Tour de France stage 8 Live – A challenge for the sprinters

The man of the day, Jonas Abrahamsen. He will surely add a combativity award to the many honours and prizes already picked up this Tour.

110KM TO GO

The race has settled down again after that sprint. Abrahamsen’s lead is over six minutes, while Intermarché – Wanty lead the peloton.

Here is the updated green jersey rankings in full

1 Biniam Girmay 166

2 Jonas Abrahamsen 107

3 Jasper Philipsen 98

4 Bryan Coquard 86

5 Fernando Gaviria 73

6 Arnaud Démare 73

7 Arnaud De Lie 72

8 Dylan Groenewegen 71

9 Kévin Vauquelin 70

10 Tadej Pogačar 59

That means Girmay extends his lead over Philipsen in the points classification to 68 points, while Abrahamsen reduces his deficit to the Eritrean to 59 points.

Here are the intermediate sprint results in full:

1 Jonas Abrahamsen 20 points

2 Biniam Girmay 17

3 Gerben Thijssen 15

4 Jasper Philipsen 13

5 Bryan Coquard 11

6 Arnaud Démare 10

7 Sam Bennett 9

8 Arnaud De Lie 8

9 Ryan Gibbons 7

10 Anthony Turgis 6

11 Mike Teunissen 5

12 Marco Haller 4

13 Laurez Rex 3

14 Dan McLay 2

15 Pavel Sivakov 1

Crash for Søren Kragh Andersen in the peloton. Philipsen was also held up, though unclear if he too was involved. Either way, both riders appear OK.

120KM TO GO

Despite that lead out, Abrahamsen still has a very big lead of 5-45. That might grow some more now, as we enter an undulating part of the course. 

That was textbook from Intermarché – Wanty. Not only did they have three men to lead Girmay out, they even used Gerben Thijssen to outsprint Philipsen for third place.

Girmay wins the sprint for second.

Intermarché – Wanty are leading the sprint out for Girmay.

The abandon of Pedersen this morning and relegation of Philipsen two days ago means Girmay suddenly has a huge lead in the green jersey classification, of 62 points over the next best rider – who, incidentally, is the day’s breakaway rider, Jonas Abrahamsen. 

The race is about to liven up again, as the peloton approaches the intermatie sprint. Abrahamsen has just gone through it, and the sprinters will be here to contest the rest of the points in about five minutes.

130KM TO GO

Abrahamsen is the only man on…