Stage 8

The road

At the start

A sprinters' rematch in Bergerac

Nothing moved in Bordeaux: Pogačar leads Vingegaard by 2:42, Del Toro and Evenepoel three and a half minutes back. Tim Merlier won yesterday and wants two in a row, though no sprinter has taken charge of this Tour yet. Mads Pedersen leads the points classification on 205 with the fast men close behind, and the two small Dordogne climbs are done long before the flat run into Bergerac.

How it was won

1. 180 km to go

   Slock takes his point at Domme

   Liam Slock collects the day's single mountain point on the Côte de Domme, a small prize on a stage the sprint teams are keeping on a deliberately short leash.

2. 242 km to go

   Slock goes it alone

   On the Buisson-de-Cadouin, Slock drops Otruba and Guernalec and rides away solo, while behind, EF light the fuse with Kasper Asgreen dragging Van der Poel and a clutch of strong men clear — a split that folds, but leaves the bunch racing.

3. 31 km to go

   Caught with 1.3km to go

   Slock has held a minute inside the final 10km and the upset is genuinely on, but the peloton's speed keeps climbing; he looks back once, sees them, and is swallowed with 1.3km left.

4. 4At the line

   Merlier makes it two in Bergerac

   Out of position through the last corner and only seventh wheel, Merlier simply refuses to lose: he opens up late, nothing but raw speed, and beats Girmay and Kooij for back-to-back stage wins.

The result