​Tim Merlier powered to victory in a bunch sprint finish on stage seven of the Tour de France, as Tadej Pogacar retained the overall lead. Norway’s Soren Waerenskjold crossed the line in second place with Eritrea’s Biniam Girmay finishing third at the end of the flat 175.1-kilometre route from Hagetmau to Bordeaux. Merlier judged his effort to perfection in the final 100 metres, catching his compatriot Jasper Philipsen and then simply outpacing the rest of the field. “It was a mess to be in position, but I made it thanks to the team,” Merlier said. “We were the only team with Alpecin who were riding to take the breakaway back, so I’m happy it’s not another team who wins. It’s only my third Tour de France. In every participation, I take a win, and that makes me proud.” Merlier’s trio of stage wins in the Tour now extend to 2021 and 2025, years in which Pogacar also finished as the race’s overall winner. Once again, Pogacar remains the man to beat this edition as he delivered a masterclass on the Col du Tourmalet on Thursday and carried that form into Friday, maintaining a two-minute and 38-second cushion over Jonas Vingegaard. UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammate Isaac del Toro sits a further 45 seconds behind in third.
The race had seen Torstein Traeen pull out on Thursday after a heavy crash while wearing the yellow jersey, and on Saturday the peloton faced a 180.4-kilometre stage from Perigueux to Bergerac, a route clearly designed with another sprint finish in mind. The results list reflects Merlier’s victory and the chase behind him, with Waerenskjold and Girmay following in close order for the podium places.
In the broader general classifications, Pogacar remains in command with 24 hours, 56 minutes, and 17 seconds recorded for the stage, followed by Jonas Vingegaard at two minutes and 42 seconds behind. Isaac del Toro sits 3 minutes and 27 seconds back in third, while a tight group of contenders including Remco Evenepoel, Juan Ayuso, and Paul Seixas occupy positions further down the top ten.
As the Tour rolls on, the conversation shifts to whether Girmay can recreate past Tour de France glories with a new team and if the sprint-heavy stages will continue to shape the race’s outcome. The next stages promise more opportunities for sprinters to shine, but Pogacar’s consistent form keeps him at the front of the field, ready to respond to any late surges and maintain his grip on the race lead.