Australian Rider Kaden Groves Finishes Third in Tour de France Stage 8; Italian Jonathan Milan Takes Victory and Leads Points Classification.

Australia's Kaden Groves finished third in stage eight of the Tour de France, with Italy's Jonathan Milan claiming victory. Milan fought off Belgian Wout van Aert to win the 171.4km stage from Saint-Méen-le-Grand. Defending champion Tadej Pogačar retained the yellow jersey. Milan leads the points classification. Stage nine takes the riders 174.1km from Chinon to Châteauroux, a flat route where the sprinters will again fancy their chances.

Jonathan Milan, of Lidl-Trek, has secured his first Tour de France stage victory, winning stage eight from Saint-Méen-le-Grand to Laval. The 24-year-old Italian sprinter outsprinted Belgian Wout van Aert and Australian Kaden Groves in a dramatic finish, taking the lead in the points classification.

Milan's victory marks a significant milestone for Italy, as it is the first Italian stage win since Vincenzo Nibali in the Alps in 2019. The 171.4km stage was characterized by a relaxed pace in the peloton, with no significant breakaways until the final kilometers. Milan's win was the result of a strategic sprint, where he navigated the technical final kilometers with precision, ultimately outpacing his rivals.

Kaden Groves, who has been one of the most consistent sprinters in the race, finished third. Despite his best efforts, Groves was unable to overcome Milan's dominance in the sprint. This result brings Groves closer to his first Tour de France stage win, but he remains one of the favorites for the remaining sprint stages.

Defending champion Tadej Pogačar retained the yellow jersey, maintaining his lead in the overall classification. The Slovenian has shown remarkable consistency throughout the race, despite the challenging conditions. Pogačar's team, UAE Team Emirates, continues to dominate the race, with Joao Almeida finishing the stage safely after a fall on the previous day.

Stage nine, a 174.1km flat route from Chinon to Châteauroux, is set to be another opportunity for the sprinters. The stage is expected to be a relaxed affair, with the focus on hydration and maintaining a steady pace. This stage comes just before the race's first rest day, which has been postponed to Tuesday due to France's national holiday, Bastille Day.

The points classification is now led by Jonathan Milan, who has 182 points, followed by Tadej Pogačar with 156 points and Biniam Girmay in third place with 124 points. Milan's victory has solidified his position as a strong contender for the green jersey, which goes to the winner of the points classification.

References:
[1] https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/tour-de-france-stage-eight-results/rnlktbke9
[2] https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6489771/2025/07/12/tour-de-france-stage-eight-analysis/