Their move today was never going to pay off – but that wasn’t the point.
There are distinct tiers of breakaway at the Tour de France. Some of them are the product of hours of churn until the right group emerges – riders that don’t risk affecting any of the classifications or the plans of more fancied rivals. Some are launched by established heavy hitters – strong riders, but lacking the skillset or physiology to contend for bigger honours. Most of the time, these will fail, too, but sometimes there’s a surprise. And then there’s a third tier: the deeply doomed breakaway that will never make it to the line before the peloton, their purpose only to animate the least animated of stages.
Today’s was one of those, from a team that has form in this particular regard. If that sounds like a slight, it’s not meant to: TotalEnergies is a team of plucky French riders who each rarely taste success, which makes it all the sweeter when it pans out. Last year they had their day at the Tour de France, with Anthony Turgis slipping into the right kind of group for an underdog win. That stage, on the gravel roads around Troyes, was a picturesque highlight of the 2024 race. This stage, on the flat roads between Saint-Méen-le-Grand and Laval, was not: it was hot, and it was dull, and nobody really seemed that into it other than the sprinters, myopically focused on the last few kilometres. The only thing introducing a bit of tension into the long hours leading up to the finish? Two riders from TotalEnergies, Mathieu Burgaudeau and Mattéo Vercher.
ATTACK ALERT! 🚨
Matteo Vercher and @mat_burgaudeau decide to animate the race and go together.ALERTE ATTAQUE ! 💥
Matteo Vercher et @mat_burgaudeau décident d’animer la course et de sortir à deux #TDF2025 pic.twitter.com/QrO5iISHJr— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 12, 2025
The pair ducked off the front just after the intermediate sprint, near mirror images of each other – a few centimetres apart in height, similar physique, the same attacking style. Burgaudeau’s move was premeditated; Vercher’s was not. “I was supposed to go alone, but I’m glad Mattéo came with me. It was a great time, and it will remain a great memory,” Burgaudeau said after the finish. So why was Vercher there? “More for fun,” Vercher joked.
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