Image: from categorycafe X @categorycafe
By Open Chronicle Sports
Belgian sprinter Tim Merlier claimed victory on Stage 7 of the 2026 Tour de France, producing a perfectly timed sprint in Bordeaux to secure his fourth career stage win while race leader Tadej Pogačar safely retained the yellow jersey.
The 175.1-kilometre stage from Hagetmau to Bordeaux was designed for the sprinters, and despite an early breakaway, the peloton kept the escape under control before setting up a dramatic bunch finish.
Riding for Soudal Quick Step, Merlier remained patient over the final kilometres before launching his decisive acceleration with 200 metres to go. He overtook Norway’s Søren Wærenskjold to take the victory, with Biniam Girmay completing the podium after another strong sprint performance.
Delivering at over 70 km/h 🤯🚀
Tim Merlier displayed exceptional top-end speed, reaching 70.6 km/h to outsprint Søren Wærenskjold and take Stage 7 of the Tour de France.
𝐓𝐢𝐦 𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐫
📏 Distance: 225m
⏱️ Time: 12"
💨 Avg speed: 68.1 km/h
🌪️ Max speed: 70.6 km/h pic.twitter.com/NKCKD66XeA— Velon CC (@VelonCC) July 10, 2026
Merlier praised his teammates after the finish, dedicating the victory to lead-out man Bert Van Lerberghe, who had been forced to leave the race earlier in the week.
The stage followed a familiar pattern for a sprint day. An early breakaway briefly animated the race before the sprinters’ teams gradually reeled in the attackers. The final kilometres through the streets of Bordeaux were contested at tremendous speed, with several teams battling fiercely for position.
Jasper Philipsen appeared well placed entering the final straight but launched his sprint too early and faded in the closing metres, eventually finishing outside the podium positions as Merlier surged past with superior speed.
There were no changes among the leading contenders in the general classification. UAE Team Emirates XRG ensured that Tadej Pogačar remained protected throughout the day, allowing the Slovenian to comfortably defend the yellow jersey after his dominant mountain victory on Stage 6.
Jonas Vingegaard continues to occupy second place overall, while Isaac del Toro remains firmly in podium contention following another solid performance from the UAE squad.
With the Pyrenees behind them and more opportunities for the fast men still to come, Stage 7 provided a welcome respite for the general classification contenders before the race heads into another demanding stretch.
Stage 7 Top Three
- Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick Step)
- Søren Wærenskjold (Uno X Mobility)
- Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty)
General Classification After Stage 7
- Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates XRG)
- Jonas Vingegaard (Visma Lease a Bike) +2:42
- Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates XRG) +3:27
- Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe) +3:30
- Juan Ayuso (Lidl Trek) +3:34