Belgium’s Tim Merlier made it back-to-back wins on stage eight of the Tour de France on Saturday.
The Soudal Quick-Step rider claimed victory in a sprint for stage seven on Friday and followed that up during another bunch finish in Bergerac.
The 33-year-old looked out of contention as the riders turned into the final 500 metres as he was caught out of position, but Merlier launched a long-range charge to reel in all of his rivals.
He hit the front with less than 200 metres remaining and held off Biniam Girmay for his fifth stage win on the Tour.
That kept Girmay waiting for his fourth win – after the Eritrean’s first three in 2024 – while Dutch rider Olav Kooij, who won his first stage on Wednesday, was third.
“If you win one, you can win a second, and I’m happy,” said Merlier. “Three [sprint] stages, I won two – definitely my Tour de France.”
The stage victory saw Merlier move within 15 points of Mads Pedersen in the sprinters’ green jersey standings.
Defending champion Tadej Pogacar still holds the yellow jersey having maintained his overall lead over Jonas Vingegaard on the flat 180.4km ride from Perigueux to Bergerac.
The eighth stage in the Dordogne, wound past some of the region’s 1,000 castles and looked set to finish with a bunch sprint.
After spending most of the day in a three-man breakaway, Liam Slock went clear with 40km left but the Belgian was caught 1.3km from the line.
Mathieu van der Poel did his best to set up Alpecin-Premier Tech team-mate Jasper Philipsen for the victory on the home straight but Merlier powered into the lead.
“I needed to fight for my position all the time until the last minute,” Merlier added. “Just before the corner, I was a bit boxed in, and then they almost crashed.
“I thought it was over, so I gave it a try to come back off the guys who did the lead-out. I was coming with so much speed.”
The ninth stage will be shortened because of an “intense heatwave” in the Correze region.
Tour organisers have adjusted Sunday’s route from Malemort to Ussel, reducing its length from 185.5km to 155.5km.
