PARIS : Belgian sprinter Tim Merlier claimed his second consecutive stage victory at the Tour de France on Saturday, powering to victory on Stage Eight, while defending champion Tadej Pogacar retained the overall leader’s yellow jersey.
Merlier recovered after briefly losing position in the peloton during the closing kilometres before launching a powerful late sprint to overtake his rivals and secure his fifth career Tour stage win.
Eritrea’s Biniam Girmay finished second, with Dutch rider Olav Kooij taking third.
The victory moved Merlier to within 15 points of Denmark’s Mads Pedersen in the race for the green jersey awarded to the points classification leader.
Stage Eight, held through France’s Dordogne region, had been widely expected to end in a bunch sprint, with no rider able to break the sprinters’ grip on the finish.
Pogacar completed the stage safely in the main group to retain the yellow jersey as the race leader.
