Stage 8 starts in Semur-en-Auxois and it’s initially a hilly parcours, with a potential bunch sprint to the finish line in Colombey-les-Deux-Eglises. With two stages to go before the first rest day this is a demanding 183.4km route, which should test the teams and could well end in another bunch sprint unless there is a strong enough breakaway to disrupt the plans of the sprinters teams.
Although no altitude records will be broken, the first two-thirds of this stage feature five categorised climbs and the tough ups and downs are likely to put a strain on the legs in the peloton at the point as the sprinters’ teammates work to set up a bunch finish. The last three kilometres of the final straight, which rise slightly but steadily, could see the peloton arrive en masse.
Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan) has his cherished 35th Tour stage victory in the bag, so with the pressure off he might be even more relaxed and calculating in the remaining sprints. Rivals such as Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X), Sam Bennett (Decathlon-Ag2r La Mondiale), Arnaud de Lie (Lotto-dstny), Fabio Jakobsen (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL) and the man in the green jersey, Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty), will battle for the win.
Lidl-Trek’s Mads Pedersen had a heavy crash at the end of Stage 5, impacting his back and left shoulder and he has soldiered on. It remains to be seen, though, if he is in a condition to compete for stage wins as his recovery continues.
Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) should be able to stay in the Yellow Jersey again, unless something unexpected happens amongst the favourites, after their exertions in the ITT on Stage 7.
