July 10, 2026 – The 113th Tour de France rolled out its seventh stage. Riders departed Hagetmau for a 175.1-kilometre flat stage finishing in Bordeaux, France’s iconic sprint hotspot. Following brutal mountain battles in the Pyrenees the previous day, general classification contenders opted to conserve energy, while sprint teams seized control of the race in the final kilometres.
Belgian star Tim Merlier of Soudal Quick-Step delivered a flawless team lead-out. He unleashed a devastating surge in the final 200 metres to overtake rivals, securing his first stage win of the 2026 Tour de France and the fourth Tour stage victory of his career.
Early Breakaway Reeled Back
Shortly after the neutral start, two riders forged the day’s breakaway group:
- Baptiste Veistroffer (Lotto)
- Jakub Otruba (Caja Rural)
The pair held a roughly two-minute lead, aiming to maximise exposure for their team sponsors. However, sprint-focused squads including Soudal Quick-Step, Alpecin-Deceuninck, Intermarché-Wanty and Uno-X Mobility maintained tight control of the peloton.
With 30 kilometres remaining, the main bunch ramped up the pace and rapidly chipped away at the break’s advantage. The escapees were caught with 18 kilometres to the finish, setting the stage for a full-throttle sprint showdown.
Sprint Trains Clash as Merlier Strikes Late
In the final 10 kilometres, teams fought fiercely for prime positioning ahead of the finish.
Uno-X Mobility launched its lead-out train to set up Soren Waerenskjold; Alpecin-Deceuninck protected Jasper Philipsen, while Soudal Quick-Step held their fire, waiting for the perfect moment to launch Merlier.
Waerenskjold opened his sprint with 200 metres to go and looked poised to take the win, yet Merlier surged up from behind to pull off a dramatic late pass and cross the line first by a razor-thin margin.
Stage 7 Podium
1. Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step)
2. Soren Waerenskjold(Uno-X Mobility)
3. Biniam Girmay (NSN cycling Team)
Jasper Philipsen, who moved into the sprint early, finished fifth.
GC Riders Finish Safely; Pogačar Keeps Yellow Jersey
This flat sprint stage saw no time gaps among general classification contenders, all of whom finished safely within the main peloton.
Tadej Pogačar retained the yellow leader’s jersey. Having built a substantial buffer on the sixth-stage mountain route, he continues to dominate the overall standings of the 2026 Tour de France.
Competition for the white young rider jersey, polka dot mountains jersey and green points jersey remains tight. The high-value sprint on this stage reshuffled the points standings, setting up an even more heated battle for the green jersey on upcoming flat stages.
Stage Highlights
1.Tim Merlier claimed his maiden 2026 Tour de France stage win and fourth career Tour stage victory.
2.Bordeaux hosted another thrilling high-speed bunch sprint, showcasing masterful lead-out teamwork across multiple squads.
3.Tadej Pogačar finished safely and held onto the yellow jersey without challenge.
4.The green jersey points race intensified dramatically after this stage’s high-stakes sprint.
Stage 8 Preview
Stage 8 on July 11 will run from Périgueux to Bergerac over approximately 182 kilometres. The largely flat terrain favours sprint specialists once more. Two consecutive days of fast bunch sprints will raise crash risks, and teams are expected to battle even harder for optimal lead-out positioning. General classification riders will prioritise safe finishes to preserve strength for upcoming undulating and mountainous stages.
