Tour de France stage 8 preview - Another chance for the fast men
The opening week of this Tour de France has been particularly demanding, but the sprinters finally got their opportunity in stage 7. Tim Merlier made the most of it with an impressive victory, and the Belgian will have another chance to strike in stage 8.
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Stage 8 | Périgueux - Bergerac (179.14km)
The road from Périgueux to Bergerac is expected to produce another bunch finish, although the technical finale could make positioning just as important as raw speed.
Key information:
- Start: 13:25 (CET)
- Estimated Finish: 17:20-17:43 (CET)
- Stage type: flat
- Stage length: 179.14km
- Elevation gain: 1090m
Follow stage 8 live at Domestique with our live reporting.
Route
Much like stage 7, the majority of the route is straightforward and should offer few opportunities to disrupt the sprinters’ teams. The defining moments are likely to come inside the final kilometres.
There are two crucial corners in the run towards the finish, the first with just over one kilometre remaining and the second at approximately 500 metres from the line.
The first corner will mark the start of the decisive battle for position. Riders who enter it too far back may still have time to move up, but doing so will require a significant effort.
The final corner with 500m to go is even more important. Its proximity to the finish and its tight angle mean the leading sprinters will need to be perfectly placed. Any hesitation or loss of position could end a rider’s chances before the sprint has properly begun.
Key points
- Côte de Domme | 4th category - 3.6km at 3.3% - 77.5km to go
- Intermediate sprint - 58km to go
- Côte du Buisson-de-Caudouin | 4th category climb - 2.1km at 5.5% - 40km to go
Favourites
Tim Merlier lost his most important leadout rider when Bert Van Lerberghe left the race, but that did not prevent the Soudal Quick-Step sprinter from winning stage 7 in emphatic fashion.
Merlier once again showed why he is widely considered the fastest pure sprinter in the WorldTour peloton. Even without a perfect leadout, he has the power and instinct to finish the job. He is the clear five star favourite.
Behind Merlier, the hierarchy is less certain.
Biniam Girmay has looked quick throughout the race, but the NSN rider has not yet found the space required to fully launch his sprint. His leadout has been impressive, although turning a strong position into a victory remains one of the hardest tasks in cycling.
Olav Kooij proved his speed with a strong performance in stage 5, but poor positioning ended his hopes in stage 7. The Decathlon CMA CGM sprinter now has an immediate opportunity to respond.
Uno-X Mobility experienced both extremes of the Tour in a matter of hours. Tobias Halland Johannessen had appeared capable of challenging for a strong general classification result, while Torstein Træen wore the yellow jersey. Johannessen then lost time, before Træen crashed and was forced to abandon the race.
Søren Wærenskjold provided some consolation by finishing second in stage 7. The Norwegian clearly has the speed to compete with the best and will once again be the team’s main focus in Bergerac. After coming so close, he will believe he can go one place better.
Alpecin-Premier Tech delivered Jasper Philipsen into a promising position in stage 7, but the Belgian has not yet looked like his usual self. His resilience and competitive instinct mean he can never be dismissed, particularly in a technical finish that suits his aggressive style.
Max Kanter has benefited from several excellent leadouts by XDS Astana. His team has consistently placed him near the front, and another strong performance could put him in contention for a podium place or even a surprise victory.
Picnic PostNL has not yet managed to bring everything together for Pavel Bittner, but a breakthrough appears possible. The Czech sprinter has both the speed and the support required. He now needs a clean run through the final kilometre.
Phil Bauhaus produced an improved performance in stage 7. The Bahrain Victorious rider was well positioned before his route to the line was blocked. He appeared to have speed remaining and should welcome another immediate opportunity.
Fernando Gaviria found himself in an excellent position during stage 7, but contact with Philipsen pushed him dangerously close to the barriers and disrupted his momentum. A clean sprint in Bergerac should provide a clearer indication of what the Caja Rural-Seguros RGA rider can still produce.
LottoIntermarché appeared to be without a sprint option following the abandonment of Arnaud De Lie, but Huub Artz has adapted impressively. He may lack the outright speed of the leading contenders, but his positioning has been excellent.
Other riders to watch include Milan Fretin of Cofidis, Mads Pedersen of Lidl-Trek, Pascal Ackermann of Jayco Alula, Clément Russo of Groupama-FDJ United, and Anthony Turgis of TotalEnergies.
Domestique Stars
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Merlier
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Girmay, Kooij
⭐⭐⭐ Waerenskjold, Philipsen, Kanter
⭐⭐ Bittner, Bauhaus, Gaviria, Artz
⭐ Fretin, Pedersen, Ackermann, Russo, Turgis
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