Laval, France – Italian powerhouse Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) dominated a hotly contested bunch sprint on Saturday to claim his first-ever Tour de France stage victory in Laval. The 24-year-old’s win on Stage 8, a flat 171.4km route from Saint-Méen-le-Grand to Laval Espace Mayenne, marked the end of Italy’s longest drought for a stage win in the Tour, with the last Italian victory dating back to Vincenzo Nibali in 2019.
A Hard-Fought Sprint to Victory
The stage, largely uneventful under clear skies and temperatures exceeding 30°C, was always destined for a mass sprint finish. Despite some headwinds earlier in the day, the peloton maintained a controlled pace, allowing a late two-rider breakaway by TotalEnergies teammates Mathieu Burgaudeau and Matteo Vercher to gain a minute before being reeled in with just 9 kilometers to go.
In the chaotic run-in to the finish, Milan showcased his raw power and excellent positioning. After taking the intermediate sprint earlier in the stage, signaling his strong form, he remained focused on the final dash. As the sprint trains jostled for position on the slightly uphill finish, Milan, expertly guided by his Lidl-Trek teammates like Jasper Stuyven and Simone Consonni, found himself in a prime spot. He reportedly followed the wheel of Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck), who was leading out Kaden Groves, before launching his devastating sprint with around 200 meters to go.
Milan successfully held off strong challenges from Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck), who finished second and third respectively. “I’m happy with the victory. We worked for it and it eventually came on the third opportunity. I knew I could count on my boys,” Milan stated after his win, expressing gratitude for his team’s “extraordinary job” in guiding him.
Green Jersey Acquired and GC Remains Steady
With this pivotal victory, Milan not only celebrated his maiden Tour de France stage win but also officially took over the lead in the points classification, earning him the coveted green jersey. He had been wearing it previously on behalf of overall leader Tadej Pogacar. Milan now holds a significant lead with 192 points, 36 clear of Pogacar, and 68 points ahead of his closest sprint rival, Biniam Girmay.
In the general classification, there was no significant change among the top contenders. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) safely retained the overall lead in the yellow jersey, maintaining his 54-second advantage over Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step). Kevin Vauquelin (Arkea-B&B Hotels) remained in third, 1 minute and 11 seconds behind Pogacar. The peloton largely conserved energy after Friday’s tough, hilly stage, indicating a collective decision by the general classification teams to “keep its powder dry” ahead of more challenging terrain.
Avinash Sable’s Unfortunate Exit
In other news for Indian cycling fans, Avinash Sable, India’s national record holder in the men’s 3000m steeplechase, unfortunately registered a Did Not Finish (DNF) in his event. He appeared to have been involved in a collision with another competitor who tripped and fell after a water jump. The steeplechase was won by two-time Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco in 8:03.18. This was Sable’s third Diamond League appearance this season.
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