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Merlier Wins Stage 7 Sprint as Breakaway Falls

7/11/2026

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Summary

Merlier Wins Stage

Belgian Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) won Stage 7 on July 10 2026, sprinting the 175-km Hagetmau-Bordeaux route in 3 h 44 min 20 s.
Norwegian Soren Waerenskjold (Uno-X Mobility) was second, while Eritrean Biniam Girmay (NSN Cycling) was third.
A breakaway by Baptiste Veistroffer (Lotto Intermarché) and Jakub Otruba (Caja Rural) was caught with 18 km left, prompting Jasper Stuyven to lead the final sprint after Bert Van Lerberghe abandoned.

Summary

Tour de France Schedule

The 2026 Tour de France runs from July 4 to July 26, with rest days on July 13 and July 20.
The 3,333 km route features eight mountain stages, five summit finishes, a team and an individual time trial, and seven flat stages.
Stage 8 is a 180.4-km flat ride from Périgueux to Bergerac, with Canadians watching on FloBikes at 7 a.m. ET and U.S. viewers on NBC/Peacock under the 2023-2029 contract.

History

Historical Context

Henri Desgrange launched the first Tour de France in 1903, a six-stage race that attracted about 60 riders and gave Maurice Garin the inaugural yellow jersey, doubling L'Auto’s circulation. In 2026, Tim Merlier’s Stage 7 sprint for Soudal Quick-Step mirrors that early emphasis on fast finishes, now shown worldwide via NBC’s 2023-2029 contract.

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Merlier Wins Stage

Belgian Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) won Stage 7 on July 10 2026, sprinting the 175-km Hagetmau-Bordeaux route in 3 h 44 min 20 s.
Norwegian Soren Waerenskjold (Uno-X Mobility) was second, while Eritrean Biniam Girmay (NSN Cycling) was third.
A breakaway by Baptiste Veistroffer (Lotto Intermarché) and Jakub Otruba (Caja Rural) was caught with 18 km left, prompting Jasper Stuyven to lead the final sprint after Bert Van Lerberghe abandoned.

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