Tim Merlier Wins Tour de France Stage 8 in Bunch Sprint Finish

Tim Merlier won the eighth stage of the Tour de France on July 11, 2026, prevailing in a bunch sprint finish in Périgueux, France. He beat Biniam Girmay into second place and Olav Kooij into third. The victory marked Merlier's fifth stage win across three Tour appearances.

It also moved him to within 15 points of Mads Pedersen in the sprinters' green jersey competition, according to Le Monde. Merlier said the win confirmed his strong position in the race. "Three [sprint] stages, I won two.

[It's] definitely my Tour de France," he stated. He added that he had been boxed in before the final corner and nearly crashed before launching his winning move. A three-man breakaway that included Liam Slock, Jakub Otruba and Thibault Guernalec held a lead of more than two minutes at one point.

Slock attacked alone with 40 km remaining and was caught 1.3 km from the finish after spending more than 175 km off the front, Le Monde reported. Mathieu van der Poel led a group of six riders clear in the final kilometres in an attempt to set up Jasper Philipsen, but Merlier proved strongest in the sprint.