12 Jul 2025, 06:10
Tour de France
Tour de France - Stage 8
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Tour de France - Stage 8 Predictions & Betting tips - Tour de France
by Matthew Newman |
Only one official Cat 4 climb awaits the riders on Stage 8 of the Tour de France. That is not going to take much getting over, so our prediction has to be one of the sprinters still in the race.
Tim Merlier is the natural starting point. He took out the bunch sprint on Stage 3 to make up for missing the finish in Stage 1 when he was part of the group worst affected by the crosswinds. He is the strongest sprinter left in the race and is going to take plenty of beating at the finish.
The rider who is most likely to trouble him is Jonathan Milan. He was runner-up on Stage 3, having also missed out on the opening day. He has an excellent grand tour record in the Giro but is yet to win a Tour de France stage.
Defending green jersey winner Binian Girmay has looked well off the pace all year so far. He was runner-up in the split-apart Stage 1 but struggled to get involved on Stage 3.
Another to consider at a price is Soren Waerenskjold, who was third on Stage 1 and fourth on Stage 3. He won the Omloop Nieuwsblad back in early March in a bunch sprint, so is more than capable of holding his own.
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Tour de France - Stage 8 - Tour de France prediction key points
- There are 171.4km to cover on Stage 8 of the Tour de France.
- Although there is 1,700m of climbing through the stage, it is only rolling countryside with a single Cat 4, so it is a perfect sprinters' day.
- Tim Merlier leads Jonathan Milan 6-1 in the last seven sprint stage finishes that both have contested.
- Stage 3 has been the sole pure day for the fast men so far, a stage won by Tim Merlier.
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Our Tour de France - Stage 8 - Tour de France prediction
It feels unlikely that the teams with designs on the green jersey are going to allow any breakaway too much time here, looking to claw them back in at the perfect moment before launching into the sprint. Stages 9 and 11 are also flat, so this is the time for the quick men to shine.
If Stage 3 is anything to go by, there is no man quicker still in the peloton than Tim Merlier. The Soudal Quick-Step rider won the sprint into Dunkerque and is expected to double up. Our Tour de France Stage 8 prediction is Tim Merlier to win.
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All tips are fully researched and given in good faith, but profits cannot be guaranteed.
