July 8/17 13:41 pm - Tour de France: Stage 8

Posted by Editoress on 07/8/17
 

Lilian Calmejane claims first Tour de France victory

Frenchman Lilian Calmejane of Direct Energie soloed to victory on stage 8 to Les Rousses, mimicking his compatriot Sylvain Chavanel who did it seven years ago and winning at the age of 24 the same way he did as a neo pro at the Vuelta a España last year. It was a very eventful race with top class contenders in the different breakaways but Chris Froome managed to retain the yellow jersey ahead of grueling climbs on the way to Chambéry.

Arnaud Démare in trouble
193 riders started stage 8 in Dole. As expected on a stage dedicated to attacks, many skirmishes took place from the gun. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data), Gianluca Brambilla (Quick-Step Floors), Sylvain Chavanel (Direct Energie) and Alberto Bettiol (Cannondale-Drapac) formed the first breakaway of the day. It didn't work out but Chavanel went again, accompanied by Greg van Avermaet (BMC) and Alexey Lutsenko (Astana). Although he was beaten to the finish by Michael Matthews (Sunweb), Marcel Kittel (Quick-Step Floors) still increased his lead in the points classification over runner up Arnaud Démare (FDJ) who struggled badly in the first climb of the day. Mathias Frank (AG2R-La Mondiale), Jasha Sütterlin (Movistar), Marcus Burghardt (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Cyril Lemoine (Cofidis) rode away after 50km of racing. Sütterlin was later replaced by Diego Ulissi (UAE Team Emirates) in the leading quartet but it was all together again at km 70.

Barguil and Pauwels at col de la Joux
46 riders managed to go clear after 75km of racing. Sixteen of them formed a leading group with 98km to go: Jan Bakelants and Mathias Frank (AG2R-La Mondiale), Koen de Kort (Trek-Segafredo), Michael Schär and Greg Van Avermaet (BMC), Michael Valgren (Astana), Jens Keukeleire (Orica-Scott), Serge Pauwels (Dimension Data), Matteo Trentin (Quick-Step Floors), Emanuel Buchmann and Marcus Burghardt (Bora-Hansgrohe), Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal), Warren Barguil and Laurens ten Dam (Sunweb), Lilian Calmejane (Direct Energie) and Alberto Bettiol (Cannondale-Drapac). Barguil and Pauwels rode away in the col de la Joux with 92km to go. The Frenchman and the Belgian were still part of a group of seven riders who climbed the côte de Viry at the front before a regrouping. At the initiative of Van Avermaet, they went again before the top of the hill where Barguil outsprinted Bakelants and an eight-man group was formed with 48km to go: Jan Bakelants (AG2R-La Mondiale), Nicolas Roche and Greg Van Avermaet (BMC), Serge Pauwels (Dimension Data), Warren Barguil (Sunweb), Robert Gesink (LottoNL-Jumbo), Lilian Calmejane (Direct Energie) and Simon Clarke (Cannondale-Drapac).

Lilian Calmejane soloes to victory
Michael Valgren (Astana) rejoined the leading group at St-Claude with 25km to go. In the first category Montée de la Combe de Laisia les Molunes, Calmejane rode away solo with 17km remaining before the finish. He suffered cramps with 5km to go but managed to overcome the pain to maintain his 40 second advantage over lone chaser Gesink. It was his first Tour de France victory and the second for a French rider this year after Arnaud Démare on stage 4 in Vittel. Calmejane also took the polka dot jersey while Chris Froome retained the lead in the overall ranking.

Overall: Christopher Froome (Team Sky)
Points: Marcel Kittel (Quick-Step Floors)
Climber: Lilian Calmejan (Direct Energie)
Young Rider: Simon Yates (Orica-Scott)
Team: Team Sky
Most Agressive rider: Lilian Calmejan (Direct Energie)

Results from the eighth stage in France