Belgian rider Tim Merlier claimed victory in the seventh stage of the Tour de France on Friday, as defending champion Tadej Pogacar successfully defended the yellow jersey. The stage covered 169.9 kilometers from Hagetmau to Bordeaux.
Stage Details and Sprint Finish
Merlier, riding for Soudal-QuickStep, outsprinted his rivals in a mass dash to the line in Bordeaux. The stage was largely flat, favoring the sprinters, and the peloton stayed together for most of the day. Merlier's winning time was 3 hours, 36 minutes, and 24 seconds.
"I'm really happy to win here in Bordeaux," Merlier said after the stage. "The team did a fantastic job leading me out, and I had the legs to finish it off."
Pogacar Maintains Overall Lead
Tadej Pogacar, the two-time defending champion, finished safely in the main pack to retain the overall leader's yellow jersey. He holds a 35-second lead over second-placed Jonas Vingegaard of Jumbo-Visma. Pogacar's UAE Team Emirates squad controlled the pace throughout the stage, ensuring no dangerous breakaways threatened his position.
"It was a good day for us," Pogacar said. "We kept the yellow jersey and saved energy for the mountains ahead."
Upcoming Stages and Mountain Challenges
The Tour now heads into the Pyrenees, with the first mountain stage scheduled for Saturday. Stage 8 will feature several categorized climbs, including the Col de Menté and the Port de Balès, before a summit finish at the ski station of Peyragudes. Pogacar is expected to face his first major test of the race as Vingegaard and other contenders look to gain time.
Merlier's victory was his second career Tour de France stage win, his previous coming in 2021. The Belgian sprinter is now fifth in the points classification for the green jersey, with Jasper Philipsen leading that competition.
