Date: Saturday, 06 July 2024
The eighth stage of the Tour de France was classified as a flat stage by the ASO, but the sprinters would certainly not have an easy day. That much was clear after a look at the course. In the 183.4 kilometers between Semur-en-Auxois and Colombey-les-Deux-Églises, seven categorized climbs were on the menu, good for 2300 meters of altitude. None of these climbs were dizzyingly long or steep, but the accumulation could play into the hands of the adventurers. Especially because the rainy conditions would make it extra tough.
EF sets the pace
A big fight was expected in advance to get into the breakaway of the day, but it was over within minutes. Mountain jersey wearer Jonas Abrahamsen ( Uno-X Mobility ), Stefan Bissegger and Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost) chose to attack from the start and immediately created a nice gap. Quentin Pacher (Groupama-FDJ) tried to cross, but his action came too late. After a short chasse patate he dropped back into the peloton, where no one felt called upon to counterattack.
photo: Cor Vos
At least, until the first climb of the day. On the Côte de Vitteaux (2.1 km at 7%), another duo from EF Education-EasyPost – Alberto Bettiol and Ben Healy – flew in. Maxim Van Gils and Stephen Williams also jumped in, but they did not create a definitive gap. Romain Grégoire did succeed. He went hunting for the leading group, where Abrahamsen was grumbling again. The Norwegian was the first to reach the top of the Côte de Vitteaux, then left Bissegger and Powless behind and also took the points on the Côte de Villy-en-Auxois.
Abrahamsen alone in the lead
Abrahamsen also took the full spoils on the Côte de Verrey-sous-Salmaise (3 km at 6%). In the meantime, Bissegger and Powless dropped back into the peloton, which Grégoire had also joined by then. Calm was restored. This also gave the dropped sprinters Mark Cavendish and Fabio Jakobsen the chance to return to the pack. Jordan Jegat then chose to attack, hoping to catch up with Abrahamsen.
photo: Cor Vos
The Norwegian decided not to wait for the Frenchman. He continued on his own and kept up the pace. His lead on the peloton, where Jegat also took his place after a while, grew quickly. With 130 kilometers to go, Abrahamsen had almost six minutes. The peloton then accelerated a bit, because there was an intermediate sprint on the menu. Green jersey wearer Biniam Girmay came through in second place, ahead of his teammate Gerben Thijssen and challenger Jasper Philipsen .
Peloton increases the pace
It was also the teams of these sprinters, Intermarché-Wanty and Alpecin-Deceuninck, who set the pace in the peloton. They were helped by Cofidis and Lotto Dstny. Nevertheless, Abrahamsen kept his lead stable at six minutes for kilometers. He also picked up the only mountain point on the Côte de Santenoge (1.1 km at 8%) and did the same on the Côte de Giey-sur-Aujon (1.2 km at 7.8%).
Meanwhile, the race continued to flow. At about seventy kilometers, there was some commotion due to a small crash involving Warren Barguil among others . The group split into two, but order was restored in no time.
photo: Cor Vos
Abrahamsen caught
In the phase that followed, Abrahamsen started to lose some of his feathers. This also had to do with an acceleration in the peloton, which also led to cracks in the peloton thirty kilometers from the end. Among others, Michael Matthews , one of the shadow favorites, fell behind. The Australian was still chasing, when Abrahamsen was caught with fifteen kilometers to go.
In the rolling approach to the sprint, a few fast men were let go, including Fabio Jakobsen . Other pure sprinters such as Mark Cavendish were still in the front. Biniam Girmay was also well positioned at the start of the last kilometer, with three teammates ahead of him. However, it was Cofidis who took over towards the last few hundred meters. Bryan Coquard then started the sprint.
Girmay Again
That turned out to be much too early. Biniam Girmay and Jasper Philipsen were the first to pass the Frenchman and battled each other for the victory. Philipsen initially had the advantage, but Girmay did not give up. The Intermarché-Wanty rider still passed Philipsen and thus took his second victory in this Tour de France . Philipsen came second, Arnaud De Lie third. Further down in the top ten we also saw Marijn van den Berg (fifth) and, remarkably, Remco Evenepoel (tenth).
