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Belgium’s Team Merleier made it back-to-back victories in eight stages of the Tour de France on Saturday.
Soudal claims the Quick-Step Rider A sprint win for stage seven on Friday And another bunch in Bergerac followed that during the finish.
The 33-year-old was out of contention as the riders turned into the final 500m as he was caught out of position, but Merlier launched a long-range charge to reel in all his rivals.
He hit the front with less than 200 meters to go and held off Biniam Girme for his fifth stage win on the Tour.
That left Girme awaiting his fourth victory – after the Eritrean’s first three in 2024 – while Dutch rider Olav Kuij, who Wednesday won his first stage, was third.
“If you win one, you can win a second, and I’m happy,” Merlier said. “Three (sprint) stages, I won two – definitely my Tour de France.”
The stage win moved Merlier to within 15 points of Mads Pedersen in the sprinters’ green jersey standings.
Defending champion Tadez Pogacar still holds onto the yellow jersey, maintaining his overall lead over Jonas Wingegaard on the flat 180.4km ride from Perigueux to Bergerac.
The eighth stage in the Dordogne, passes some of the region’s 1,000 castles and is set to finish with a bunch sprint.
After spending most of the day in a three-man breakaway, Liam Slock went clear with 40km to go but was caught 1.3km from the Belgian line.
Mathieu van der Poel did his best to set up Alpesin-Premier Tech team-mate Jasper Philipsen for a win in the home straight but Merlein was in the lead.
“I had to fight for my position until the last minute,” Merlier added. “Just before the corner, I was boxed in a bit, and then they almost crashed.
“I thought it was over, so I tried to get back from the guys who had the lead-out. I was coming so fast.”
Stage nine will be cut short due to an “intense heat wave” in the Courage region.
Tour organizers have adjusted Sunday’s route from Malemort to Eussel, reducing its length from 185.5km to 155.5km.
