The Belgian Tim Merlier, already winner the day before in Bordeaux, doubled the stakes by also winning the eighth stage of the Tour de France in a sprint, Saturday July 11 in Bergerac.
A time locked up, the Soudal Quick-Step rider managed to find the opening to overtake everyone and win with a bike lead over the Eritrean Biniam Girmay (NSN) and the Dutchman Olav Kooij (Decathlon CMA CGM).
At the end of another scorching day but without fears for the leaders, the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar retains the yellow jersey with a lead of 2 minutes and 42 seconds over the Dane Jonas Vingegaard.
The general ranking
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO/UAD) 28 h 49:07.
2. Jonas Vingegaard (DEN/TVL) at 2:42.
3. Isaac Del Toro (MEX/UAD) 3:27.
4. Remco Evenepoel (BEL/RBH) 3:30.
5. Juan Ayuso (ESP/LTK) 3:34.
6. Paul Seixas (FRA/DCT) 3:55.
7. Florian Lipowitz (GER/RBH) 4:00.
8. Lenny Martinez (FRA/TBV) 4:21.
9. Mattias Skjelmose (DEN/LTK) 4:57.
10. Mathias Vacek (CZE/LTK) 7:10.
Sunday’s stage
The runners will encounter significant differences in altitude this Sunday, for the stage linking Malemort and Ussel. “Tickets for today’s escape should be expensive for this expedition in Corrèze with 3,300 meters of elevation gain. And they will be reserved for sizes likely to withstand repeated climbs. Shortly after halfway, the very irregular slope leading to Suc au May will be a selection whatever happens, which will continue by tackling Mont Bessou. There will then only be 25 kilometers and a few more slides left to reach Ussel,” explains Christian Prudhomme.
