Tour de France 2025: stage eight, from Saint-Méen-le-Grand to Laval – reside | Tour de France 2025
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Key occasions
98km to go: There’s been a few punctures; one for Jordi Meeus (Pink Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) and one for Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty) that resulted in a rear wheel change.
103km to go: My lunch has arrived: a fantastically crafted fancy cheese, plum chutney and tomato sandwich. Among the riders have been tucking into their varied snacks. Even the commentators on TNT Sports activities are discussing cheese tasting notes.
113km to go: Nonetheless no takers for an assault, so the peloton are fortunately biking alongside chatting. At 85.5km in, there’s an intermediate dash, with factors for the inexperienced jersey classification.
Additionally, it’s price noting that the riders have to attend an additional day this 12 months for his or her first relaxation day, attributable to Bastille Day on 14 July. They’re racing for optimum publicity on TV throughout the nationwide day of France.
Mark Renshaw has informed XDS Astana over the group radio that they give the impression of being “stunning” using collectively on the TV protection.
120km to go: The lengthy string of riders are consuming up the kilometres by means of the French countryside. The common velocity of the stage to this point is 42km/h, though they had been clocking 60km/h on the slight downhills. Nonetheless, Intermarché-Wanty and Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) are nonetheless on the entrance of the bunch. Additional again the jersey wearers are spinning and chatting.
Glen has kindly prolonged an invitation for me to affix Monday’s Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy stage. He’s emailed in to say he and a Canadian mate from again in schooldays will hop from the village of Tauves to Mont Dore, earlier than “mountaineering up a beautiful route to close the highest of the beautiful and expansive-viewed final col (St Robert) with views down the hairpins, set earlier than the ultimate drag up the Puy du Sancy”.
That sounds idyllic however sadly, I will likely be glued to my laptop reside running a blog that stage. Have enjoyable Glen and drop me an e mail on Monday.
Apologies, it seems that the e-mail hyperlink so that you can ship me your ideas, questions and predictions wasn’t proper. It ought to be up to date now, so if in case you have already despatched an e mail, please attempt resending it to the e-mail handle now linked. Thanks!
135km to go: João Almeida (UAE Crew Emirates XRG) is using in the present day however have to be feeling very sore. Previous to stage eight, Almeida mentioned:
I’ve a damaged rib, loads of bruises and loads of pores and skin lacking. I virtually didn’t sleep so it gained’t assist and my finger can be painful so let’s see the way it goes holding the handlebar and every little thing.
140km to go: We’re 30km in and Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) and Jonas Rutsch (Intermarché-Wanty) are nonetheless driving the bunch at a tempo of about 41km/h.
I’m presently pondering some plans to go and see the Tour at a stage or two subsequent week. Is anyone else heading out to France for this race or the Tour de France Femmes?
It’s one other packed weekend of sport. You possibly can see what the Guardian group have lined up with the protection information right here:
148km to go: It’s all nonetheless very calm within the peloton. After yesterday’s bumpy stage, the riders are taking the extra relaxed moments the place they will – who can blame them? Intermarché-Wanty and Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) are nonetheless driving the bunch.
One of many group’s has radioed its riders to say that this area is understood for having a number of cows. I feel that sums up the extent of motion proper now.
153km to go: In accordance with the Tour race centre, the wind in addition to the warmth will make issues uncomfortable for the peloton in the present day.
Blowing from the north-east, it will likely be of their faces for virtually the whole stage, at a median velocity of 15 km/h, slowing the peloton down.
159km to go: It’s sizzling on the market. The temperature is 30C on the entrance of the race, in reality. It’s additionally very uncovered as they journey by means of cities. Numerous supporters are out for the riders, which is nice to see.
162km to go: Right now, after Dunbar’s withdrawal, there are 176 riders within the bunch. They’re very a lot chilling as they roll by means of the picturesque French countryside. Intermarché-Wanty and Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) are up on the entrance of the pack.
Eddie Dunbar withdraws from the Tour de France 2025
Jayco Alula have mentioned that the Irishman Eddie Dunbar will withdraw from the Tour as he wasn’t in a position to begin in the present day. On social media, the group mentioned:
Following a crash within the remaining kilometres of yesterday’s stage, Dunbar has been struggling with ache in his wrist and a call was taken to cease, for his security.
The racing has begun!
171km to go: The flag has dropped however the peloton is staying collectively, casually rolling. No takers for an early assault but.
Third positioned on yesterday’s stage, the 22-year-old Oscar Onley (Picnic-PostNL) has caught the eye of Tour pundits as one to observe. The Scot spoke to TNT Sports activities about yesterday’s consequence and in addition his hopes for Monday’s mountain stage:
On yesterday’s third place end:
It’s somewhat little bit of a suprise however these form of levels swimsuit me effectively. To be behind Pogačar and Vingegaard yesterday provides you a little bit of confidence … It’s good to have the ability to pay the group again.
Trying forward:
[I’m going to] take it straightforward and attempt to get better. [I’m] wanting ahead to Monday, it ought to be one other one which fits me.
And right here’s a reminder of the GC rankings earlier than the correct motion begins in the present day:
The highest 10 on GC after stage seven
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Tadej Pogačar (UAE Crew Emirates XRG), 25hr 58min 04secs
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Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Fast-Step), +54secs
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Kévin Vauquelin (Arkéa-B&B Accommodations), +1min 11secs
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Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike), +1min 17secs
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Mathieu Van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck), +1min 29secs
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Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike) +1min 34secs
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Oscar Onley (Picnic-PostNL) +2min 49secs
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Florian Lipowitz (Pink Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) +3min 2secs
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Primož Roglič (Pink Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) +3min 6secs
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Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) + 3min 43secs
Right now’s rollout has begun
Stage eight of the Tour de France 2025 is underneath approach. The peloton have rolled out from a Saint-Méen-le-Grand. There’s a 6.4km neutralised part earlier than the racing begins at about 1.25pm CEST/12.25pm BST.
Jonas Vingegaard’s followers are out in pressure forward of stage eight:
There’s been a medical replace on Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious) and João Almeida (UAE Crew Emirates XRG) from the Tour de France race centre:
Santiago Buitrago “didn’t have concussion, however has superficial abrasions and contusions to the proper thigh”. He ought to begin in the present day.
The identical goes with Joao Almeida. “It’s confirmed he has an uncomplicated left-sided rib fracture, in addition to some profound abrasions to his physique”, the UAE Crew Emirates-XRG physician defined yesterday night. “Fortuitously no concussion. We will likely be monitoring him fastidiously going ahead. The following few days will likely be tough for him, however at this level, he ought to be capable to begin.”
Yesterday, Bahrain Victorious’s Jack Haig and Soudal-Fast-Step’s Mattia Cattaneo needed to withdrew from the Tour de France 2025. Haig’s group confirmed that he had suffered a concussion after a crash, whereas Cattaneo’s group mentioned he wouldn’t be persevering with attributable to accidents.
Listed here are all of the withdrawals to this point:
Stage one:
Stage three:
Stage 5:
Stage seven:
Right here is the route profile of stage eight:
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Right now’s official race briefing comes from French ex-professional bicycle owner, Jean-Marc Marino:
Stage eight, Saint-Méen-le-Grand to Laval Espace Mayenne, 171.4km, [is] a largely flat stage with a remaining one kilometre climb at 2%. However it’s going to take a sprinter who’s not worn out from earlier days to win this stage.
The stage begins in Saint-Méen-le-Grand, birthplace of Louison Bobet, one among Brittany’s legends. Then we cross by means of Romillé, the house city of Gérard Huet, and Ballots, birthplace of Jacky Durand.
There will likely be an intermediate dash in Vitré, a end location of the Route Adélie. There’s a really slight bump, 15km from the end, nevertheless it’s solely 900m at 3.8%. Then a technical part by means of Laval leads into the finale, with a one kilometre uphill false flat in entrance of the Espace Mayenne. A reasonably contemporary sprinter will likely be wanted to take the win.
Stage eight: Saint-Méen-le-Grand to Laval, 171km
Right here’s a take a look at in the present day’s stage, Saturday 12 July: Saint-Méen-le-Grand to Laval, 171.4km, with William Fotheringham’s preview:
The beginning ideas its hat to the triple winner Louison Bobet, the baker’s boy from Saint Méen, then the route heads east; if the prevailing wind – westerly – does its factor, this will likely be very quick, however the situation is effectively trodden: early doomed break that includes lowly French groups cheered on by the native crowd – suppose Arkéa, Cofidis, Whole Energies – and a dash end for Philipsen and firm after 5 days’ ready.
The preview was written earlier than the Tour, so Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) gained’t be within the combine in the present day after having to withdaw from the race on stage three. It’ll be a day for the sprinters although, so hold an eye fixed out for Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek), Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty) and Tim Merlier (Soudal-Fast-Step).
Preamble
After a sequence of hilly levels over the previous couple of days, the peloton will head out in the present day on a 171.4km flat route from Saint-Méen-le-Grand to Laval, with an elevation achieve of 1,700m. There’s just one climb, the class 4 Côte de Nuillé sur Vicoin, coming 16km earlier than the end. It’s a brief climb at 900m with a median gradient of three.8% so it shouldn’t be an issue for the sprinters who will likely be eyeing up a stage win in the present day.
With that in thoughts, sprinters reminiscent of Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek), Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty) and Tim Merlier (Soudal-Fast-Step) are anticipated to be within the combine, however there is also a shock from lesser identified names. I’ll even be conserving an eye fixed out to see how Tadej Pogačar (UAE Crew Emirates XRG), Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) deal with that brief climb earlier than the end. As all the time, I’d love to listen to your predictions so please do e mail them to me.
The peloton are scheduled to roll out at 1.10pm CEST (12.10am BST) and the end is estimated to be at about 5.04pm CEST (4.04pm BST).
If you wish to compensate for yesterday’s stage first, right here is Jeremy Whittle’s stage seven race report from Mûr-de-Bretagne:
And a refresher of who’s who and the groups competing on this 12 months’s Tour:
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