Tim Merlier wins stage 7 as Pogacar keeps yellow jersey

Belgian sprinter Tim Merlier claimed victory on the seventh stage of the Tour de France in a chaotic bunch sprint in Bordeaux on Friday, July 10, 2026, while race leader Tadej Pogacar enjoyed a quiet day to retain the yellow jersey. Merlier, riding for Soudal Quick-Step, powered past his rivals in the final 100 meters to secure his fourth career Tour stage win. Norway’s Soren Waerenskjold finished second, with Eritrea’s Biniam Girmay taking third on the flat 175.1-kilometer route from Hagetmau to Bordeaux.

The stage unfolded under scorching temperatures that reached 38 degrees Celsius, offering a respite for the general classification contenders after the previous day’s demanding mountain stage in the Pyrenees. The day’s racing was animated by a two-man breakaway featuring Frenchman Baptiste Veistroffer and Czech rider Jakub Otruba, who attacked from the start. Their effort was tightly controlled by the sprinters' teams, primarily Alpecin-Premier Tech and Soudal Quick-Step, and the duo was caught with 18 kilometers remaining after spending over 150 kilometers at the front.

In the fast and tense finale, Alpecin-Premier Tech appeared to have set up their star sprinter, Jasper...