Merlier: ‘There are riders I prefer not to be behind’ Tim Merlier couldn’t sprint for the win because the Belgian was behind the crash. The sprinter wasn’t surprised that riders would slide on the road surface. “I can already say before the race who is going to be involved in a crash. I need to take a good look again, but I already know a few names,” said the disappointed Merlier to Sporza.
“Some riders simply go over the limit more than necessary. They prefer to crash rather than sprint. The positive news is that I didn’t crash today. There are a few riders I prefer not to be behind in the chaos.”
Meeus disappointed: ‘A missed opportunity’ Jordi Meeus is disappointed after finishing second in Valence. The Belgian felt he could have beaten Milan. “This is really a missed opportunity,” Meeus told Sporza. “You don’t get many chances in the Tour, and I really feel like I made a mistake by not going myself.”
“I didn’t see the finish because the line was behind a bend. I kept looking at signs so I could see how far it was. I waited, and Milan did go. Immediately I saw the 100-meter sign about 20 meters from us. Then I knew I was too late.”
Milan thanks teammates for help Jonathan Milan is delighted with his victory but realizes he couldn’t have won without his Lidl-Trek teammates. The sprinter dropped out of the peloton on the first climb and struggled on the second col as well. “I wouldn’t have survived the cols on my own. I made it thanks to my teammates. Without them, I wouldn’t be here.”
Milan also had help in the final. “The bad weather made the final dangerous. It was even frightening. But my teammates launched me perfectly. This is really a victory for the team. I thank them from the bottom of my heart,” said Milan, who wasn’t aware of the crash behind him.
Milan wins with a wheel ahead of Meeus, according to the photo finish.
Girmay crosses the finish line quite battered.
Milan went early and just kept Meeus behind him.
It is Milan’s second stage win of this Tour. The Italian was also the strongest in the eighth stage.
Jonathan Milan wins! The Italian green jersey wearer is just faster than Meeus and Andresen in the sprint. Many sprinters couldn’t compete for the win because of a major crash in the final.
1 km to go – Crash! Many riders slide on the wet road surface, including Girmay. Merlier is behind the crash and cannot sprint.
1.5 km to go – The sprinters are fighting for the best position.
2.9 km to go – The sprinters’ teams are positioning themselves. Who will win the mass sprint in Valence?
4.4 km to go – Abrahamsen is caught. A mass sprint in the rain is coming.
5.9 km – Abrahamsen is only 9 seconds ahead of the peloton. The riders are preparing for a hectic and rainy final.
8.5 km – The peloton catches Pacher, Burgaudeau, and Albanese. Abrahamsen is the only one leading and has a 12-second lead.
10 km – Attack! Abrahamsen breaks away from the leading group! The other three can’t follow the Norwegian.
11 km – The leading group and the peloton are taking the rainy conditions into account. The riders are careful on the roundabouts.
14 km – The peloton isn’t closing in quickly. The gap is still 24 seconds in this rainy final.
19 km – The sprinters’ teams in the peloton are working hard. Among others, Soudal Quick-Step (for Merlier) and Lidl-Trek (for Milan) are doing a lot of work. The leading group only has a half-minute lead.
25 km – The peloton is chasing the leading group on a wet road, which still has a lead of 45 seconds.
30 km – It’s raining, and the leading group and the peloton are suffering from it in the form of a wet road surface. It’s also raining in the finish location, Valence.
33 km – Van Aert’s attempt ends beautifully. The Belgian notices that he can’t catch up with the leading group and drops back into the peloton.
37 km – Van Aert is not easily catching up with the leading group. The Belgian is still half a minute behind the four riders at the front.
43 km – The leading group is over the line at the last climb. Van Aert is only 26 seconds behind. The peloton is then 30 seconds behind the Belgian again.
45 km – Attack by Van Aert! The Belgian takes off hard, and no one in the peloton reacts. The Visma rider is on his way to the leading group.
46 km – The leading group has started the Col de Tartaiguille (3.6 kilometers at 3.5 percent).
Crash! Quite a few riders in the peloton are on the ground. Alaphilippe, Cort, Penhoët, Foss, and Carlos Rodríguez have fallen but are now back on their bikes.
51 km – The leading group will soon start the second and final climb of the day. Abrahamsen, Albanese, Burgaudeau, and Pacher are more than 1 minute ahead of the peloton.
65 km – The peloton is easing off a bit. The leading group is increasing its lead to 1 minute and 5 seconds. But the expectation is that the four will lose a lot of time again on the second climb.
74 km – The group of Milan, Merlier, and Groenewegen has returned to the peloton. But the spectacle on the first climb promises something for the upcoming col.
80 km – Alpecin doesn’t want the group of dropouts (with Milan, Merlier, and Groenewegen) to return to the peloton and is accelerating the pace of the peloton. The team is aiming for a stage win for sprinter Groves. Tudor, Team Picnic PostNL, and Intermarché-Wanty are also helping.
89 km – The peloton is keeping the pace high now that a group with Milan, Merlier, and Groenewegen is behind. The peloton is only 25 seconds behind the leading group and has a 1-minute lead on the dropped riders.
91 km – Abrahamsen is the first to pass the top of the Col du Pertuis and takes the only mountain point. The leading group has only a 35-second lead.
93 km – Due to the fast pace of the peloton, a large group of riders has to drop. Among others, Milan and Merlier can’t keep up with the pace.
95 km – On the first climb of the day, Ineos suddenly increases the pace of the peloton. The lead of the leading group is now only 50 seconds.
Now the first col of the fourth category awaits the leading group and the peloton. Later, a second climb of the same difficulty will follow.
-Col du Pertuis (3.7 kilometers at 5.1 percent) – Col de Tartaiguille (3.6 kilometers at 3.5 percent)
105 km – The lead of the four at the front has shrunk to 1 minute and 50 seconds. It’s unlikely that the leading group will keep the peloton behind them for the rest of the stage.
Tussensprint – In the peloton, there is also a sprint for the points. Green jersey wearer Milan crosses the line first and takes eleven points, followed by Girmay and Turgis.
Tussensprint – The leading group sprints for the points. Abrahamsen crosses the line first. Now it’s the peloton’s turn.
113 km – A crash in the peloton. Only Louis Barré goes to the ground.
117 km – There are still 5 kilometers to go until the intermediate sprint. Soudal Quick-Step and Lidl-Trek are keeping the pace high in the peloton.
126 km – The sprinters’ teams are increasingly getting ready for the intermediate sprint, which takes place in less than 15 kilometers. The lead of the leading group has shrunk slightly to 2 minutes and 25 seconds.
136 km – Soudal Quick-Step and Lidl-Trek lead the peloton. The teams are aiming for a stage win from Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) and Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek). The lead of the leading group remains around 2 minutes and 50 seconds. Laurance has dropped back into the peloton.
140 km – Abrahamsen, Burgaudeau, Pacher, and Albanese have extended their lead over the peloton to 2 minutes and 45 seconds. Laurance is in no man’s land and is more than a minute away from both the leading group and the peloton.
147 km – For now, a classic ‘chasse patate’ for Axel Laurance. The Ineos rider is about 55 seconds behind the leading group but has a minute and a half lead on the peloton.
153 km – Four riders have been given the blessing of the peloton. Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X), Mathieu Burgaudeau (TotalEnergies), Quentin Pacher (Groupama-FDJ), and Vincenzo Albanese (EF) now have a 1-minute lead over the peloton. Several riders are still trying to make the crossing.
157 km – Occasionally, a rider tries to attack, but now everyone is back in the peloton.