Stage 8 Saint-Méen-le-Grand – Laval (174 km)

Tour de France 2025 Stage 8 on the 12th July 2025.

CHATGPT PREDICTIONS

Expect sprint teams like Lidl-Trek and Alpecin-Deceuninck to control the pace tightly, reeling in any early breakaways. If the weather stays calm and no echelons form in the Brittany countryside, we’ll likely see a tightly contested bunch sprint.

Riders to Watch:

Jonathan Milan – The Italian powerhouse thrives on uphill finishes and has a reliable lead-out.

Tim Merlier – Always a threat, with the acceleration to win from a crowded finale.

Biniam Girmay – The wildcard; smart, resilient, and consistently among the top three this Tour.

Unless the wind throws in a twist—or a late breakaway goes rogue—Stage 8 should end in a high-octane sprint showdown, with Milan and Merlier the clear favorites. Keep an eye on Girmay, though—he's been quietly dangerous all week.

Prediction: Milan takes it by half a bike length.

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WHAT TO EXPECT BEFORE THE FIRST REST DAY

Because 14th of July is on Monday this year, the first rest day comes a day later on Thusday. Thus this year the "first week" is a bit longer than usual. Just a quick overview what to expect before Thusday.

As the peloton surges into the heart of France, the 2025 Tour de France enters a pivotal stretch with Stage 9 and the dramatic Stage 10—each offering wildly different challenges. Here's what fans and riders can expect from these two distinct days on the road.

Stage 9 offers up a textbook sprint opportunity. Riders roll out of the cobbled medieval streets of Chinon and into France’s open heartland. With no major climbs, the focus will be on speed, team coordination, and positioning—especially as the race heads toward the flat, fast finish in Châteauroux, a town forever linked with Mark Cavendish’s historic sprint wins.

Along the way, an intermediate sprint near Le Blanc will add excitement for green jersey contenders, and the potential for crosswinds on exposed terrain could stir some tension mid-stage. But all eyes are on the finish line, where sprinters will launch their lead-outs on Châteauroux’s broad avenues.

On Bastille Day, the peloton heads into the Massif Central for the Tour’s first true mountain battle. This demanding stage climbs through volcanic terrain, featuring 8 categorized ascents, sharp gradients, and a summit finish on the legendary Puy de Sancy.

Key climbs like the Côte de Loubeyrat, Col de la Croix Morand, and the final 3.3 km ascent to Le Mont-Dore (averaging 8%) will challenge even the strongest GC contenders. With over 4,300 meters of vertical gain, this is no warm-up—it’s a full-blown mountain test.

Expect fireworks on this French national holiday, as climbers and GC hopefuls make their first big statements of the race`

 

VINTAGE TOUR DE FRANCE IMAGE OF THE DAY

 

French cyclist Jules Deloffre (1885-1963) earned his nickname ‘The Acrobat’ (L’Acrobate) through his acrobatic performances after Tour de France stages.

Especially during the last few years of his career, when he was over 40 years old aready and wasn’t in the shape to expect serious race results, he was motivated rather by the opportunity to entertain the audience after riding 300 km or more.\

Nevertheless, he had plenty of occasions to show his acrobatic skills in front of the public, since he attented the famous French race between 1908 and 1928 a total of 14 times. But he completed only 7, and his best result was a 12th place in the general classification.

Already his 8th participation in 1920 made him a record holder. He kept this position until 1985, although from 1966 he had to share it with another rider, André Darrigade. (In 1985, Lucien Van Impe became the new recorder with 15 participations.)

Deloffre rode his last Tour de France at the age of 43. After his retirement of professional racing, he still attended small regional races.

In 1963, at the age of 78, he was riding a race called ‘Criterium International de Cambrai’, when he was run over by a car. He died following this accident.