Professional cyclist Tim Merlier has won the eighth stage of this year’s Tour de France. The 33-year-old triumphed in a bunch sprint after 180.4 kilometres between Périgueux and Bergerac. Biniam Girmay from Eritrea came second, whilst Olav Kooij from the Netherlands finished third. For Merlier, it was his second stage victory in this year’s Tour de France.
Pascal Ackermann was the best German, finishing seventh. Just before the finish line, the top sprinters caught up with the Belgian Liam Slock, who failed to secure victory from the breakaway.
In the overall standings, everything remains as it was. Superstar Tadej Pogacar leads by 2 minutes and 42 seconds ahead of his long-standing Danish rival Jonas Vingegaard and by 3 minutes and 27 seconds ahead of his Mexican team-mate Isaac del Toro. Florian Lipowitz, who finished third in the Tour, is in seventh place, four minutes behind Pogacar.
On the ninth stage, the final day before the rest day, the classics specialists are likely to have their sights set on a stage win, including former world champion Mathieu van der Poel from the Netherlands. In the Massif Central, the route covers 185.5 kilometres between Malemort and Ussel – with just under 3,300 metres of climbing.
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