By Score More
First African Black Rider to Win a Tour Stage Repeats Success and Consolidates Points Classification Lead
Eritrean cyclist Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty) achieved a historic second sprint victory at the Tour de France on Saturday, July 6, by winning Stage 8 in Colombey-les-Deux-Églises. Girmay, who stayed on Bryan Coquard’s (Cofidis) wheel during the initial attack, outpaced Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceununck) to take second place, with Arnaud De Lie (Lotto-Dstny) finishing third.
Girmay had already made history as the first African black rider to win a Tour de France stage in the race’s 111 editions by taking Stage 3. “Winning a stage is incredible, winning a second stage while wearing the green jersey is even more so. I have already won two stages and worn the green jersey, so my Tour de France is already a success, and I don’t care what comes next. Regardless, I will surely give my best to win the points classification,” he celebrated.
During the stage, polka dot jersey wearer Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility) embarked on a solo breakaway that ended 14.4 km from the finish. Abrahamsen was named the most combative rider of the stage. “I am happy to gain more points in the mountain classification and the intermediate sprint and to be the most combative rider. I gave everything today but wasn’t strong enough at the end. My legs are pretty sore, so I hope to recover well for tomorrow. I like feeling the pain in my legs; they get stronger afterward,” he said.
The eighth stage of the Tour de France started with 173 riders at the starting line in Semur-en-Auxois, after Mads Pedersen was forced to abandon the race due to a crash in the mass sprint in Saint Vulbas during Stage 5. Intermittent rain, strong winds, and hilly terrain promised a challenging day.
Neilson Powless and Stefan Bissegger (EF Education-EasyPost), along with Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X), attacked right after the start. The trio built a lead that reached 2’25” at km 16. However, attacks from EF Education-EasyPost on the Côte de Vitteaux (Cat 3, km 24.1) caused the peloton to accelerate, and at the top, Abrahamsen, in the polka dot jersey, crossed the line first, with the gap to the peloton reduced to just 1’15”.
Failing to get Ben Healy or Alberto Bettiol in the breakaway, EF abandoned the attacks and also pulled back Bissegger and Powless. Jordan Jegat (TotalEnergies) tried in vain to join Abrahamsen, who led the climbs of the Côte de Villy-en-Auxois (Cat 4, km 32.5) and the Côte de Verrey-sous-Salmaise (Cat 3, km 38.8) uncontested. At the intermediate sprint in Lamargelle (IS, km 59), Abrahamsen had a 5’40” lead over a relaxed peloton. Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty) was the first rider from the peloton to cross the line, securing another day in the green jersey.
Abrahamsen continued alone, overcoming the Côte de Santenoge (Cat 4, km 96.7) and the Côte de Giey-sur-Aujon (Cat 4, km 122.4), accumulating more points in the mountain classification. However, at the top of the second climb, the last classified climb of the stage, his lead had shrunk to just over 4 minutes. Abrahamsen’s glorious day guaranteed him at least two more stages in the polka dot jersey, as only 4 mountain points will be available to the riders in Stage 9 and none in Stage 10.
In the general classification, Tadej Pogacar continues in the yellow jersey, with a 33-second lead over Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step). Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma Lease a Bike) is in third place, 1min15s behind.
“It was pretty cold today and very fast, as Jonas Abrahamsen was flying up front, and we had to ride at his pace. It was a somewhat stressful day in the peloton. It’s good to mark the day and start thinking about tomorrow. Will tomorrow’s stage be decisive? I don’t think so. Of course, you will need to stay even more alert and focused. Every entry into a gravel sector will be a battle. There will be wind and maybe some rain… You can be the best on gravel, but if you get a flat at the wrong time, you will lose time. It will be a busy and dangerous day. It will be essential to stay close to the front and well surrounded by the team. Everyone wants to be at the front in every stage, and tomorrow’s stage will be no different – just more stressful than usual,” commented Pogacar.
THE JERSEYS
- Yellow Jersey – General Classification Leader – Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates)
- Green Jersey – Points Classification Leader – Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty)
- Polka Dot Jersey – Mountain Classification Leader – Jonas Abrahamsen (UNO X Mobility)
- White Jersey – Best Young Rider Classification Leader – Remco Evenepoel (Soudal QuickStep)
Next Stage
The first week of the 2024 Tour concludes with one of the most anticipated stages. Stage 9, on Sunday, July 7, with 199 km starting and ending in Troyes, will feature 14 gravel road sections. “The white roads, already an iconic feature of the Strade Bianche and Paris-Tours, return to the Tour after the Champagne experience in 2022. There will be 14 sectors, including six in the final part of the stage, extending over 32 km in total,” explained the Tour director.
THE STAGES
- Stage 1 – June 29 – Florence – Rimini – 206 km
- Stage 2 – June 30 – Cesenatico – Bologna – 198.7 km
- Stage 3 – July 1 – Piacenza – Torino – 230.5 km
- Stage 4 – July 2 – Pinerolo – Valloire – 139.6 km
- Stage 5 – July 3 – Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne – Saint-Vulbas Plaine de l’Ain – 177.4 km
- Stage 6 – July 4 – Mâcon – Dijon – 163.5 km
- Stage 7 – July 5 – Nuits-Saint-Georges – Gevrey-Chambertin – 25.3 km (ITT)
- Stage 8 – July 6 – Semur-en-Auxois – Colombey-les-Deux-Églises – 183.4 km
- Stage 9 – July 7 – Troyes – Troyes – 199 km
Rest Day – July 8
- Stage 10 – July 9 – Orléans – Saint-Amand-Montrond – 187.3 km
- Stage 11 – July 10 – Évaux-les-Bains – Le Lioran – 211 km
- Stage 12 – July 11 – Aurillac – Villeneuve-sur-Lot – 203.6 km
- Stage 13 – July 12 – Agen – Pau – 165.3 km
- Stage 14 – July 13 – Pau – Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla d’Adet – 151.9 km
- Stage 15 – July 14 – Loudenvielle – Plateau de Beille – 197.7 km
Rest Day – July 15
- Stage 16 – July 16 – Gruissan – Nîmes – 188.6 km
- Stage 17 – July 17 – Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux – Superdévoluy – 177.8 km
- Stage 18 – July 18 – Gap – Barcelonnette – 179.6 km
- Stage 19 – July 19 – Embrun – Isola 2000 – 144.6 km
- Stage 20 – July 20 – Nice – Col de la Couillole – 132.8 km
- Stage 21 – July 21 – Monaco – Nice – 33.7 km (ITT)