Top Banana: Tour de France stage 8 – Lilian Calmejane

Top Banana: Tour de France stage 8 – Lilian Calmejane

No competition today. The excellent Lilian Calmejane rode brilliantly in a stage of non-stop action and constant attacking


On a savage day of non-stop action and relentless attacking, it was no surprise to see a Direct Énergie man in the mix.

Thomas Voeckler gave it his best this week, it was Yohann Gène’s turn yesterday, and the wily veteran Sylvain Chavanel made a fistful of efforts to get away today in the frantic opening 50km. 

But it was the 24-year-old Lilian Calmejane who emerged alone to take on the race in the closing stages.

The six foot-tall Frenchman has come on leaps and bounds this season. He kicked off by winning the Étoile de Bessèges in February, followed up with the Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali the next month, and took the Circuit de la Sarthe to add to his Vuelta stage win the previous year.

He also landed the combativity prize on stage 3 to Longwy, having jumped across to the break then pressed on solo, only to be swept up with 10km remaining.

He is a genuine talent who can only improve in the next two or three years once he has more Grand Tour experience under his belt. 

When agonising cramps hit Calmejane legs with 5km remaining, we thought the game might be up for the bold attacker. Thankfully not.

We know what you’re thinking: the Top Banana doesn’t go to the stage winner. But in this instance it most certainly does. Rules were made to be broken, and Calmejane just gave us no choice. 

It may be the first banana he has won, but it won’t be the last.

Rouleur Tour de France collection

 

Tour de France 2017: Rouleur Top Bananas

 

The post Top Banana: Tour de France stage 8 – Lilian Calmejane appeared first on The world's finest cycling magazine.


READ MORE

Tour de France 2025 stage 11

‘We are the underdogs, so we have to be creative’ - A tactical masterclass or blunder from Visma-Lease a Bike at the Tour de France?

The Dutch team rode an aggressive race on stage 10 which ultimately gave them the day’s victory with Simon Yates, but failed to crack an...

Leer más
Ben Healy

‘His power file is extraordinary’ - Ben Healy and the magic of yellow

Inside the EF Education-EasyPost rider's monster effort on stage 10 of the Tour de France, which has put him in the yellow jersey going into...

Leer más
Tour de France 2025 stage 11 preview: Sprint or breakaway?

Tour de France 2025 stage 11 preview: Sprint or breakaway?

A smattering of climbs in the final half of the stage could be enough to foil the sprinters' chances of a rare bunch finish in...

Leer más
Simon Yates, Tour de France

Tour de France 2025 standings: the results after stage 10

The latest results and standings from the Tour de France 2025

Leer más
Timepiece: A view from the Puy de Dôme

Timepiece: A view from the Puy de Dôme

As the 2025 Tour de France heads into the Massif Central for its first mountain stage, we look back at when the race visited the...

Leer más
Tadej Pogačar at the Tour de France 2025

‘It is going to make for good TV’ - The Tour de France will reach boiling point on stage 10

Stage 10 is expected to bring some serious GC action after a few tense days between UAE Team Emirates-XRG and Visma-Lease a Bike

Leer más

READ RIDE REPEAT

JOIN ROULEUR TODAY

Get closer to the sport than ever before.

Enjoy a digital subscription to Rouleur for just £4 per month and get access to our award-winning magazines.

SUBSCRIBE