Tim Merlier plays… Cyrano, winning his second stage at the Tour de France on the roads of Bergerac

Tim Merlier scores his second victory at the Tour de France and reaffirms—if any further proof were needed—that he is the World Tour’s top sprinter. The Belgian rider from Soudal Quick-Step also won Stage 8, which finished in Bergerac, with an extraordinary sprint finish. Forced to launch his sprint from a long way back, Merlier overtook all his rivals with an impressive surge, while Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) remains firmly in the lead in the general classification.

The day’s breakaway formed early on thanks to the initiative of Liam Slock (Lotto Intermarché), Thibault Guernalec (TotalEnergies), and Jakub Otruba (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA). However, the peloton kept the situation under control at all times, with the sprinters’ teams managing the pace without allowing the breakaway riders to gain too much of an advantage.

The action heated up on the day’s final climb, the Côte du Buisson-de-Cadouin. Slock made a solo breakaway, while behind him Jonas Abrahamsen tried to catch the peloton off guard, followed by Mathieu van der Poel. The attempt, however, was quickly neutralized by the peloton, which continued its chase of the Belgian escapee. Slock held on until the final kilometer before being reeled in by a group racing at breakneck speeds.

In the final stretch, Alpecin-Deceuninck once again tried to set up a sprint for Jasper Philipsen, but the Belgian was unable to finish higher than fourth. Instead, Tim Merlier stole the show with an exceptional sprint: launching well ahead of his rivals, he made up ground on everyone and won decisively. Behind him, Biniam Girmay (NSN Cycling Team) and Olav Kooij (Decathlon CMA CGM Team) finished second and third, respectively.