From Hagetmau to Bordeaux, Stage 7 was exactly what the doctor ordered for the peloton after hitting the Pyrenees mountains yesterday. The peaceful, flat, forests allowed everyone to recharge their batteries while the sprint battle loaded. Even Tour leader Tadej Pogacar was heard mentioning they needed a lazy day.
The stage started in similar fashion as Baptiste Veistroffer of team Lotto Intermarché jumped ahead once again with a couple of challengers to join him. The sprint teams are desperate to show off what they’ve brought to the Tour this year, so the breakaway was never allowed beyond over two minutes.
The last time the Tour finished in Bordeaux was three years ago when Jasper Philipsen dominated the field with his unlimited Instagram aura. Needless to say, times have changed, and the field is now deeper than it has been in a while.
Stage winner from earlier this week, Olav Kooij and his team Decathlon CMA CGN begin to fill out the front of the peloton alongside the notoriously quick Binium Girmay with team NSN. Behind those teams, the powerhouses known as Soudal Quick-Step and Alpecin-Premier Tech struggle to form a proper lead out train to compete.
As the final two men in the breakaway are caught less than 20km’s to go, the sprint is on. Mathieu Van Der Pol hits the exit ramp allowing his teammate Jasper Philipsen to take the lead of the sprint. Unfortunately, he is on his own with 500m to go.
As the finish line approaches, Biniam Girmay and Soren Waersenkjold of Uno-X Mobility begin to swallow up Philipsen. While looking down at the leaders from overhead, a missile appears from the left side of the pack: Tim Merlier of Soudal Quick-Step demolishes the field. Easily winning Stage 7.
We heard rumors that humble Tim Merlier was now the fastest man at this level, and today, he backed it up, even without a leadout. Why this man has only been entered in the 2021, 2025, and now 2026 Tour de France could be looked back on as a crime.
Tomorrow, Tim and the boys look to run it back once again. Will the results vary ?
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