Key Points

It came from a false flat final kilometre, at the end of a stage that offered little in terms of action for the vast majority of its 176km distance. It nevertheless finished with a ferocious intensity to deliver Milan's first-ever Tour de France victory, and Italy's first male Tour de France stage winner since Vincenzo Nibali in 2019.

The first of two consecutive stages designed for the sprinters took the Tour de France east from the department of Brittany to the Pays de la Loire. As on Monday, so sure was the consensus that it would finish in a bunch sprint that there were no attacks to form a breakaway once the flag was lowered to signal the start of racing.

An easy day, but not a slow one, with Intermarche-Wanty and Lidl-Trek sharing duties on the front of the bunch, and driving the race towards Laval at a constant 42kph.

Only after the intermediate sprint, won comfortably by Milan, did TotalEnergies' Mathieu Burgaudeau and Matteo Vecher slip the moorings of the bunch. Although they were able to establish a lead that maxed out at over a minute, enough to see them over the single classified climb the race outcome was never under threat. As the sprint squads began to organise themselves ahead of the finale Burgaudeau was brought back into the fold with 10km to go, having done just enough to take the day's combativity prize. Stage three winner Tim Merlier (Soudal-Quickstep) suffered a mechanical requiring a bike swap, and while he was able to get back to the bunch before the finale, he opted not to throw himself into the mix for the stage win.

The final three kilometres were more complicated than the preceding 173, with a ninety-degree right turn leading up to a fast 180-degree roundabout, and a descent into town across two more roundabouts before the long drag up to the finish. Positioning was all-important, and on the second roundabout, Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) got his wrong, putting himself in trouble while almost taking out Milan, and having to work to return to the wheel of Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck).

The Australian did well to recover his place in the line, but it clearly cost him. When Van der Poel moved aside after his all-out dash, it was Milan best placed to take advantage, and all Groves could do to not fade too fast. Wout van Aert (Visma) had successfully surfed wheels and set himself up to contest the stage, but although he could put Milan under more pressure than anyone, he never looked like pulling past. Van Aert settled for second well before the line, slipping back behind the wheel, as the Italian rose in exultant celebration.

Immediately afterwards, he was in disbelief. "I still don't understand what we did," he said. "To come with expectations and some dreams to bring home... To predict them and to bring them home are two different things."

He will look to double up on Sunday's stage to Chateauroux, although the more conventional finish may suit Merlier better.

Pogacar, wearing the yellow jersey, crossed the line comfortably within the main field.

Action from Tour de France 2025 continues on Eurosport. Catch all the cyclists in action during Stage 9 - Chinon to Chateauroux, live from 19:45 hrs (7:45 PM IST) onwards on Sunday.

- ANI