"I am glad that no other team won" - Tim Merlier uses Tour de France win to put responsibility on rivals
CyclingFriday, 10 July 2026 at 18:33
Tim Merlier is in his third Tour de France appearance, and has won a stage this time around as well. The leader of Soudal - Quick-Step deployed a powerful sprint in Bordeaux to take his first triumph at this years' Grand Boucle on stage 7.
Merlier continues impressive streak
The finale into the French southwestern metropolis was fast and tense, with plenty fighting for positioning. However beforehand, it was up to Quick-Step and Merlier's former team Alpecin - Premier Tech to bring back the breakaway that included danger man Baptiste Veistroffer; as well as shutting down the unexpected attacks from Jonas Abrahamsen.
“It feels very good to win. It is only my third Tour de France and I have now won a stage in every participation. That makes me very proud," Merlier said in a post-race interview.
"Thanks to the team, we managed it; they really did a great job. After all the efforts of two days ago and today — together with Alpecin-Premier Tech, we were the only ones really riding to bring back the breakaway — I am glad that no other team won.”
It was a work that Quick-Step paid for, as Merlier's leadout man Bert van Lerberghe has withdrawn from the race, and he was effectively left with an ever more complicated situation against rival leadouts. But as has happened in the past, Jasper Stuyven took it upon himself to deliver Merlier in perfect position to the back of the head leadouts.
“I was able to follow Jasper Stuyven for a long time, but I eventually lost his wheel. It was really like being in a casino. I was being pushed from all sides," he explained.
"Fortunately, I eventually got a bit more space and was able to give my legs a rest, but the last six hundred meters were a real fight again. That’s when I thought to myself: keep fighting until the finish. I’m really happy that I was still able to catch him.
Tim Merlier has won a stage in all of his Tour de France appearances
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Absolute chaos before the final sprint
Alpecin and Jasper Philipsen had the front of the group at the key moment of the sprint, but the launch came with around 230 meters to go. This benefited those that came from behind, with Merlier and Soren Waerenskjold coming with impressive speed. The Belgian turned out to be victorious in the race's second sprint.
“I don’t know if I timed it perfectly; I didn’t know how far it was when I launched the sprint. It was a real mess: very difficult to get into position".
Merlier was also emotional following the stage, dedicating his victory to someone close: “The man who has driven my brother and me to races since I was 12 is dying. This one is for him. I hope he saw it.”
Tomorrow in Bergerac the fast men should have another opportunity, after a first week in which the climbers have been put on the spotlight quite frequently.
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A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
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Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
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