Attacks were plentiful from the flag but no breakaway had managed to go clear by the intermediate sprint at 45.5km, paving the way for Andre Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) to beat Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb) and Marcel Kittel (QuickStep Floors) to the maximum 20 points.

Of the leading green jersey contenders, Arnaud Demare (FDJ) was not involved, however, dropped already and in for a long, long day in the saddle due to illness.

After the sprint, the stage opened up a bit though another breakaway failed to gain traction until a 46-strong group – with all teams represented – charged clear, with a three-minute lead at 80km.

Emanuel Buchman was the best-placed overall of all the riders in the group, the white jersey contender becoming virtual leader as a splinter group of 13 – and then 16 – took charge at the front.

Warren Barguil (Team Sunweb) and Serge Pauwels (Dimension Data) were clear on the Col de la Joux, but riders bridged across again to make an eight-man leading group, with all the GC contenders together in the peloton.

But he recovered well to keep Gesink at bay, whipping up the crowds as he soloed down the finishing straight towards his second Grand Tour stage win.

In the peloton, a brief flurry of action on the run-in to the finish failed to make any inroads, with all the GC men finishing together.

It means Froome keeps yellow, but stage nine will prove a much more testing stage with three hors categorie climbs to negotiate.

Tour de France 2017: stage eight – result

1) Lilian Calmejane (FRA) – Direct Energie – 4.30.29hrs
2) Robert Gesink (NED) – LottoNL-Jumbo +37″
3) Guillaume Martin (FRA) – Wanty-Groupe Gobert +50″
4) Nicolas Roche (IRL) – BMC Racing – ST
5) Roman Kreuziger (CZE) – Orica-Scott
6) Fabio Aru (ITA) – Astana
7) Michael Vagren (DEN) – Astana
8) Rafal Majka (POL) – Bora-hansgrohe
9) Nate Brown (USA) – Cannondale-Drapac
10) Romain Hardy (FRA) – Fortuneo-Oscaro

General classification

1) Chris Froome (GBR) – Team Sky – 33.19.10hrs
2) Geraint Thomas (GBR) – Team Sky +12″
3) Fabio Aru (ITA) – Astana +14″
4) Daniel Martin (IRL) – QuickStep Floors +25″
5) Richie Porte (AUS) – BMC Racing +39″
6) Simon Yates (GBR) – Orica-Scott +43″
7) Romain Bardet (FRA) – Ag2r-La Mondiale +47″
8) Alberto Contador (ESP) – Trek-Segafredo +52″
9) Nairo Quintana (COL) – Movistar +54″
10) Rafal Majka (POL) – Bora-hansgrohe +1.01