Tim Merlier claimed stage 8 of the Tour de France in Bergerac, notching his fifth career stage win at cycling’s biggest race. The Soudal Quick-Step rider, fresh off a victory on Friday, dominated the frenetic finale on Saturday, leaving Biniam Girmay (NSN Cycling) and Olav Kooij (Decathlon – CMA CGM) to settle for second and third.
Pascal Ackermann finished seventh, with Max Kanter (Cottbus/XDS Astana) in ninth. Kanter, who had impressed with second and fourth places in earlier sprint stages, missed out on another top result in the bunch kick. Germany’s wait for a Tour stage win rolls on—five years and counting. The finish in Bergerac carried extra weight: it was here, nine years ago, that Marcel Kittel secured the last German mass sprint victory, with John Degenkolb adding second-place finishes in both 2014 and 2017.
The 180.4-kilometer stage unfolded at a sedate pace for much of the day, with temperatures soaring above 35 degrees – local firefighters even refreshed spectators at the finish. The drama came from Belgian escapee Liam Slock, who was swallowed by the peloton just 1,400 meters from the line, a tailwind aiding his near-miss bid for glory.
Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) retained the yellow jersey, finishing safely in the main group alongside his GC rivals. In the green jersey battle, Mads Pedersen holds the edge over Merlier. Sunday’s 185.5-kilometer stage from Malemort to Ussel, featuring several categorized climbs, will offer little for the sprinters – their next chance won’t come until midway through the Tour’s second week.
