team
16 Hayato Yoshida (Jpn) Japan National Team
17 Hari Fitrianto (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice Racing Team                    0.46
18 Wang Yip Tang (HKg) Hong Kong Pro Cycling Team                         0.47
19 Hidenori Nodera (Jpn) Team Skil-Shimano
20 Grzegorz Zoledziowski (Pol) Merida Europe Team                         0.49
In the points classification, John Murphy was once again the winner, amassing 91 points over the eight stages to easily take the green jersey. Takashi Miyazawa, Taiji Nishtani, Shawn Milne and Marek Wesoly completed the top five.
Points Classification Final Results
1 John Murphy (USA) Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis         91 pts
2 Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Team Meitan Hompo-GDRÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 69
3 Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) AISAN Racing Team                                   63
4 Shawn Milne (USA) Team Type 1Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 60
5 Marek Wesoly (Pol) Merida Europe Team                                     45
6 Wong Kam-Po (HKg) Hong Kong Pro Cycling Team                              44
7 Krzysztof Jezowski (Pol) Merida Europe Team                               35
8 Sung Baek Park (Kor) Seoul City Cycling Team                              34
9 Emile Abraham (Tri) Team Type 1Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 26
10 Erik Hoffmann (Nam) Giant Asia Racing Team                               23
11 Peter McDonald (Aus) Drapac Porsche Development Program Team             22
12 Yoshiyuki Abe (Jpn) Team Skil-Shimano                                    18
13 Kyle Gritters (USA) Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis      18
14 Kirk O’Bee (USA) Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis         15
15 Mateusz Mroz (Pol) Merida Europe Team                                    15
16 Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Team Meitan Hompo-GDRÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 15
17 Valeriyl Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 1Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 15
18 Kohei Uchima (Jpn) Japan National Team                                   12
19 Stuart Shaw (Aus) Drapac Porsche Development Program Team                10
20 Kin San Wu (HKg) Hong Kong Pro Cycling Team                              10
After swapping the blue jersey for a week, the final stage saw Takashi Miyazawa finish 2 seconds in front of Taiji Nishitani to claim the trophy for best Asian rider. The top 20 all finished within 1 minute of each other.
Asian Rider Final Results
 1 Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Team Meitan Hompo-GDR                        17.59.46
2 Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) AISAN Racing Team                                 0.02
3 Wong Kam-Po (HKg) Hong Kong Pro Cycling Team                            0.09
4 Sung Baek Park (Kor) Seoul City Cycling Team                            0.17
5 Yoshiyuki Abe (Jpn) Team Skil-Shimano                                   0.20
6 Shinri Suzuki (Jpn) Team Skil-Shimano                                   0.23
7 Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Team Meitan Hompo-GDRÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 0.27
8 Kuan Hua Lai (Tpe) Giant Asia Racing Team
9 Hayato Yoshida (Jpn) Japan National Team
10 Hari Fitrianto (Ina) Polygon Sweet Nice Racing Team                    0.32
11 Wang Yip Tang (HKg) Hong Kong Pro Cycling Team                         0.33
12 Hidenori Nodera (Jpn) Team Skil-Shimano
13 Masakazu Ito (Jpn) Japan National Team                                 0.35
14 Ahmad Lutfi Muhammad Fauzan (Mas) Malaysian National Team              0.38
15 Ki Hong Yoo (Kor) Seoul City Cycling Team
16 Kazushige Kuboki (Jpn) Japan National Team                             0.41
17 Kohei Uchima (Jpn) Japan National Team                                 0.47
18 Shu Ming Liu (Tpe) e-MA Cycling Team
19 Ho Ting Kwok (HKg) Hong Kong Pro Cycling Team                          0.51
20 Yuzuru Suzuki (Jpn) AISAN Racing Team                                  0.54
The final individual category was for top local rider. Giant Asia Racing Team’s Lai Kuan-hua (è³´å† è¯) emerged victorious, giving him the white jersey and trophy for best Taiwanese racer.
Local Rider Final Results
 1 Kuan Hua Lai (Tpe) Giant Asia Racing Team                           18.00.13
2 Shu Ming Liu (Tpe) e-MA Cycling Team                                    0.20
3 Wei Chieh Liu (Tpe) Kinan CCD Team                                      3.19
4 Wei Cheng Lee (Tpe) Taichung County Team
5 Li Yao Chiang (Tpe) MAO Asia Team
6 Chun Kai Feng (Tpe) Kinan CCD Team
7 Kao An Li (Tpe) Taichung County Team                                    3.28
8 Yu-Wei Huang (Tpe) e-MA Cycling Team                                    3.39
9 Shuai Chun Chiang (Tpe) Taichung County Team                            4.08
10 Yung Hua Cheng (Tpe) MAO Asia Team                                     7.46
In the teams classification, Giant Asia Racing Team took the top prize from Team Skil-Shimano, with The Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis rounding out the top 3.
Teams Classification Final Results
1 Giant Asia Racing Team                                              54.00.30
2 Team Skil-Shimano                                                       0.15
3 The Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis                     0.22
4 Merida Europe Team                                                      0.30
5 Team Type 1Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 0.31
6 Japan National Team
7 Ruiter Dakkapellen Wielerteam                                           0.34
8 Hong Kong Cycling Team                                                  0.36
9 AISANRacing Team                                                        1.09
10 Seoul City Cycling Team                                                1.54
11 Polygon Sweet Nice Racing Team                                         3.05
12 Team Meitan Hompo-GDRÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 5.05
13 Drapac Porsche Development Program Team                                5.28
14 Malaysian National Team                                                6.33
15 KFS Special Vehicles                                                   6.55
16 e-MA Cycling Team                                                      7.42
17 Kinan CCD Team                                                        10.18
18 Taichung County Team                                                  11.04
19 MAO Asia Team                                                         11.25
20 Jet Fuel Coffee Cycling Team                                          14.07
So ended a great eight days of racing. Be sure to check out the full Stage Eight photo gallery. David Reid also has photos and a report from Stage Eight.