Stage 8DS Insights – Review

🚴‍♂️ TOUR DE FRANCE 2025 – STAGE 8 DS INSIGHTS REVIEW

📍 Route: Saint‑Méen‑le‑Grand → Laval (Espace Mayenne)

📅 Date: 12 July 2025

📏 Distance: 171.4 km

🌬️ Profile: Flat with a slight 900 m false‑flat (15 km out); largely flat terrain apart from one Category 4 bump (confirmed by CyclingNews) 

🔥 Conditions: High daytime temperatures; potential for crosswinds, but sprinter‑controlled pace 

✅ Key Tactical Moves

Sprinters’ Day Over Most Others: With the core terrain flat, sprint trains from Lidl‑Trek, Alpecin–Deceuninck, and Visma–Lease a Bike were in full force  .

Safe for GC Teams: UAE Team Emirates kept a tight ship, protecting Tadej Pogačar who remained untroubled in the finale  .

Calm Yet Competitive Finale: A calm wind environment and controlled peloton, but late attacks by Van Aert almost challenged Milan  .

🥇 Stage 8 Top 5 Results

Place   Rider    Team  

1             Jonathan Milan 🇮🇹        Lidl–Trek           

2             Wout van Aert 🇧🇪          Visma–Lease a Bike 

3             Kaden Groves 🇦🇺         Alpecin–Deceuninck

4             Mathieu van der Poel 🇳🇱          Alpecin–Deceuninck

5             Tim Merlier 🇧🇪 Soudal Quick‑Step    

Jonathan Milan powered to his first-ever Tour stage win, becoming the first Italian to take a stage since 2019. Wout van Aert surged impressively but couldn’t match Milan’s acceleration. Kaden Groves held strong to claim third, earning praise for filling Philipsen’s role in the sprint.

🟡 Classification Standings—After Stage 8

General Classification (Yellow Jersey)

1. Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates‑XRG)  29 h 48′ 30″

2. Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick‑Step)  + 54″

3. Kévin Vauquelin (Arkéa–B&B Hotels)  + 1′ 11″  

Points Classification (Green Jersey)

1. Jonathan Milan – 192 pts

2. Tadej Pogačar – 156 pts

3. Biniam Girmay – 124 pts  

Mountains Classification (Polka-Dot)

Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates‑XRG) – 8 pts  

Young Rider (White Jersey)

Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick‑Step) continues leading  

Team Classification

Visma–Lease a Bike holds the top spot 

🎯 DS Insight: What This Stage Revealed

Momentum for Milan & Lidl–Trek: Clinching green and launching off his first win, Milan’s sprint confidence is surging. UAE’s Tactical Control: Pogačar remains safe and focused—his GC bid continues undisrupted. The rivalry with Visma remains respectful yet intense.

Groves is showing grit; Van Aert keeps suspicion high; sprint depth is evolving. Looking Ahead: Sprint teams will be eager to capitalize in Stage 9 (Châteauroux). Crosswinds? Possible but manageable. The Massif Central looms in Stage 10, where GC drama begins